Young Voters Unite!

Since the Americans declared their independence in 1776, politics and big government have been built up to be a scary and confusing figure in the eyes of the youth. So it’s no wonder that when a young person turns eighteen, registering to vote isn’t at the top of their to-do list. The mission of the Young Voter’s Club at El Cerrito High is to demystify the intimidation behind the responsibility of voting. My goal is to educate and empower kids at my school so that they recognize the privilege of voting and take advantage of it. As cliché as it sounds, the youth of today are the future of tomorrow and it’s important we are prepared to step up and advocate for ourselves and generations to come. I believe it’s crucial that the youth of today is educated in the issues at hand and that they are able to have a voice in politics that will effect them for the rest of their lives. I’m sure the generations before us expect responsibility and capability in the new leaders of the world.

The Young Voters Club is set up so that students at El Cerrito High understand where their right to vote came from, why it’s important, and how to exercise it. We are lucky the year of the club’s foundation is also in a major election year (2012). The club will open when school reconvenes in mid August. The A.P. United States History (APUSH) teacher, Mr. Jimenez, has graciously given the club his time at lunch once a week to meet and assist in the understanding of the ballot and the supervision of the club. The first and most important goal of the club is to get every member who is eligible, registered to vote. Members who won’t be eighteen in time for the election can still learn how to vote and participate in all other club activities.  In the time between the first day of school and Election Day, I hope to have every member registered, well versed on the major issues of the campaign, and aware of where and how to vote in their hometown.  After Election Day, the club continues with furthering education in the history of voting and the finer details of being an active member of the American political environment. I intend to host a viewing of Iron Jawed Angles, a movie about women’s fight for the vote. I also will take advantage of our close proximity to U.C. Berkeley by contacting a representative from each of the political party clubs and hold a panel in which high school students can learn more about each party and it’s stances on major issues. Guest speakers such as local government officials are also an obtainable resource for both support and education.

Of course getting the attention of a teenager is always difficult. Some students have already shown interest and excitement about the prospect of voting and the club in general but I want to include as many students as possible. It’s important to appeal to the student’s sense of entitlement. These students are essentially being told what to do with no representation if they choose not to vote and that’s something that when realized, will motivate them to get started in the process. Food is also not to under-estimated. The power of a few red, white and blue cookies is enormous when working with teenagers. Being a rising senior presents another issue in the Action Plan. When I graduate from high school I would like for the club to continue but because most students eligible to vote are seniors as well, finding someone to take over the club could be a challenge. My plan is to have Mr. Jimenez keep an eye open for a promising junior APUSH student to shadow me as I direct the club and then take over when I move on.

I turn eighteen in October and when someone learns this about me, they are taken aback when I exclaim my excitement to vote. But I am honored and grateful to have the right to vote and I want others to get excited about voting and realize the privilege they’ve been given. According to the Young Democrats of America, by 2015, this generation will make up one third of the electorate. The Young Voter’s Club at El Cerrito High School wants to make an impact so that our one third are informed and excited to participate in the political world.

On the last day of the Leadership Institute every student is required to present the Action Plan they’ve been working on all session. I was nervous when I first stepped up to the podium in front of 8 other students and attentive parents. But once I started talking about my plan, I got so excited that all my original trepidation melted away. I am so proud of the work I accomplished at Brown and I can't wait to implement my Action Plan in the months to come.

Three Wonderful Weeks in Review

A year ago, I never would have considered a school on the East Coast. And now, I can barely see myself anywhere else. I wouldn't have this new outlook on my academic future if it hadn't been for this trip and most importantly, the Ivy League Connection. I first want to thank all the people who made this trip possible and enjoyable. My chaperones did a great job making sure my cohort and I were safe and having fun. And of course, the trip wouldn't exist without Ms. Kronenberg and Mr. Ramsey! So a huge thank you to them.

The first week of visiting schools was immensely helpful. Before the trip, I was overwhelmed with the possibilities for college. There were liberal arts colleges, bigger public universities, and numerous locations. I didn't know what was right for me until I visited some campuses. Getting to experience the school was really important for me. Getting a feel for each school, although none of them seemed prefect for me, helped me develop a criteria to narrow down my list of schools going in to the fall. The dinners also played an important role in the process of finding something right for me. Talking to current students gave me a good idea of the student body and diversity of every school, including ones I personally didn't visit.

After a luxurious week in the hotel, the move to the dorms was rough but realistic. And once I got comfortable, I really enjoyed living in Perkins Hall. The social climate was warm and welcoming. Everyone was so friendly and interesting. My neighbor was from Nicaragua and I had classmates from Puerto Rico, London, and India as well as young women from all across the United States. We all lived in the same building so we were able to study together and go to meals together when we weren't in class or at Community Hours. It was a perfect preview to college. Managing time between class, meals, social time and homework.

The class itself, was so wonderful. Kisa was an amazing instructor. She created a unique class environment in which everyone felt comfortable expressing any thought or opinion. The curriculum was fascinating as well. I feel so much more secure as a woman in society after all the discussions and readings we did. The speakers were a great supplement to the class too. The women that came in were inspiring. They were a real life example of all the ideals we had talked about in class.

Over all, my trip to the East Coast was one I'll never forget. The things I learned through this process will be applied to my life for years to come. Everything from the formal interview at the beginning, to the school board meeting, to the campus visits to the mini college experience have given me an insight in to what lies ahead in applying for college, living on my own and being an active member of my community.

Action Plan

For my action plan, I want to encourage safe sex practices in third world countries to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through fundraising. Contraceptives and condoms are already expensive for those who buy it in the United States, unless you are apart of a public sexual health facility. Those who live in deprived countries can’t afford the necessary products, and if they can, I don’t think they would put that first. 

The country I’m most determined to influence is Nigeria. This region has the biggest population in Africa. Knowing that it’s so populous can mean there is a large number of people affected by HIV/AIDS. 

My action plan is for me to hold fundraisers through my current high school and perhaps community. I’m also planning to partner with the Planned Parenthood at my school, where the money will be donated. The money will go towards buying products for those in Nigeria. I chose Nigeria because there’s a Planned Parenthood available there that may benefit from the earnings. Aside from fundraising, I want to raise awareness. I want to hold an assembly to educate my peers of what can occur when you use protection versus when you do not. I can use scare tactics by saying statistics of how many people are affected or how different their lives have changed. Hopefully, that will encourage more students to use contraceptives and to donate money for my cause.

I want my action plan to be a year round project. I’m apart of this after school club called YAB (youth advisory board) and we’re affiliated with our school’s health center and Planned Parenthood. Since I know them, I can reach out for their help to brainstorm new ideas I can use. To keep me on track with my process, I plan to have a mentor, which will be my Health Center's director.

This whole process is to impact those in third world countries. Before I can do that, the audience I’d have to target first are the students of my high school. From their reactions and assistance, my action plan will either go smoothly or roughly.

Since sex is a touchy subject, I know I’ll encounter some bumps throughout the road. If I choose to talk about intercourse to students during an assembly, it means getting their parents or guardians involved. Before I can do this, I need for everyone’s parents/guardians to sign a contract stating their consent for their child to participate. There are two responses, let their child engage in the talk, or not at all. For those who can’t I’ll need to figure out an alternative activity for them do. Fundraising can also have its problems too. Since I want this to be an annual thing, it might get a little boring from the repetitiveness. To fix this issue, class competitions can be hold. The homeroom that raises the most money can be rewarded with a pizza party or ice cream social. If the rewards are too costly, a bake sale can be initiated instead.

I know I can make this happen, as long as I have supporters and help along the way. A dollar or a penny will be welcomed, or any amount possible. Passion and dedication will guide me through the laziness and procrastination. I have hope and faith that my action plan will do well.

Reflection Thoughts

"What's the Ivy League Connection?" Was the first thing that came to mind when I found out that I was suitable for this program. I didn't expect to have to go through such a vigorous application process. Well, I actually didn't expect what was to come to begin my journey in the first place.

I stood proud and tall after I completed each step of my application. Going through each step made me reconsider if I was prepared for whats to come. The essay, recommendations, and interview were the perfect things to ready my mind set. Hearing my name called for my acceptance built a new road for possibilities that I've never expected possible.

I was overwhelmed when I arrived in Rhode Island. Knowing that my family wasn't with me and I had to live with brand new people I just met put me outside of my comfort zone. Over time, the girls and I bonded on a deeper level which made us into a brand new family, the Ivy League Family. We all had the same similarity, we were sleep deprived each day.

I've learned so much from this scholarship program. Touring four other colleges aside from Brown has broaden my horizons of what colleges are about. Each gave me different opinions and what I want versus what I don't in a school. Aside from what I like, I gained more knowledge of how the application process works, what courses are offered, and the general environment of possibly my new school. I would have never put too much thought into what colleges I might be interested in, but these tours have created new questions in my mind that I want to ask myself, "Is this place really the one for me?"

Taking a two week summer course was more difficult then I assumed. Late nights working on homework reminded me of high school, but three times more intense. We didn't have much work to do each night, but trying to find a balance between social and work life threw my sense of direction off of  harmony. There were a million more distractions and activities I wanted to be apart of, and it was tough to pull myself out of doing those irrelevant things, especially when my new friends wanted to participate. The Women and Leadership class not only gave me a glance of how college will be, but it made me explore the role of women. Women had no equal rights what so ever compared to men, but because of perseverance and desire to become equal, we soon changed history to become what we are today.

The Ivy League Connection offers amazing opportunities to the WCCUSD school district. Without, I wouldn't have been able to visit the East Coast. Thank you founders, donors, supporters, alumni, and the East Coast school's admission officers. You've all helped to create a program that will thrive and continue on in the future. There was so much I've taken from my travels, and that sparked my interests to look into both West and East Coast schools. Now as an alumna of the ILC, I will be happy to tell those at my current school my experience of a pre-college life and how it impacted me.

Reflecting On the Past and Waiting for the Future

Leaving Brown was not as easy as I thought it would be. Although, no tears were shed from my part it still hurt to know that I would not see any of the friends I had made at Brown. The last day at Brown was very exciting for me. I kept repeating everything I had to say for my presentation over and over again in my head. I was very nervous and tried my best to not read my notes when I practiced my speech in front of my friends. When the time came for my presentation to begin I nailed it! I didn't hear myself stutter or talk too fast. I made eye contact with everyone as I spoke and didn't forget to smile. I felt such great joy when it was over. People asked me questions, questions that I knew how to respond to.

My Action Plan is to begin a program related to the one known as Big Brother, Big Sister in my community. I want to encourage high school students to volunteer and help out children who need guidance in their life. The objective of my Action Plan is to reach out to kids who are in emotionally unstable environments. I want to provide them a safe place where they could be whoever they want to be without being judged or made fun of. I mainly want to help children who are in elementary and middle schools because this is a time in a child’s life where they go through so many difficulties such as physical and mental abuse.

I became very interested in this when I began to volunteer at a place called The Latina Center. This is a non-profit organization that helps out Latina women who are going through domestic violence, financial issue, are single mothers, etc. While these women are at workshops that help them overcome the problems they are going through, I plan to take care of their children. Something that I've noticed from these children is that they don't act like a typical child would. They usually tend to isolate themselves and often show great fear in their faces. 

Through my program the child will be paired up with someone who will become a role model in their life and whom they could talk to and seek for support. My program won't only help children but it will also teach the teenager the importance of responsibility.

I know my program will be a great success will the help of God and if I set my mind to it. I have found so much support in my family and friends for my program to take place.

I thank the ILC for giving me the opportunity of being part of this wonderful program that has been a life-changing experience for me. Through this great program I have learned so much about colleges and what they have to offer. My mind has been widened to the great opportunities that the world has to offer in order for me to achieve my goals and succeed in life. As soon as I go back to school I will spread my experience with all of my friends and classmates because this is a program that everyone should know about.

Thank you ILC for all that you did for me :). I am now more aware and have so much more knowledge about colleges and the world I live in.

12 Brown I Reflection

12 ILC Brown I Reflection

I became interested in the Ivy League Connection primarily because of the overall experience for the students. The Brown I group got to visit four other Ivy League universities; Wesleyan, Yale, Dartmouth, and MIT as well as a brief look at the towns and cities where these schools are located. This gave the students a chance to compare and contrast different schools and communities. Most of the students had never been to the New England part of the country before. This was a totally new experience for them. I wanted to be there and help them get the most of this special experience in their life.

Our group of “Brown I” students traveled well together. In fact they did everything well together. Everyone in the group contributed to the experience. The girls found a nice little café for breakfast a couple short blocks from our hotel. We ended up eating there a couple of mornings. If we somehow got split up on campus tours, like at Yale. The students would get together after the tour and compare notes and perceptions. What information did one tour pick up that the other tour group didn’t?

The luncheons and dinners with students, alumni and admissions people gave our students an inside look at four different colleges. MIT was an orientation and tour only. Our students got to hear from current students about student life and experiences. Admissions personnel explained their college philosophy was and what type of student the different colleges were looking for.  Our students learned that college admissions people were looking students that would fit at the school. Our students also heard that if they were turned down by a college, this did not mean the student was not college material, but that the admissions people thought you would fit in better somewhere else.  This was also mentioned by current students during lunch. As a student at Dartmouth said during lunch, she was so happy she had been turned down by Columbia and accepted by Dartmouth where she is very happy.

One night as the students sat around in their room and blogged about that day’s tour, I listened as they exchanged information.  As they blogged, they would ask each other about different points or the name of a person or something that was said and items of interest to them.
The luncheons and dinners changed my opinion of most of the colleges. The personal contact with administration and students gave all of us a personal insight to the school. 

I enjoyed reading the blogs and seeing how the students develped, adjusted and matured from the start of this adventure. I was impressed with how much they were learning both in and out of the classroom.

There is a significant advantage to the dual chaperon system. Mrs. Kaplan and I had a great system when we arrived for a tour. I would drop her and the students off, and then I would go find a parking spot and catch up with them later. If our group got separated into two groups while on tours, Mrs. Kaplan would be with one group and me with the other. Good system. I enjoyed the experience and working with the students and Mrs. Kaplan.  

John Crosby

Brown is Irresistible

I'm so grateful that Kisa was kind enough to allow us some time to practice our Action Plan presentations to each other. We were divided into groups of five in order to save time (and embarrassment). I thought this was good preparation for the big day tomorrow. After my practice presentation, I felt more confident and certain that I will do well. We were also required to give each other constructive feedback, which I found very helpful! I'm definitely going to miss the supportive atmosphere of my class.

Grub was at V Dub as usual. Ynah suggested that we visit the smaller shops today, so we ended up in a military surplus shop and a cute souvenir store. We took up the last minutes of our lunch period at the souvenir store because there were so many entertaining items to choose from. Unfortunately, my wallet would be parched if I spent money on more unnecessary things. I'm now angry at myself for forgetting the shop's name!

Michelle was probably laughing at my weak blocks.

My favorite part of the day was the self defense workshop, or should I say, "intro to self defense". Brown RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) instructor Michelle Nuey first talked about the basic concepts of self defense. If I could remember one thing from her spiel, I would remember this: Resistance is an option. Also, only 10% of self defense is physical, while the rest comes from one's mentality. I felt my adrenaline pumping faster and faster as we started to warm up with our defensive stances. Michelle led us through many basic exercises such as blocking. When we were blocking, we had to yell "NO!" from the pits of our diaphragms. This proved that yelling with my diaphragm is far more effective than screaming with my throat. We also developed knowledge about proper ways to react during frantic situations. I vowed to myself that I will never look vulnerable in public again.  Aside from what I've observed from my blue-belter little brother, I have never ever taken a self defense course in my life. Michelle's introductory class not only challenged my physical and mental alertness, but also made me realize how much improvement I need on my upper-body strength.

The final Community Time was spent with our separate residence clusters. For the most part, we reflected upon the past two weeks and shared memories with one another. It was a fun time enjoying our last hours together as one cluster. I've met a ton of amazing people -- students and facilitators --  during this two-week adventure. Everybody's such great company; hopefully we'll keep in touch somehow. We ended the night by taking a million group photos and dancing altogether in the compacted space. 

Today was incredibly bittersweet. I've had an indescribable time at Brown University, but it's time for me to come home.