From the Parents of Nick Shebek

Our son, Nick heads to Brown: Insightful Rising Senior Returns

Junior year at El Cerrito High for Nick seemed to require better family communication skills than prior years; there were school and club sports practices that still required rides; college admission tests to schedule, classes to juggle, and Ivy League Connection deadlines to track. Things seemed to go relatively smoothly; and we were glad when Nick was selected for Brown's macroeconomics course; an area of study which we thought he might find to be a nice combination of practical knowledge and mathematics, located in the heart of New England, where Nick would love to attend college.

My husband and I both grew up on the East Coast, and the opportunity for Nick to become more familiar with the pace, the lifestyle and the humidity should serve him well. The Ivy League Connection deadlines were going by quickly--we had met with the chaperones and cohorts at a casual potluck dinner at the high school; we had carpooled to the blogging training session, we had a moment of anxiety when the School Board meeting might have conflicted with a post season varsity baseball game, but all was on track as we boarded BART for our dinner at Boulevard with Brown alumni, School Board members and ILC sponsors. Nick was going to be speaking that evening; and was very entertaining with his pre-dinner jitters en route to San Francisco. He did well; fit in a Boston Celtics reference and got a smile from many of the guests, and we enjoyed a great dinner. I sat between two recent Brown graduates; both of whom spent some of their professional career with investment houses; my experiences as a commodities trader when they were toddlers both dated me, and provided a bit of a common language.

As I learned about Brown that evening, I saw that it fostered creativity and a strong sense of community. Soon after the dinner there were finals and SAT subject tests; quick double checks of the items needed list, and before we knew it, Nick was on his way.

The college visits had a huge impact; Nick was impressed with Yale, intrigued by Dartmouth, and thought Wesleyan might be a good fit for his younger sister when the time came. The opportunities to mingle with recent alumni and admissions staff further rounded his impressions of the schools. I think it's fair to say that Nick was blown away by MIT; besides its well-earned reputation as a top engineering school, Nick was glad its students were well rounded; that its humanities offerings were stellar as well. Meeting with alumni, Nick enjoyed their sense of humor, and glad to learn that majors weren't declared until sophomore year. On top of all of that, it is in Boston, home of the Celtics and the Red Sox; Nick is descended from a long line of New England sports fans. The one issue is that it is nearly impossible to be accepted, but at this time, Nick wants to apply.

On his return home, he set up his "mymit" account, read through the college materials that had accumulated in his absence, and seemed to be more focused and reflective. Nick enjoyed the macroeconomics course; it made him realize that if doesn't find his passion in engineering, there are other areas that will interest him. The pace of the class was challenging and in retrospect, he realized that Mr. Coleman had covered an enormous amount of material in just over two weeks. At the dinner at Mistral I suspect he already knew this was getting to be the end of a wonderful journey, and he enjoyed interacting with his cohorts as well as Brown II students and the alumni from the local prestigious schools visited by the various Brown groups. There was such a change in our son; he called more frequently than on other trips wanting to share insights he had learned about himself; joke with his sister about blog titles, advising her on the 'errors' of his high school career, encouraging to stretch herself in many directions.

For me, I've realized that there is now a whole new network of folks that I wouldn't have met except for the Ivy League Connection; I've made "linkedin" connections with young traders in the investment arena from Brown; I realized that when I reached out to an attorney in Hercules for a district-wide parcel tax measure initiative that he may have known Terilyn Chen as a mock trial attorney coach. Sure enough he did; Terilyn heads off to Harvard, he shared, a fact that was known to the other parents at the School Board meeting where Terilyn shared her Harvard interview experiences with the new ILC students.

The Ivy League Connection can be about more than opening WCCUSD students' eyes to the opportunities across the country; it can be about making connections locally. Coming from the East Coast thirty years ago, we had been envious of students who could study at the UCs for a fraction of the price. We had looked forward to taking advantage of California's university system for our own children, and frankly hadn't thought much of sending our children to the East Coast before the Ivy League connection reminded us that things change; and that now, WCCUSD students can stand out as talented contributors to a college campus in the Ivy League. I really believe that Nick's experience with the ILC has put him in a position where he will make an informed, intelligent and socially aware decision about where he is most likely to succeed in college.

We are so grateful for the ILC sponsors and team with the vision to keep all doors open for our WCCUSD students.

Thanks again, Karen and Pete Shebek

From the Father of Kelly Xi

I might be the last one of all the parents to write, but not the least to appreciate the ILC program. It was Kelly's second time to go. I was a little bit disappointed to know that she was not even selected in the first round. When she was called for the interview, I did not have too much confidence if she could make it to the final. I tried to comfort her by telling her that it is fair to let other kids have the same opportunity. She surprised me again with her well rounded preparation and confident presentation in front of the board members. Since Kelly already had her experience from last year, I was not worried for her at all for her 4 weeks away from home. I tried not to call her and let her handle things independently.

By the way, kids were together with the two most wonderful chaperones. Why should I worry? To tell the truth, I did not have the time to read all she wrote everyday, but I tried to make sure that she wrote everyday. As she was always a last minute person, she managed to write and post except missing a few times for some reasons. It is fair to say that she is much better this year in terms of keep writing her blogs. She is obviously more mature and confident.

The ILC experience really prepared the kids well for college both academically and mentally. By reading her last long blog, I am very impressed and proud of her idea to plan mock interviews to prepare other students for the ILC. I noticed that she uses the word "community" more often these days since she's returned. In my mind, when the kids learn to appreciate or give back what they received to their community, they are getting mature. A few years ago, we moved to Hercules from Davis and I thought we made a mistake for the kid. For the past two years, I actually feel lucky to have moved down here to live in the West county. Our school district has done an excellent job to overcome the disadvantages financially and geographically. They have worked so hard to unite the local businesses and community, to create such a wonderful program for our kids. When I proudly talk about our school district to my colleagues, they showed their envy in their eyes. I have not heard any other school district with similar program.

When I talk about our school district, I always mean the strong leadership from Mr. Ramsey, Ms Kronenberg and other board members that I could not name them individually, the generous sponsors and Don and all the staff involved. I really admire Don so much for his dedicated works. Please don't forget that he is a volunteer for us. He has done more than any of parents did. Mr. Ramsey really set a good sample for the kids and the parents how to follow the rules. I like the chaperones because they acted like parents, babysitting my smart but hard-headed teenager.

The party was over especially for Kelly. She is going to college next year. I don't know where she will end up. But I want her to realize that she might be smart but somebody else created the chance for her. She has to appreciate all the help from others and to give back to the community some day. 

Finally, I wish more kids from our West county will benefit from this unique ILC program. No matter where you go, be proud of where you are from.

Million thanks again to the people that I mentioned above and not mentioned but involved. You all are great people!

Side Xi

From the Parents of Tayler Ward

The opportunity that our daughter received to attend the Ivy League connection was not only a blessing for her but it was a blessing for our entire family. Having the opportunity to watch her and support her through this process reminded us of how truly special she is. Tayler worked so hard at writing those essays as she applied for 3 different programs offered by the Ivy League Connection. That alone made us proud of her that she was willing to put her self out there up to 3 times in order to increase her chances of acceptance.

Well, not to my surprise she was selected into the very 1st cohort therefore there was no need for her to go to the other two interviews. Sitting there with her before and after her interview we were both very nervous, but call it mother’s intuition I felt sure she would be selected.

After the acceptance and leading up to the actual departure was a great time for us as a family. Lots of time talking about all the what if's, planning, preparing and watching Tayler balanced her excitement and her fear. Again, a great learning experience for us all. Never questioning if she was mature enough but still secretly scared to have her gone for an entire month, we, too, had to balance our excitement and fear.

Well, she left for her trip to Brown University for a class in Macroeconomics (I am still wondering exactly what that is!) During her sendoff we fed off of one another’s excitement... no room for fear right now! She made it safe and sound.... she stayed in regular communication with us for the 1st week... well then you all know what happened, she started to enjoy herself a little bit too much bonding with her fellow Brownies and well, things changed. Our communication began to get a little irregular in week two, very irregular for week 3 and picked back up in week four. Well it was at the beginning of week four that she reached her peak for missing her own bed, her own bathroom and her own home cooked meals! She had to balance her feelings of how great a time she was having with how much she was missing Home Sweet Home!

Upon her return we were so happy to see her at SFO. She seemed a little different. We quickly realized that in those 4 weeks she really matured. The exposure that she received has broadened her perspectives on so many things.

We feel that the Ivy League Connection is an irreplaceable program. The combination of the exposing these youth to Ivy League Schools, taking an Ivy League Course, preparing them for being away from home for a significant amount of time, the caliber of the chaperones (Ms. Kaplan was AMAZING), the responsibility instilled in them to give back through public speaking and blogging... all of this together makes this program unique.

The Ivy League Connection is undoubtedly preparing these youth to be leaders...but not just leaders... they are being prepared to lead with a sense of pride, respect for others and personal responsibility to give back. We are very thankful that our daughter had this opportunity.

Billy & Tracy Ward

From the Parents of David Fang

Moving Forward

The following content was originally dictated in Chinese and translated into English.

First of all, I am very grateful to the founders (Mr. Ramsey, Ms. Kronenberg, and Don) and planners of the Ivy League Connection, as well as the sponsors and behind the scenes staff. Their hard work and constant efforts towards improvement is what made the ILC the outstanding and successful program it is today. It is truly gratifying. 

I am also very thankful for Ms. Kaplan for taking the Brown Session I students on this journey with attentive care. Her smile and laughter brought warmth and love to our children.

As parents, we were filled with joy when we heard about the program. With the help of the ILC, our child would have another metamorphic summer experience. I remember when I first accompanied David to the interview. I told him, "David, Mom has confidence in you."

When he was done with his interview, he called me back into the classroom and sat by my side. He smiled at me and said, "Mom, I felt good about my performance today. The panelists seemed pretty satisfied." I said back to him, "Success is half confidence and half hard work. Since you're so confident about yourself, you're already halfway there. And whatever the outcome, Mom will always support you."

When I heard my child's name being called out as one of the 2012 ILC participants, I ran over to him, with joy filling my heart. I told myself that this moment would be unforgettable, on the thought that David's efforts have not been in vain. I believe that the success of every child cannot be separated from their parents' support. As parents, we have to pay more attention to our child's thinking, behavior, and education in schools. They are our future. And as long as our children can continue to pursue their ideals with the proper education and opportunities, there is hope.

Through the one month experience, we found him to be a more grown up, mature person. We have more confidence in him making his own independent choices. He has expanded his knowledge towards the culture of people from various cultures and backgrounds, and has taken a great leap forward towards his communication with others. Through a short period of time, David has taken a great amount of change, but has also changed us. We are more assured in his capacity to be more independent and to think more intelligently, as well as the way he has learned to deal with difficulties in the face of pressure. 

He is also more confident when facing challenges, and makes smarter choices. In addition, by taking the Macroeconomics course at Brown, David now has a better understanding of the world. By visiting colleges, David now has a better understanding of college admissions, school conditions, interesting courses, and financial aid. We would really like to thank the Ivy League Connection for giving him his opportunity, and broadening his knowledge and experience.

And so, we will wish for the continuation of this program. Let this program forever continue to shine brightly and be extended to every school district. Let the Ivy League Connection continue to prosper and grow, for our children.

~~~~~

If anyone ever wanted to be convinced of the need for parental buy-in for our members of The Ivy League Connection they need to re-read this blog.  And while our readers could not have been at the interview, had they been there they would have seen David's mother jumping for joy with an ear to ear smile on her face when David's name was announced.  We could have turned out the lights in the interview room and still we would have needed sunglasses to protect our eyes from the way his mother beamed with pride in her David.

Don Gosney

From the Parents of Emily Hasyashi Groves

ILC Stands alone and above

As the de facto arbiters of merit in our meritocracy, selective schools are caught in tortuous business of keeping ratings high, admitting nearly only the straight A, 2400 SAT lacrosse team captain types. Gaming admissions becomes an act of parental positioning in affluent communities nationwide. Student backgrounds in top tier schools have become dangerously homogeneous for a nation with our diversity. Four out of five students in our Ivied institutions come from houses in the top quarter of the income bracket. More alarming, only 2% of selective school students hail from the bottom 50% in family income. NYC parents now spend hundreds to send their pre-K babies to gifted program test preparation to nab a spot in the fast track early on.  Myriad programs provide a capstone experience to a well-heeled high school career, offering one more fractional privilege to a polished list of credentials. The interplay of school rankings, family wealth and college prep industries form a ever increasing feedback loop. Our nation’s most desirable schools are becoming the turbo-charger in the engine of inequality.

Given student profiles at our nations’ top schools, chances for students in high poverty districts like ours could be remote. While such schools maintain some programming to diversify their student bodies, the pathways offered usually lead to a single school and can serve institutional interests as much as the students’.  ILC establishes an unparalleled program on terms advantageous to our students.  ILC uniquely exposes students with a sweeping survey of possibilities and instills the attributes needed to attain them. No other program offers such tangible opportunities for success. ILC prepares kids for life in a potent, global form.

As a lower income West County family, we haven’t the resources to make aware our daughter of options beyond California schools. East Coast institutions for her were abstractions. WCCUSD students can be self-limiting when making crucial life decisions beyond high school, often following the crowd to local community college, CSU or UC. While California is fortunate to have a wonderful college system, extraordinary educations are also to be had in Eastern selective schools. Californians in more affluent districts are made aware of the full range available, and comprise a healthy number of admits in the Ivies, but districts like ours have little representation. ILC successfully shifted our students and families thinking about college opportunities.

Reading the blogs each day, we could see our daughter’s horizons expand. Lessons we’ve tried to impart from middle school on –without success- were manifestly registering.  The value of study, rising to challenge and always doing one’s best evolved on Blogspot each day. She was able to measure the strengths and limitations of her WCCUSD education prior to attending college, something unavailable to her older sister. Watching via the internet her love of learning grow filled our hearts, and drew us back to her early school years.

We are profoundly grateful to ILC, Charles, Don and Madeline, the donors and chaperones for bringing this extraordinary program to our family. May you reach hundreds more deserving families across our district well into the future. ILC values hard work, personal accountability and effort in the face of adversity must become those of WCCUSD. Every WCCUSD student should have the opportunity to learn in a classroom where everyone is engaged. The benefits of rigorous liberal education can be had in high school. We must strive to bring it to all. The world needs West County kids in positions of influence. The ILC will get them there.

Misa Hayashi and Todd Groves

From Erinn Kuehne's Parents

Hello Everyone,



We would like to thank you so much for the honor of being part of this wonderful group of young adults and parents, sponsors, and volunteers. We want to thank you for all the help and advice. You were always right on target with everything that had to be done and making sure it was done on time. Everything was planned very well.


Erinn had such a wonderful time and learned so much about Current Techniques in DNA-based Biotechnology. She loved the instructor Jody Hall. She enjoyed the laboratory procedures and using her own DNA. She had a great time visiting the East Coast and experiencing college life at Brown (which we all loved). The program also helped Erinn think about her college preferences and where she might go next year. She learned a great deal about life and working hard, having a time management plan, and taking time out to have some fun. We enjoyed reading about her experiences and those of the other students on the blog. We were reluctant to leave personal comments but did keep in touch with Erinn by phone.


We thank Don Gosney for taking great photos and being generous with loaner items needed on the trip. Thanks to Sarah Larson, who was a wonderful chaperon. Everyone really enjoyed the time they spent together, especially the dinners and visits to different colleges. We were confident that our daughter would be safe and well-supervised while she was away.


We especially want to acknowledge and thank Mr. Ramsey and Ms. Kronenberg for creating the Ivy League Connection and making it possible for so many students to participate in this unique summer program. Their vision, dedication, and hard work have opened up new educational opportunities for high-achieving students in WCCUSD. This is one great program that sponsors, parents, and students should be very proud of. Thank you for enriching our lives and expanding Erinn’s educational experience.


Sincerely,

Charlotte and Don Kuehne

“I am today what yesterday has made me; tomorrow I shall be changed by today’s experiences.” –author unknown

From Alex Elms' Parents

WE ARE SO VERY THANKFUL FOR THIS PROGRAM



I have to admit, when asked to blog as parents of a student fortunate enough to be selected to attend an Ivy League College summer program, the request seemed daunting to the point of paralysis. We are not the scholars…our son is. So, what follows comes from the heart of a mother and father so proud to be associated with the Ivy League Connection and all it stands for.


What if your student came home with paperwork outlining a program stating that if they wrote an essay on a particular subject, they could be selected to move on to the next stage of said program and be interviewed for attendance at an Ivy League College summer program? At that point in the process, there is no way to grasp the opportunity that lies ahead for your son or daughter. You just do what you always do, you support them and cheer them every step of the way…..secretly keeping your fingers and toes crossed that they are selected to be an ambassador for their high school.


Our son, Alex, is fortunate to attend a high school in the West Contra Costa School District that partners with the Ivy League Connection and was also privileged to be chosen not only once, but twice, to attend a summer program through the Ivy League Connection. Last summer, he attended the Freedom and Justice program at Cornell University. This past summer, he attended an Experimental Physics program at the University of Pennsylvania.


Now, let’s go back to why students are notified of this wonderful program in the first place. They work very hard as students to maintain a high grade point average, they are determined, they are passionate about at least one subject in high school, and most important of all, they have a dream and a desire to advance themselves. (Also, a little bit of competitiveness goes a long way.)


The introduction to the Ivy League Connection is one of the rewards that Alex received for all of the hard work he did. The preparation your student will receive from this program is unprecedented. He was given blogging tutorials, was asked provocative questions to prepare him for his chosen course, and was given all materials required to excel.


He was given the opportunity to experience unparalleled adventures to the East Coast sans parental accompaniment – basically as an adult. While there is always supervision by a chaperone, he was allowed to travel with the expectations of maturity.


Not only did he get to attend a three to four week college course, but also he was exposed to other nearby ivy league universities by way of tours that he was able to assist in arranging. He spoke with Admissions Officers and college representatives. He was able to sit down to dinner with them and ask them questions that every college bound student wants to find out the answers to – what are you looking for in a student, how important is it to be a “well-rounded” student, how big of a part do the SAT/ACT and AP test scores play in acceptance? Without this program, Alex would never have been able to have the opportunity for those conversation.


Once the class started, he learned how to deal with the rigors of a college course, on top of the responsibility of juggling daily homework and daily blogging to keep everyone at home apprised of how he was doing and what intriguing aspects the college campus held for him. He would take pictures daily of his class activities, the beauty of the campus, and the extracurricular activities he would attend, giving us his view on college life that, without this program, he would not have the chance to become familiar with.


Alex met so many young people from all over the world, most of whom he continues to maintain close friendships with. He has learned about different cultures first-hand. He has learned that just because you meet people who live in a country that is very different from your own, it does not mean that you cannot learn from them and be exposed to all that they offer, including their hand in friendship.


I will tell you something else. You will most definitely notice a difference in your student when they return home. The student that left your home only a few weeks ago will return a much more confident, engaging and driven individual. They cannot help but grow when exposed to all that is theirs to grasp.


Now, the people who make all of these wonderful things happen are the founders of the Ivy League Connection, Charles Ramsey and Madeline Kronenberg. We have never met two individuals as driven for students of the West Contra Costa School District to excel as Charles and Madeline. We are forever indebted to you both for bringing Alex into the fold and nurturing him along the way. Another major contributor to the success of this program is Don Gosney, whose tenacity for keeping the students to task is unparalleled. Not only does Don take a mean photo, but his patience and guidance with the students in blogging tutorials and the instruction with the various computer programs the students will be expected to know and understand is incredible.


Last, but certainly not least, are the many sponsors involved. Without their monetary support and ideals, many students would not have the opportunity to see other parts of the country and to experience an ivy league college life. Again, words alone will never be enough to thank all of you. We are humbled and deeply indebted to you as well.


So, if your son or daughter excitedly brings home paperwork talking about the Ivy League Connection, pay attention, be supportive of their work and talents, and get ready for a wonderful, life-altering dream come true for your lucky student!

Mark and Darlene Elms