Grads, Dads and More!

It is that time when we congratulate our many seniors who are graduating this weekend.  It is both an exciting and a bittersweet time of year as we recognize these students, many of whom have been part of our school community for 13 years!

College-bound Alameda students from Alameda High (AHS) , Encinal High (EHS), Island High, Alameda Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), Alameda Community Learning Center (ACLC) and Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) have been accepted at many of the most competitive universities across the country, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis, most UC and CSU campuses, Brown, Princeton, Dartmouth, Harvard, Cornell, Stanford, Barnard, Vassar, Wesleyan, Amherst, Boston University, NYU, American, Pomona, Occidental, USC, UOP, Puget Sounds, DePaul, Syracuse, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Macalester, Xavier, Lewis and Clark, Hofstra, University of Virginia, University of Michigan, University of Vermont, University of New Hampshire, University of Oregon, University of Colorado, University of Washington, University of Massachusetts, Indiana University, Arizona State, Boise State, Linfield College, George Washington University and many others.

Over at Alameda High School, 96 percent of the graduates are going on to college (4-year and 2-year), trade school or the military. AHS seniors have cumulatively earned over $800,000 in scholarships, too.

For the sixth year in a row, Encinal High School boasts a Gates Millennium Scholar: this year, Wayne Ng. This is one of the most competitive scholarships in the country and is a full scholarship for both undergraduate and graduate studies, personal and professional development through leadership programs, and academic support throughout college for students who might not otherwise be able to pay for college.

Over at ACLC, graduates are attending a variety of schools, including UC Berkeley and Stanford. One senior was accepted into the very competitive UCLA Theater Arts Department while another received a full four-year scholarship to UC Berkeley through the Navy’s NROTC program.

And ASTI is sending 100 percent of its graduates on to college (71 percent to four year; 29 percent to two year).

In some cases, our seniors are electing to do a year of community service before continuing their education. AHS grad Courtney Winterbauer has a passion for community service and has a full year of global humanitarian projects lined up for the next year before she goes heads off to SF State.

Clearly, we are doing a great job educating our students.  But we are also doing a great job taking care of our students.

AHS student Cody Orthmeyer had to overcome way more obstacles than a young person should. By the end of his junior year, Cody had to declare himself as an independent minor. Yet, with the support of his school and his determination, dedication and hard work, he earned a full ride to Cal State Chico, where he will major in music industry.

EHS’s salutatorians both overcame challenging backgrounds, thanks to the support of their school community. Rita Tu rose to the ranks to become a battalion leader in the JROTC program and become president of the Asian Youth Services Committee and will attend Dartmouth in the fall. Winnie Vien volunteered over 300 hours helping oppressed immigrant women and children, was awarded with the “AP Scholars with Distinction” award and won both Rotary and Ronald McDonald scholarships to help her in her education at Swarthmore College in the fall.

To me, what is even more telling than the colleges where our students are accepted, is what they do after that. Well, a couple stories I’ve heard recently are pretty impressive. 2008 EHS graduate Ian Merrifield just graduated from Harvard and has been selected to run (not just help, but run) Obama’s reelection campaign in Palm Beach, Florida. By the way, 2012 EHS graduate Elaine Spencer will be keeping Harvard a Jet tradition this fall.

Another Jet, Aimee Barnes, (Lum, Wood, EHS) attended Dartmouth (undergrad) and Columbia (grad) and  is now a policy pdvisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Energy and Climate Change and will represent the United Arab Emirates at the upcoming Kyoto Conference.

Congratulations to all our seniors! And to our teachers, schools, parents and community for supporting them in their success!

Celebration Time

Whether you’re celebrating a grad or dad this weekend, come on down to the Harbor Bay Club on Saturday from 4:00 - 8:00 pm for a good old-fashioned concert on the green featuring our good friends, The Sun Kings. Dance to the tunes of this premier Beatles tribute band and enjoy barbecue, beer and other beverages, all the while helping to raise funds for Alameda schools. More information and tickets are available on our web site. Many thanks to the Harbor Bay Club for putting on this great event for Alameda schools!

Also, a huge congratulations to our middle school track & field student-athletes! We awarded 268 medals in the championships June 5 and 6. I saw many students achieve more than they ever thought they could through athletics this year. Many will go on to compete in high school, but more importantly, all are learning valuable life lessons about dedication, commitment and aiming for success.

Summer Enrichment Camps

Finally, don’t let the brain drain happen to your kids this summer. Keep the learning going in fun and creative ways with AEF’s Summer Enrichment Camps. There are still openings in a few, but they are filling up quickly!

Finally, thank you to the for putting on the Kids Movie Series fundraiser this summer. Tickets are sold out. Thanks also to the Bank of Alameda on Park Street, Café Q and for their help in selling the tickets.

Best wishes from all of us at AEF for a relaxing summer. And thank you for your continued support as we all work together to Support Student Success!