a bene placito

Today was an extremely exciting day. We started off the morning at El Cerrito High School, arriving around 3:15 to receive loaner items and to weigh our luggage. Our heavy suitcases were stuffed into the shuttle. We took a group shot, got into the shuttle, and we set off for the Oakland airport.

The airplane rides were uncomfortable, but everyone was filled with excitement to finally start our journey. On the plane, everyone used their time wisely. Ms. Larson slept, Erin read a book, Andrew watched a movie, Erinn read a book, I did summer homework, and Kathleen kept herself away in my blind spot.

When we finally arrived at Providence, we jolted to the hotel and got together to eat dinner. We ate at Local 121, a restaurant that only uses local ingredients in their food. Our dinner was relaxing, and a good way to wind down from the long day. We exchanged intellectual conversation and went over our plans for the rest of the trip.

In the end, we all decided to regress to our hotel rooms to hibernate.

We're all very eager to visit colleges this next week, and exuberant to be in the Ocean State.

The Saga Begins

What a privilege and an honor it is to be part of the first Ivy League Connection group to depart for the 2011 summer. I look forward to having a great learning experience not only at Brown University, but at the multiple colleges we visit, the admissions officers that we meet with, and general learning of a foreign place in the Rhode Island area. I woke up this morning at around 2:30 AM. Most people would suspect that I would be tired, but I could hardly wait to get out of bed because I was just so excited to begin the journey of a lifetime. Last year around this time when I was leaving for Cornell University I was nervous, yet anxious at the same time. But this year that dose of nervousness was replaced with confidence knowing that I am fully equipped to academically compete with anyone. A large part of this reason is because of how well our ILC family has prepared me.

We all arrived at El Cerrito High ready to leave for Providence, Rhode Island. The looks on my parent’s faces were of a dual nature. On one hand their expressions showed extreme happiness knowing that I was going to receive one of the best educations that any high school student could receive in 28 days. But they also showed some feelings of melancholy because they would not see me for a month. As they and I know, this is part of the maturation process that every teenager and their parents will go through. We said our goodbyes with an overabundance of hugs and kisses. We rode the shuttle to the airport and from this moment on we all realized that our journey has finally begun.

The airport process was not as arduous as usual. The only minor problem that I faced was in seating arrangement. My cohorts and chaperone were assigned seats of B 25-29, but my seat was B-49. No one is certain as to how this happened, but it made no difference once we were on the plane because it was open seating, so we all sat together. Our flight went from Oakland Airport to Chicago Midway Airport. I was relieved that there were no weather interferences with our flight schedule, compared to my experience last year in which my ILC group was stuck in O’Hare Airport for 23 hours. We had about an hour layover before we finally flew in to Providence, Rhode Island.

We arrived in Providence, Rhode Island exhausted, but enthusiastic to see what this wonderful region of the country has in store for us. We arrived at our quite quaint but beautiful hotel: Providence Hotel. We quickly got settled into our rooms and headed to dinner around the corner at local 121 Restaurant. Because we were all extremely tired, we went back to our rooms and got some rest. I am excited for our college visits in Boston, MIT and Boston University, it shall be fun.

They're Off! Brown-I Departs

At what point in the process can we say that the Ivy League Connection is past the point of no return?  Surely we can turn back after the interviews and even after the dinners with the alums and sponsors.  Even after our cohorts come before their city councils and the School Board we can always turn back if need be.

But once the airport shuttle leaves the parking lot at ECHS we are probably at that point and our cohorts know for sure that they’re really on their way.

Don offers a wide variety of 'loaner' items for our travelers.  From laptop
security cables, Ethernet cables, USB cables for their cameras, card readers
for their cameras, umbrellas, surge protectors, extension cords, alarm clocks
flash drives, desktop lamps and even laundry bags, Don's one stop bazaar
table offers that last minute shopping experience.

All luggage is weighed so our
intrepid travelers aren't hit by
the ridiculously high
overage charges.

Such was the case at 3:46 AM on this beautiful morning.

We had asked our cohorts to arrive in plenty of time to pick up their loaner items, get their last minute instructions, weigh their luggage and take the obligatory group photo.

If nothing else it seems that we’re getting our ILCers properly trained in showing up on time.  Every one of our students arrived plenty early—early enough so that we were finished with all of our tasks early enough so the airport shuttle could depart nearly 15 minutes ahead of schedule (because we all know how much fun waiting at the airport can be).

Even before our ILCers arrived, though, Don was paid a visit by a patrolling police officer checking to determine why this guy in the loud shirt was standing outside the local high school at three in the morning.

Excitement was in the air.

Despite the early hour and the fact that this was a time of day better suited to catching some zzz’s, our ILCers were wide awake and ready for their adventure to begin.

Why are we still here? Why aren't we moving?

Despite the early hour and the fact that this was a time of day better suited to catching some zzz’s, our ILCers were wide awake and ready for their adventure to begin.

Many thanks to Joann Miller for the use of some of her great photos.

Dad, Get Out of My Luggage

I triumphantly threw my last pair of pants into my luggage yesterday. I was finished packing. There are a few things that I need to put into my carry-on bag, like my laptop, but tonight I will pack away the things I usually use every day. I’d like to express major thanks to my mom who drove me around to shop for everything that I needed. Also I’d like to thank my dad who kept me company with the soundtrack of “Billy Elliott” on repeat while I triple-checked my luggage.

I spent my last days in Pinole with past and current Ivy League Connection students. Lucina Parada (Cornell 2008) and I drove around Pinole while she reassured me to study hard and have a lot of fun. Alex Elms (Cornell 2010 and UPenn 2011) and I went down to Pinole Park to throw the Frisbee around while we talked about packing and making reservations for dinners on the east coast. Although I will miss all the good people in Pinole, I intend to meet and make new friends at Brown.

After the Tony’s were over, I cleaned my room that I would be leaving for a month. It is a strange feeling to get ready for a big trip. I’ll be sleeping in a different bed and living in different places. I don’t mind much. It’s all a big adventure and I am more than ready for it.

Today, Ms. Larson gave all of Cohort #1 an early phone call at 9:30 AM. She checked in on the status of my packing and the weight of my luggage (which is 40 lbs.) while I updated her on contacting alumni. We parted on a good note, ready to meet up at 3:30 AM tomorrow morning.

Thank goodness I am in the first group that gets to leave for the ILC. I would get really antsy if another group went before me and I got to read about all their experiences on their blogs. I’ve waited patiently to get on this plane to the east coast, and the time has finally come.

I have Bossypants by Tina Fey and an SAT workbook for the 3,000 mile plane ride to Providence. See you on the other side!

Packing Is So Much Fun

If you couldn’t tell, I was being sarcastic in the title. I am frantically packing right now for our departure tomorrow. I thought I could get everything in order quickly, but apparently I was wrong. I should’ve been like Erin, who told me this morning that she had already finished packing her suitcase. I’ll try to finish as soon as possible so I can hopefully get some sleep. Regardless of how early I go to bed, though, I will be extremely tired waking up at 2:30 AM tomorrow. We’re meeting bright and early at 3:30 AM for our shuttle to the airport at 4 AM. I hope I’ll even be able to sleep; I’m too excited!

Word of advice to the second group: start packing early and see you at Brown!

Experience Meets Youth

Last Thursday evening several of our local Brown alums graciously gave of their time and met with four of this year's Brownies.  The Brown alums have offered to help take our Brown cohorts under their wings and mentor them as they prepare for that crucial time when they seek out the right fit of a college to attend.

Of course, our Brown alums would love to see each of these fine young women matriculate to Brown but at the very least they want to help them understand the subtleties of the college selection process.  Reading the material sent from the schools and researching them online are all valuable resources but they pale in comparison to speaking with someone who can give a first hand accounting of what it's like to apply, be accepted and attend a top flight university.

We thank our friends from the local Brown alumni association for their ongoing support for the Ivy League Connection and the students from the WCCUSD.

T-Minus One Month

At 7:30 this evening, I will look outside my front window and try to spot the airplane that will be taking my sister, Mariko Whitenack, and several others from El Cerrito High School to Japan for a study and culture trip, where they will stay for two weeks. This is the first time my sister will be away from home for so long, and I feel slightly strange not having her in the house. At the same time, the fact that she will be leaving makes me think about how I will be leaving for Brown University in less than a month. Brown Session 1 cohorts will be leaving next Tuesday, and I can already tell how ecstatic they are about going to Brown for about a month.

A crowded city in Japan

By next week, this blog will be flooding with posts from Brown Session I about the colleges they are visiting, their classes, what they like/dislike about the campus, and the people that they have met. At the same time, it makes me truly wonder what my experience will be like. I've taken classes at UC Berkeley for the past three summers, and for the first time since fourth grade, this will be the first summer that I am not doing ATDP (Academic Talent Development Program). That also feels strange; not doing the program. I am so used to writing an essay about myself and getting all my stuff together to send to UC Berkeley, but now, I am not. This time, I wrote an essay for Ivy League Connection and signed many forms to send to Brown University.

Brown University 

Today was the last day of school for El Cerrito High School, so the fact that it is summer vacation has not truly sunk in yet. I still feel like I have to scramble to finish math homework or remember Spanish drills, but I know in the next few days I will realize that sophomore year is truly over for me. I think that going to Brown will definitely help me prepare more for junior year; the most important year in high school.

Something else that struck me was the form of leadership. I was reading the ILC Yale blog last night and read Matt [Lee's] blog post about the ILC orientation, in which he mentioned when he got home that he and his family had a discussion about leadership. The course I will be taking focuses on the development of women leaders. I feel like no one is perfect and that everyone has something to work on. No one is a "natural-born leader" - it takes time, development, and growth to truly become a leader. Not just a leader to a community or nation, but a leader within ones self.