We're going to learn how to take over the world!

Actually, the four ILC students who are participating in the Yale program are. But, hey, maybe they can teach us a thing or two! Just kidding. Tonight, the term "taking over/ruling the world" came up a lot - this was a key term that symbolized the Ivy League Connection Representation: School Board Meeting. Every single ILC participant has the skills to take charge of not only their education, but society as well. Each program we are participating will teach us exquisite leadership skills.

Seeing all the ILC participants was a treat. I got to meet some new people and reconnect with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. We all piled into the Lavona Dejon Middle School auditorium and went over a quick agenda with Mr. Vincent Rhea (former El Cerrito High School principal), who always leads the presentation.

Kelly Xi (taking DNA-Biotechnology at Brown University) and I 

 

 

 

Emily Cain - ECHS sophomore. She is taking Women and Leadership at Brown University 

Lucas Lochner-Bravo - Taking Constitutional Law at Columbia

Tomi Balogun - Taking Constitutional Law at Columbia

Aurea Riboroso - Taking Presidential Powers at Columbia

Clara Lengacher (left) and Mariko Whitenack (right) - Both ECHS juniors who are taking Experimental Physics at the University of Pennsylvania 

 

 

Calvin Kuang (left) and Emily Hayashi-Groves (right) - Both ECHS juniors, Calvin is taking Freedom and Justice at Cornell University and Emily is taking Macroeconomics at Brown University 

Being presented in front of the school board for the second year in a row was an honor. I felt really proud standing with my cohort and holding up a blue Columbia flag. I absolutely cannot wait to go to New York City! The countdown is on, and I simply cannot believe we will be in the Big Apple as soon as we will be. Time is flying by so quickly! It was also nice to hear how excited the other chaperone's are for their trips!

A special treat was hearing speeches from two past Ivy League Connection participants who are at Ivy League schools. The first speaker was Austin Long, who graduated from Pinole Valley High School with the class of 2011 and is a rising sophomore at Yale University. I met Austin last year, when he was a senior, and marveled at his public speaking skills and his ease and kindness with others. He spoke about the importance of the Ivy League Connection and really encouraged every single one of this year's participants to take advantage of the opportunity and really bring something back to the community.

Austin Long - Yale University c/o 2015 

The second speaker was my close friend Terilyn Chen - she is a current senior at Hercules High School and will be attending Harvard University in the fall. Not only was Terilyn accepted to Harvard, but she was also accepted to Brown University and Cornell University - a truly admirable feat. I could not be more proud of her. In her speech, she talked about how through the Hotel Management Course she took at Cornell through ILC last summer she learned to "expect the unexpected" - for example, during her Harvard interview - after the usual talk about extracurriculars and academics - the interview turned into talk about the Spongebob Squarepants interview! But since she was used to "expecting the unexpected", she was not thrown off and remained confident. Obviously her confidence paid off!

Terilyn Chen (Harvard University c/o 2016) and I

After hearing these speeches and receiving ILC certificates, all the parents and ILC participants came together to take this year's group photo. I am so excited for everything that lies ahead of us, not just for the Columbia group, but for all ILCers!