Meeting with the Pinole City Council

The Front of the City Council Town Hall Meeting

All the Pinole Valley High School students that are with the ILC this year, had the honor of attending a city council meeting where they were formally introduced.

We sat in the very front row; our eyes were directly set towards the Pinole City Council, who was sitting just directly in front of us. This isn't my first time attending a city council meeting, but I must admit, the presence of the council members still create an intimidating atmosphere.

Even after the memorable school board meeting last week, I still haven't completely gotten over the wonderful fact that I, along with my fellow peers, will be this year's ILC ambassadors. Although we've been presented to the WCCUSD, it was still quite the honor to stand before our own city's council and declare our participation. Despite it being a smaller group and at a much smaller scale, the ILC continues to make its mark in its various cities. Pinole had already been marked by the ILC, but after that night, the mark had gotten so much deeper.

One by one, we lined up to the podium and faced the council. Nervous, but excited at the same time, I told them my name, current school and grade, and past education - just as the people before and after me had done. As we watched our fellow classmates give their little introduction, we waited on the side. Eventually, all of us were finished. Now we were a long line of bright young scholars overlooking a diverse crowd. I could just feel how proud and impressed they were.

Directly after wards, Don Gosney came by with his large camera. He wanted all of us to pose in a picture with the city council. That, to me, was such an honor. Normally, citizens look up to their leaders. But that night, we, as citizens, were looked up open by the council.

Nevertheless, this short and sweet meeting with the council was a great addition to our participation in the ILC. My desire to go increased largely, thanks to the council's kind and encouraging words. I am very happy that they had invited us because it shows just how much they cared and believed in the ILC. The Ivy League Connection, as it stands now, contains numerous supporters. Now, we can add the city Pinole as one of them.

Fellow Cornell Peer, Andrew Woo (Junior) talks to Charles Ramsey about Measure D.

Front Row in the Council Chamber

Last night, the ILC scholars from Pinole Valley High School were honored by the Pinole City Council. This was certainly another monumental event for my Ivy League Connection experience. It was a brief encounter, but special nontheless.

The seven of us entered the council chambers and sat in the front row. We were third on the agenda for the night and we were introduced by Ms. Kahn, Mr. Ramsey and Ms. Kaplan, each of whom had nothing but praise for the hard work we have done and are soon to encounter. Each time Mr. Ramsey, Ms. Kaplan or anyone else gives us praise for the work we have done so far, it encourages me to keep going the extra mile so that I may continue to earn their respect as well as the respect of others.

After we were introduced, we each gave a brief speech telling the council who we were, where and what we are going to study and what schools we have attended prior to Pinole Valley. Mr. Ramsey had said beforehand that we would speak of the importance of the ILC, so I was expecting to give a 2-3 minute speech. It turned out to be just about 15 seconds! Once again I was relieved to know I got anxious for nothing. After our speeches, Don took pictures of the seven of us with the entire council! That was an honor I wasn't quite expecting. After the picture, the council gave a few sentiments about how proud they were of all of our diligence. Once again, my determination to go the extra mile was bolstered by their very kind words.

Last night was another one of our memorable ILC nights that will stick with me. I grow more and more anxious for our departure as the days go by. Tomorrow is another big day because we are having our dinner at the One Market Restaurant with the Cornell alumni and I have been given the honor of speaking. Until my next blog (which will most likely be tomorrow or the next day) I'm signing off.

One Step for ILC...And One Big Step for WCCUSD

A few days ago, I and several other ILC members joined to honor each other and the respected sponsors, benefactors of the WCCUSD Board, chaperones, and especially the parents for supporting their kids. For the first time in my life, I was extremely happy to be a part of such a great program that unites all these different students from all over the district to pursue a common goal of education. We all have to be thankful to Don Gosney, Charles Ramsey, Madeline Kronenberg, and all the benefactors who continue to devote their time to making the lives of students like myself gain an opportunity to take part in learning and gain much needed confidence in a world full of intimidation. I can see in all those different faces a bright future ahead of them and the drive to not only excel in their own but also help others just as the benefactors have.
In the future of the ILC, it is an achievement to expand a program from 6 to 29 students in a matter of few years, and it would certainly yield both expected and unexpected results all for the better. With the continuation of expanding, the ILC will continue to generate such responsible, intelligent students such as past alumni like Yohanna Pepa and Cristina Pelayo. Hopefully when this year's class returns, we will not only impact the ILC with outstanding achievements at respective colleges but also our district.
There will certainly be a big step for the WCCUSD with a powerful army of ILC students returning with both the confidence, knowledge, and the capacity to lead other students to stand up and strive to achieve. I am delighted to know so many good people in our community and see us work together in the ILC.
In the weeks to come, I and other ILC members will continue to take steps in the path to success.

Twenty Nine

The number twenty nine. The number twenty nine doesn't really stand out to me. I only notice it during leap years, but since it comes by every 4 years, it just makes it all the more easier to be forgotten. The evening of May 10th, 2010 however, changed that. Now, the number 29 symbolizes something so much more important and memorable in my life.

My mother and I entered Lovonya DeJean Middle School at around 6:15pm on May 10th, 2010. That night, the WCCUSD School Board wished to introduce to our county, the bright ILC students selected to travel to and study at prestigious Ivy League colleges in the East Coast this very summer.

As we searched for open seats, I noticed immediately my setting - a multi-purpose room that was slowly becoming more and more crowded as the minutes went by. Despite the forest of protest signs in the audience, it was clear that the main "stars" of this show was the Ivy League Connection. Who could miss noticing the bright smiles of the wonderful ILC students, dressed so professionally, as if they already had the world in their hands?

This was a wonderful and unforgettable night of honor. I cannot recall any other day in which I felt such a proud feeling coming from a room full of people. I could see it in the eyes of our parents, sponsors, the school board, and even those who have just heard of the program that night, that they were impressed with the ILC and its selected students. But their feelings I believe, may not have matched that of 29 particular individuals...


Proud. That would be one simple word I'd describe all of us that night. As for myself however, that single word just isn't enough. I am amazed, overjoyed, grateful, and perhaps even more.
I am amazed at how hard work and perseverance has led me in life. Currently, it has taken me to my newest and brightest destination, the ILC program, and soon, Cornell University. Someone from the crowd had told us: "You kids are here because you've EARNED it." This comment really struck a chord to me because I'll admit that I sometime doubt and/or question my own potential. But now, I am completely reassured: all 29 of us are here because of our hard work and devotion. We have crossed many barriers since December and now, we stand rightfully as the WCCUSD's official ILC ambassadors of 2010.

That very night had also been one of great joy. In addition to the smiles of my own and my fellow ILC peers, there were two groups that had smiles that stood out to me even more. The first one belongs to our parents and the second, to the school board. Mr. Ramsey especially, had one of the biggest smiles that evening, as each ILC group came up to be presented. Their love and support is what continues to be the very foundation of our stride to do our very best.

And of course, I can never leave out just how grateful and thankful I am. There are so many people to thank, but a simple "thank you very much" just isn't enough, no matter how many times we say it. I am thankful to the school board for approving our trip to the east coast. I am thankful for the support I've received from parents, friends, and alums. I am thankful to Ms. Lamons, Mr. Botello, and Mrs. Luerson - my teachers, whose assistance had major impact on my meeting here. I am thankful to our chaperons this year (especially our chaperon, Ms.Kaplan), for their endless dedication to their respected groups. I am thankful to the sponsors whom I finally got to see for the first time; it was such a wonderful opportunity to see the very people who have made our trip such a dream come true. I am thankful to Mr. Gosney, who has been working very hard with the ILC, whether it be sending out important emails to taking photos. And lastly, I am eternally grateful to Mr. Charles Ramsey and Mrs. Madeline Kronenberg. Without the both of you, I am positive the ILC would not be as great as it is today.

Speaking of which, I am very impressed with the state of the ILC this year. Despite our county being under these economic times, we still manage to uphold a new record of officially participating ILC students for this summer. What once started 5 years ago with 6 students and small recognition, has blossomed into, as Mr. Ramsey called it, an army of 29. The ILC itself has grown tremendously over this year. I will admit that in my freshman year, I heard nothing of the ILC, but now, this year's freshmen are well aware of this opportunity that would soon be coming their way in their upcoming sophomore year. Knowing how much the ILC has grown and how much more it can expand, I am extremely proud to be part of, in my opinion, one of the best programs in the nation.

I was also quite impressed when I found out that 7 of the 17 ILC students from last year, got accepted to Ivy League colleges. This 40% rate of acceptance triumphs over the nation's average of 10% of students who get into the Ivy League colleges they applied for. That, to me, is amazing. It tells me that students from our district is very capable of competing for a spot in the Ivy League schools. It tells me that it's not necessarily the school you come from or the environment of the classrooms, but the individual themselves. As long as we do our best, we can put ourselves as equals to the other students around the nation, as we all compete to win a spot in some of country's most prestigious colleges.

With only about a month to go, and a certificate that states my official participation in the ILC this year, I, Wing So, am proud to say that this summer, I will be attending Cornell University to study under Professor Kramnick and his "Freedom and Justice" Course!

WCCUSD Board Meeting

Today, at the WCCUSD School Board Meeting, all of the 29 Ivy League Connection participants were presented to the community as the ILC class of Summer 2010. The evening was a vivid reminder that when we travel to the East Coast we will be representing our respective cities and district as a whole. Therefore, we will be required to put our best foot forward and make a good, lasting impression of WCCUSD.

The Cornell group was the first to be presented and were then followed by introductions of the students (and chaperones) attending Columbia, Brown, and Yale. Overall I thought the entire night was a wonderful tribute to the Ivy League Connection. Along with the introductions of the 29 students that are going this year, the evening was commemorated with testimonies from previous ILC students. Cristina Pelayo, Yohanna Pepa, and Matt Arciniega all gave wonderful presentations about what they learned at their summer programs last year, and how the ILC has helped them as they entered their senior year and the labyrinth of college admissions. Furthermore, at the board meeting, the ILC sponsors were honored for their financial support of the program. They have contributed so much and are absolutely essential to the success of the ILC. Concluding the ILC segment of the meeting were the School Board member’s comments, and a special recognition of the parents. The meeting took a 5 minute intermission for the group photo.

Overall, the evening was very interesting and it was wonderful to see all of the ILC students together for the first time. It was also very rewarding to receive the beautiful certificate that acknowledged my coming participation in the ILC this summer.

And On We Marched...

Tonight the ILC voyaged to Lavonya Dejean Middle School to attend a school board meeting. This was an ILC milestone for me because it was our first event where I had to speak in front of a large group of people and also because we were formally recognized by the school board, teachers, the community and our financial sponsors. Afterwards, we (the ILC scholars) and our parents all had our picture taken as a group. I will go into more detail about everything that happened, but let me preface it by saying that it was a great night.

First of all, the meeting started with the Board’s opening procedures: the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, etc. After this they moved on to the “business items.” On the addendum, the list of business items looked extremely long. The segment about the ILC was directly after this segment and I thought that it would take half-an-hour to get to through. Much to my disbelief, the board raced through the seemingly long list of business items and suddenly it was time for the Cornellians to take the floor.

Ms. Kaplan began the procession of chaperone-student speeches. After her, it was my turn. I was slightly nervous because I had never given a speech to such important adults before. I dealt with it though. I treated the situation as if I were competing in a speech tournament. This made me much more comfortable. The best advice I can give to any future ILC speakers (or any speakers for that matter) is to look poised, sound confident (even if you aren’t), speak coherently and look your audience right in the eye. Those tactics are what got me through my speech tonight. After my speech, the Columbians approached the podium. After that group came the Brown students and then the Yale students. My compliments go out to all of the other ILC speakers because every speech I heard was eloquent and each speaker was well polished. This was the biggest part of the evening.

After the student and chaperone speakers, the board and ILC members gave their thanks to all of the ILC’s financial benefactors. I had no idea how many organizations funded the ILC! There were over twenty contributors that were called forward and awarded! One of the men that was called forward was actual one of my interviewers. I had always wondered why he was one of my judges because he had not had any prior ties to Cornell or involvement with philosophy/law (not that any interviewers would have to be) but now I understand. My thanks go out to all of the financial supporters of the ILC because without them, I would not be taking the educational excursion of a lifetime. I cannot thank you all enough.

The School Board was the final group to address us. Everyone had incredible things to say about the work we were doing and how terrific the ILC is. I found Mr. Ramsey’s speech especially memorable though. He used a metaphor comparing the ILC to an army marching forth (hence the title of this blog) and making itself known as a united front. I cannot thank Mr. Ramsey enough for all that he has done, all he is doing, and all that he continues to do for us so that we may make our experience as informational, yet exciting, as possible. This would not be the same without you Mr. Ramsey.

I would also like to thank Ms. Kronenberg. She is one of the founding members of the ILC and without her, this whole program would not have touched the lives of so many excellent students. She has also assisted the Cornellians when we needed the conference rooms in the Hercules Library booked. This step helped bring our group face-to-face with each other and strengthen our bonds as a Cornell family. Ms. Kronenberg has been an integral and beneficial part of the ILC and shall continue to be so as long as the ILC exists.

The final ILC related segment of the night was a photo shoot of the ILC scholars and their parents. Tonight I saw Don Gosney in his element with his camera in hand and his trigger finger at the ready. Don assessed the situation at hand and divided the group of well over fifty people into perfect lines of smiling ILC scholar/parent faces. He continually stressed to us that we had to be aligned perfectly and with symmetry so that the photos would come out spectacularly. After about twenty-five camera flashes and two minutes of smiling, the photos had been taken and we could give our jaws a rest. Tonight reminded me of how important Don is to the ILC. He has been there every step of the way, whether it was with a camera or not, to give us guidance and assistance. For this, I am grateful that Don is an integral part of the ILC.

As a side note, I would like to congratulate Ms. Lamons for receiving “Teacher of the Year.” I would also like to thank her for making forensics a unique experience and for recommending me for the ILC in the first place. I would not have made it this far without you, so thank you Ms. Lamons.

That is my account of this wonderful night. This is only the beginning of my ILC event blogs though. I will have another two coming very soon about the Pinole City Council meeting on May 18 and our dinner with the Cornell alumni on May 20. Until then, this is Alex Elms signing off.

We're almost there

Just recently, the West Contra Costa Unified School District approved the trips to several prestigious universities such as Cornell, Brown, Columbia, and Yale, as part of the Ivy League Connections Program. The Ivy League Connections program is really amazing. It allows bright, dedicated, committed, and enthusiastic students to participate in courses in some of the best universities in the country.

To thank the district for approving the trips and sealing the deal, I, along with six other soon-to-be Ivy Leaguers, had the honor of attending a City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 27, and expressing our gratidue in front of a panel of city council members. We arrived at City Hall and, after Hercules High School Principal Guy Zakrevsky and Assistant Principal Terri Ishmael spoke graciously in regard to the ILC, we were introduced to speak, with sweaty foreheads and palms no less. Don Gosney and Charles Ramsey also spoke, reminding everyone about the significance and success of this powerful program, in which students can make life-changing connections, Ivy League Connections, to be exact. After our speeches, the council members also related their thoughts and feelings about the program. It was great hearing from the people who are in part responsible for the possibility of the ILC. But most importantly, as Mr. Ramsey and Don said, it is the great accomplishment of the students themselves, and the parents' involvement and support.

After our one to two minutes speeches, we gathered around for photos, around fifteen, according to Don, and proceeded to chat amongst ourselves and keeping track of how everyone was doing. The night went smoothly and left me feeling more prepared than ever to go. It felt like the grips of the upcoming summer were finally becoming tangible.

We are more excited than ever for our three weeks in Cornell this summer, and hope to gain, as I said in my speech, indispensable knowledge.