More than Just a Board Meeting

Last night was a night filled with praises, thanks, and powerful speeches. Let’s see, where to start, where to start? Well, why not at the beginning. While in the middle of class, I received a phone call from Don. Unfortunately, I had to take it at a later time because my teacher would kill me if she saw me on my phone. I waited until after class, gave Don a call, and he gave me the best news I’d heard in the past two weeks: My comrades and I were officially going to Yale. I was walking in the clouds for the next few hours, to say the least, and am so ecstatic that I will be going. After that, I went on home and got ready. My preparation time was quick before myself and my parents departed for Lovonya DeJean Junior High in Richmond. It’s only a twenty minute drive from my house and looks quite nice. The buildings are relatively new and free of graffiti that plagues most of the other junior highs in our area. When Don Gosney told us that the board meeting was going to be held in a junior high, I immediately thought, “Why isn’t the board meeting going to be held in city hall?” I am very naïve and soon learned that Don needed more open space to bunch us up for a huge group photo.

In any event, Don told us to get there by 6:00 PM and that is when most people, including me, starting filtering in. The meeting itself wouldn’t begin until 6:30, but Don knows that with some people you got to tell them that an event starts half  an hour before it really does so that they get there on time. While waiting for the meeting to start I met up with an old friend of mine, Mr. Thomas Johnson. He and I used to play flute back in Pinole Junior High and it was great to see him again and get the opportunity to participate in such a magnificent program as the Ivy League Connection. He will be attending Vanderbilt this summer, the Ivy League of the South. I wish him luck in his endeavors. In addition, I got to talk more with Mr. Malachi Gonzales, another friend of mine from Pinole Junior High. He’s still the cool character I remember him to be. He told me how he will be studying macroeconomics at Brown and the excitement he expressed for getting the chance to visit the East coast. I also talked with a few other ILC’ers and got to know my comrades better. I wish them luck on the advanced placement testing.

Then at 6:30, we were all called to sit down and begin the board meeting. Role was called, the agenda was amended slightly, and a case was brought before the school board. The case was about how the school board should keep a vital program for underprivileged children open. The three speakers had such fervor and tenacity in their speeches that even I, who knew only what they had told me about the program, felt as if it was imperative to keep it open. I can only hope that my speech giving skills will one day be that good.

After the board made its decision on the program, the Ivy League Connection was introduced. It felt as though we were the highlight of the evening, what everyone had been waiting for. The man who introduced us was an eloquent speaker and gave the ILC’ers, the board, and the benefactors such great praise. He went on to thank the board, and then the first group went up. If my memory serves me, I do believe Mr. Simon Cohen went up first to talk about Columbia University. He set a tone of professionalism for the rest of the evening that made me feel as though my speech was going to be no good. I admit that I did my best to mimic the speed of his speech and timber in his voice to sound more professional. I only hope that I did as well as him. One by one, each cohort went up: Brown, Cornell, Penn, Vanderbilt. Yale was last. At first, I thought that they were saving best for last. But as each troop approached the podium and Ms. Michelle Phung, Ms. Audrey Ehi Webb, Ms. Crystal Tse, and Ms. Kimberly De Dios, spoke on behalf of their cohorts, I felt great pressure to follow up such good speeches. Then, the Yale troop was called up. Ms. Tracey Singh-Poole introduced us all and Don got some good pictures of us. Then it came time for my speech. I thanked the board, told them why I am proud to be part of the Ivy League Connection, and what I will bring back to my community and my school. I felt I did okay compared to the other very well planned speeches. We were then walked off stage and given a certificate. I felt a certain relief on no longer having to give my speech, and yet I felt I did well enough that I can do this again if I am requested too.

Then the main benefactors were brought up, thanked, and also given a certificate for all of their hard work. I spoke with Mr. Dave Olsen and thanked him in person. He told me that getting up there and being thanked felt unnecessary and that we, the ILC’ers, deserve more credit. As humble as Mr. Olsen is, I thank him and all the benefactors. Their contributions turn dreams into reality. We then wrapped up the night with inspiring speeches by Ms. Madeline Kronenberg and Mr. Charles Ramsey. If anyone had a shred of doubt that the Ivy League Connection has sent people and changed them not only for self-benefit but for benefitting the community, then they have been disproven. Mr. Ramsey even went on to say that we were the ambassadors of the West Contra Costa Unified School District and that we are the crème of the crop. Thank you Mr. Ramsey, we will not disappoint you.

Later, Don took a picture of all of the people in the Ivy League Connection and their parents, and even managed to squeeze in the chaperones. We finished off the night by bidding farewell to everyone and hoping that they are successful in their struggle while on the East Coast. I feel honored to be part of the Ivy League Connection, and I will not let them down. 

All the ILC'ers, parents, and chaperones.

Can it be true?? We are Yale bound??

Who can that be? Calling me during a staff collaboration? Doesn't this person realize my principal does not like distractions?  I decided this call must be important and stepped out of the room.  When I answered the phone the last thing I expected to hear was Don's voice. "Tracey I just thought you would want to know but I just got word your cohort was accepted to Yale”.  

Wow!!! I could not imagine what these four young men were feeling right now.  To know that they had finally been accepted and that their summer journey would begin had to be truly amazing.  It couldn't have been any more fitting of a day as we were getting ready to go before the WCCUSD school board to be presented as the Yale ILCers and it would have been a little less excited if we were still waiting to know if they were truly going to have this opportunity this year.  

After having way too many meetings at school, I began my journey to DeJean Middle School to attend and be part of the School Board meeting and present to the Board my cohort.  

Upon arrival we all hooked up and talked about the mood of hearing today’s news.  We talked about the colleges they would visit before their program (Harvard, Brown and Wesleyan) and what we will do for the first few days before they would go into the hall of Yale.  

My cohort is excited despite knowing how much work is ahead of them, they have taken on the challenge and are ready to show the folks at Yale that they were worth every bit of their admittance into the program this summer.  

Being at the meeting tonight and seeing so many bright and motivated students makes me both proud and optimistic.  I am proud that I have the opportunity to work in a district that produces a fine group of young men and women with such bright futures.  But most of all I am optimistic that each and every one of these young men and women will make a difference in not only our world but their community.  As we continue forward we have so much to do but we accept the challenge with great pride.

Our Night With the School Board

Today was a wonderful day, although it did not begin as such. It started with the AP United States History Exam which I felt, despite attending a review course over the past couple weeks, unprepared for. At the end, however, I took a deep breath and realized that  I actually felt pretty good about it. And so concluded my AP testing experience for junior year, a huge load off my plate.

When I turned my phone back on after school (it was still off from the AP test) I had a missed call and voice mail from Don Gosney. My first though was "Uh oh...What did I do wrong?" The initial tone of the message did nothing to help; Don's opening (with an ominous tone) was "We just heard from Yale. Sorry I could't give you this message person-to-person, but I thought you would want to hear it anyway." So of course I assume he is about to tell me that I did not get in. Luckily, this was not the case. All four of us were admitted to the program, which I am pleased about. I would hate to leave any of the other young men in my cohort behind and would hate even more to be left behind myself. I finally got the learn the colleges we are visiting and was pleased to see that they are all ones I have not visited before. We are visiting Harvard University, Brown University, and Wesleyan University. I am excited for the chance to see a whole new batch of schools. In my two years with the ILC I will have visited all the schools except for Dartmouth.

The sight of the WCCUSD School Board Meetings

The majority of my afternoon and evening was taken up by the school board meeting where the Ivy League Connection members are presented to the community. It began with standard school board proceedings which, gave me and my fellow ILCers a chance to see how the leadership of the district that is sending us to the East Coast operates. While admittedly not the most interesting event in the world, it was an educational experience that I was happy to be a part of. The Ivy League Connection was the last thing on the list and took up the greatest amount of time. Every cohort was introduced individually, with the chaperone and one member of the group giving a brief speech. Everyone had something a little different to say and I thought all the speakers did an excellent job of not only communicating an important message, but also doing it with confidence and authority. Representatives for many of the sponsoring organizations game forward and it was great to put a name and a face to the people who contributed so much to the students in our community. Finally the "Three Pillars of the ILC" (as I heard them called today) each gave speeches. It is clear that a lot has been given to us, but it does not come for free. We are expected to represent our district to the best of our ability and bring back what we learned and use it to help not only ourselves, but also our community members. After a massive group photo taken by Don it was time to go home. The countdown until summer and my trip to Yale is almost complete and I get more excited as time goes on. I cannot wait to finally start the program. We should receive our official reading lists soon, so we can get started on the real work.

We Speak, We Dine, We Learn Things.

There are certain days that are not normal days. The day explodes with hyperbole and blown-up feelings and events that spin wildly out of their comfortable, neutral orbit. They're the extreme days that cause extreme reactions, and Wednesday, May 8, was certainly one of those days. A hot meal is the incentive to look forward after a moderately tough day. I was blessed to have the Yale dinner at Kuleto's to look forward after a four hour intense, long, difficult AP Calculus AB exam (your typical extreme day). The dinner was a great event for everyone that attended and was excellent in its social interaction, dining, information, and program.

Over the BART ride over, I was able to talk to Damian, which was great because I got to know him a little better, as well as Genevieve, a senior at El Cerrito High who's Yale bound come this fall! I was also able to sit down next to Tracey, our Yale chaperone, and catch up on what was going on with her and the Yale program. It was from her that I found out that the district had won an effort to use the funds from the bonds in Measure E that we passed last November. There was more to celebrate besides the creation of this blog!

Kuleto's was only a couple blocks away from the Powell Street BART station, so we all made it there relatively early. The private room where our dinner was held was very intimate, but it felt very elegant. During drinks, I met Peter Hanley, a school board member from San Mateo, as well as Ivy League Connection interviewer. Hailing from the Burmington shipyards up near Seattle, Mr. Hanley also runs an education reform organization that aims to give parents the choice to decide where to send their child for school. As he said, "We already get to select what grocery store we go to, where we get our haircuts...why shouldn't we be able to select our school?"

Sitting down with my mom, we introduced ourselves to Andrew Gao, a Yalie, class of 2011, who was working in the tech industry, literally a block away. Sophia Lee and Ning Liang also joined our table, two other intelligent, engaging Yalies (class of 2011 and 2009, respectively) who worked nearby in investments and analytics. They came from diverse backgrounds; Sophia was originally from Kansas and raised in Texas, while Ning was from Seattle (That Seattle theme came up a couple more times during the night, I met two other people from there!) While I only had a chance to really talk to Andrew toward the beginning of the dinner, I can say without a doubt that all three of them were articulate, charming, and well-mannered, engaging in high levels of discourse. By that, I don't mean "oh, gee, they use big words." They have a wide grasp of the English language and yet weren't pretentious about it. That's a combination that should take them even farther in life from where they are now. We talked about a dearth of topics, from Suzy Lee Weiss to snowboarding to jazz to toilet paper! Suffice it to say, I was privileged to sit at a table with such interesting people.

The program began during the conclusion of the first course (don't worry, an entire paragraph devoted to food follows this one) and started with everyone introducing themselves, from the Yale alums to the ILC Yalies for 2013 to the donors. Bill Lindsay, a friend of the district and a Yale alum himself ('78) shared his remembrances and impressions of Yale. For me, my favorite moment came when he started talking about when he felt that he was really "at college." "I got out of the bus with my friends, and the snow was falling down on a cold, lamplit street at night. We threw the freshly packed snow at each other and that was the moment." Eric took the floor to express his appreciation for everyone there, and as usual, it was a very charming and heartfelt speech. Charles Ramsey closed the program by discussing the struggles we face as a district. The WCCUSD is stereotyped as the district not to go to, with people always focusing on its problems, but there's so many bright spots that people don't know about - and the Ivy League Connection is helping to change that. However, just being intelligent or having talent is not enough. As Mr. Ramsey explained further, "that knowledge needs to be utilized into helping others." No one believed our district could take on the state - and the State Superintendent of Education. But we did - and we won, the same day as the dinner. There was so much more to celebrate besides a great meal and an upcoming life-changing class.

The food, overall, had a lot of great flavor. Appetizers included lots of bruschetta-inspired samplers and romaine salads, which are always delicious, and the filet mignon was very tender, the butter melting well with the meat and vegetables in your mouth. The callebaut cake was very smooth, combining effortlessly with the vanilla bean gelato. I thought the food had a lot of pop and was certainly good quality food, but I could find food of equal quality at a better value somewhere else if I were to eat there again.

The evening ended with more photos and conversations, including talking to Mr. James Lu about
meeting up with his daughter for a little pre-Yale get-together. Gosh, those Bay Area kids are just so talented. As we said our goodbyes and headed out back into the blurry San Francisco night (yeah, it would've been clearer if my glasses were on), I walked slowly, past the illuminated storefronts, through the busy crosswalks, and down the escalator, heading back home; stocked up on experiences, memories, and remembrances.

I took a moment to really think about the night's events when I got home, but soon after, it was back to blogging and the daily school grind, practicing for AP tests and finishing the work I needed to complete. It may seem to torture to many people that aren't me, running from place to place and working day after day. But I don't think of it as torture - I think of it as Yale prep.

Readers, you've been warned - the program legendary for its academic achievements, as well as the extremely long days of work, will be covered entirely right here. Last night was an example of an achievement for not only the cohort, but the partnership between the West Contra Costa Unified School District and Yale University, after long periods of hard work made by all.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another AP test to study for.

Contact Josh by commenting below or by emailing him at jandakocompany@yahoo.com.

Kuleto's: A Dinner to Remember

Last night my cohorts and I had dinner at Kuleto’s, a restaurant known in the Bay Area for its excellent food and high class clientele. But we weren’t there just for a good meal: my comrades and I were on a mission. We knew that we were going to meet Yale alumni and get a chance to pick their brains for any information that will make our summer stay in Yale more enjoyable, what to expect, and how to prepare ourselves. We also knew that the men and women who fund the Ivy League Connection would be there and that it was expected that we thank them for their contributions. Finally, we knew that we were being given an awesome responsibility at this dinner. We not only represent our respective schools, but we represent the next generation of Ivy League Connection scholars. With Mr. James C. Lu there, we had to show that our generation was going to be the best of the best. And what better way to do that than with a dinner? But before I go on and tell the highlights of last night, allow me to tell you of the hectic time I had preparing earlier that afternoon.

Mr. James Lu on the left and me on the right

I know that anyone reading this probably wants me to get directly to the dinner, but preparation with the Ivy League Connection is just as important as the events themselves. Following a long day at school, from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, the last thing I wanted to do was go anywhere. Nevertheless I had a duty to fulfill. My mom showed up with my suit at my school, I ran into the locker room, made a quick change, and I was ready to go. I made sure my suit matched the dress code, my camera had enough memory for pictures, and that I had spare batteries, just in case. It was also vital that I work on my introduction. People don’t want to hear your whole life story, just a quick blurb about who you are and what you represent. That is one of the more important things that I learned from Keith Ferrazzi’s book Never Eat Alone. I bolted out of the locker room at 4:20 and hopped in my mom’s car and she drove us to a BART station. BART is our local train station that takes us all over the Bay Area, for those of you reading who are unfamiliar with the means of transportation in the Bay. I was tense that we were going to be late, but lo and behold there was little traffic and we arrived twenty minutes early. Well, it’s better to be early than late. We waited a while, caught a train ride to San Francisco, and walked to Kuleto’s. As we approached Kuleto’s we saw such extravagant stores like Sephora and Nordstrom in a busy upper class shopping district.

Our party waiting for the train.

Then we entered Kuleto’s, an Italian restaurant that had a warm, delicious smell in the air as you entered. We walked down a piece to our private room and along the way saw people dressed to the nines. This looked like the kind of restaurant that you have to call three months in advance to get a table. The room that the Ivy League Connection had leased for the evening was the Machiavelli room, a small and intimate space with mirrors on one wall. Don gave me some photography tips so that I would get hit with my own flash reflection on a mirror, and they did prove very useful. I mingled lightly before dinner with former Ivy League Connection member Austin Long, who wrote a great report on Bull Dog Days at Yale. There were also, as mentioned before, Yale alumni who provided some insight into the campus and the culture of Yale. I also got a chance to talk more with my comrades and got to know them better. AP testing is on all of their minds, and I wish them the best of luck with their endeavors.

Left to right: Josh, me, Damian

At about 6:30, we all sat down and began the dinner. They brought out tiny pizza slices and cheese and ham on small slices of toasted bread. It was good, but nothing to write home about. But far more important than the appetizers was the company. Some of the Yale alumni who gave me some great insight not only into the Ivy League Connection but also into campus life include Esther Hong, Ken Yamaguchi, and Austin Long. Each was from a different college within Yale University, and I soon found out how deep one’s commitment to their college runs. Ken told me about the modern architecture that is in the newly renovated Stiles and Moore building, which piqued my interest. But then Esther came along and told me her experience about living in a “castle” as she described it. But beyond those two and Austin debating which college was the best, I had the pleasure of picking their brains on the majors offered, the teachers, the food, the dorm life, and everything in between. The excitement in the conversation made it go by all too fast. Before we knew it people were giving speeches and introducing themselves to the assemblage.

Me with Esther

Bill Lindsay gave a speech on his experience in Yale along with some personal experiences that I hope I will one day use. His wisdom is priceless, and when he spoke about being a “lost Californian” and finding the help and the strength to keep going will inspire me to shoot for the stars. All of the people who help fund the Ivy League Connection also spoke and a story by a man named David Leuffler who spoke about having to fight the school board to start the Ivy League and finding the funding. Another funder talked about the struggle to get funding to build new facilities and buildings for schools. Then, my comrade Eric went up and talked about what he plans on bringing back to the West Contra Costa Unified School District and how he plans on using it. Eric is a smart guy, as are my other comrades, and his speech was both eloquent and concise. He gave enough information for all of us to understand where he is coming from and what he’s going to do without clouding it in excess material.

Eric giving his speech.

After that Mr. Charles Ramsey spoke and praised my comrades and me for our hard work and grit along with thanking those alumni who showed up. Charles also gave us some great advice on how to deal with the struggle of the real world where we must help the community around us. He said that it is not enough to have a nine-to-five job and come home to be with your family. We must help the community that has helped us; give back to those that gave us so much. To quote Charles, “The more you give, the more you get.”

The rest of the evening was followed with wonderful fillet mignon with mixed vegetables. It seemed to melt in my mouth and the butter on top added so much. The rich, creamy butter and the vegetables, along with the medium rare fillet mignon complemented everything so well. The food complemented the conversation so well. We talked more about the classes, how Ken and Esther picked their majors, and how Austin enjoyed the entire Ivy League Connection when he went to Brown. The time spent conversing with such educated people has broadened my horizons. I have always wanted to enroll in a university on the East Coast, and after talking to these people I am positive that I will apply to all the ones that I can. Yale has the classes that I am interested in, and from what I got from Ken and Esther it really isn’t that competitive and more cooperative. I was told that everyone there wants you to succeed and is extremely supportive. This is the vibe I get at my high school, Middle College, and a vibe I hope to experience after I apply to Yale.

Ken Yamaguchi and me.

We finished off the night with pictures next to the Yale alumni and pictures next to people like James Lu and Madeline Kronenberg. We then walked to the BART station, seeing the extravagant stores on our way out, caught a train, and made our ways home. It was a fantastic night filled with educated people and intelligent conversation. It has prepared me more for my trip this summer to Yale.

The name of the restaurant emboldened over the entrance.

A Night At Kuleto's

I came home from school in a rush. The second I stepped through the door, I began getting ready for an Ivy League Connection dinner located in San Francisco. Kuleto's is the name of the restaurant, and it is situated on Powell Street, in between a few popular shops, and right up the street of the Westfield Mall. I quickly ran upstairs to take a shower. When I got out, I went to my closet to put together my outfit for the evening. We were told to dress formally. I was extremely anxious, my mind was running wild, wondering which shirt, pants, and blazer I should wear. After all, it was my first time eating at a high class restaurant. By the time I finished all the ironing of my clothes and the nagging at my dad, it was about 4:15 PM. My dad drove to the El Cerrito Plaza Bart Station with the help of my trusty iPhone. We arrived at approximately 4:45 PM, and on our way to the station we ran into Don. While others arrived one at a time, the group engaged in idle chat; mainly about AP tests and grades -- the usual high school conversations. I met new people such as Madeline Kronenberg, Charles Ramsey, and Genevieve Simmons. 

We were all given our BART tickets and hopped on the BART to the Powell Station. During the ride, I sat next to Yura, the mother of a Yale student and Ivy League Connection Grand Strategy alum. I talked to her about my interests and inquired about how her daughter felt about Yale and the Grand Strategy program (now called the Young Global Scholars Program.) The train finally stopped and we headed out to Kuleto's as a group. The interior of Kuleto's was amazing. Keep in mind that this is all new to me. The atmosphere was filled with the smell of wine, champagne, and Italian cuisine, giving it an elite air that I have never experienced. I walked down the stairs to the Machiavelli Room and was surprised at the number of people. The first two people I met were named Sophia and Andrew, two Yale alumni. Before the conversation could truly start, we were instructed to find our seats. My name card was put in between two Yale alumni, Tiffany Ng and Mo Lau. To the right of Mo Lau was my cohort, Eric Wilson, to the right of Eric was a Yale alum named Tyler He, to the right of Tyler He was Eric's mom, and to the right of Eric's mom, or left of Tiffany Ng, was my dad -- creating a large circle. 

The restaurant of the evening, Kuleto's.

Before the dinner started, we all greeted each other. Most of the time I spoke to Tiffany, I learned that she majored in Music and English at Yale. I asked her about Yale and college life and in turn, she asked about my hobbies and future aspirations. Later in the dinner, I learned that Mo Lau owned a tech company and Tyler was aiming to find the new Facebook. One thing that almost everyone in the table had in common was an involvement with their high school Speech and Debate team. We spoke of different types of debates and resolutions. 

The food was one of the exquisite parts of the night. The salad was delicious. The vegetables were a bit sweet and crunchy, yet just slightly bitter and topped off with garlic croutons, ranch, and parmesan cheese. For the main course there were two choices, salmon and steak, I ordered the steak. It was delicious! The steak was a filet mignon topped with butter. My father and I described the steak as soft and juicy. But the highlight of the meal was definitely the dessert. A warm, moist chocolate cake with a semi-liquid center topped with a small scoop of rich vanilla bean ice cream. This was one of the best desserts I've had. The cake wasn't too sweet nor bitter and the vanilla was tasted nice and rich.

During the three course meal, everyone (except the parents that were brought along) introduced themselves. We listened to a few people give speeches, including Charles Ramsey, Don Gosney, and our very own Eric Wilson, who was the featured speaker of the evening. After our dinner was finished, Don had us take group pictures. First it was a picture of the Yale graduates, then, Eric, Joshua, Liam, and I had to squeeze in the center of the picture. The picture-taking signaled the end of our dinner. My cohorts and I introduced ourselves to James Lu, a Yale graduate who has a daughter attending the same program as us. He gave us his contact information and we proceeded to chat a bit. A few minutes later I said my goodbyes to Ashley and Tyler (I couldn't find Mo Lau) and they gave me their contact information. As a group we walked back up to Kuleto's main floor. I got to re-experience the elite air that was caused by the bright lighting, white walls, large pictures, candle-lit table, spacious dining area, and the intimate aura of the people of each table.

Stepping out of the brightness of the restaurant into the darkness of Powell Street, I felt the cool air of night time San Francisco caressing my face. As we walked back down to Powell Station, as a group, I marveled at the bright colorful lights of the city. I have always been fascinated by the bright lights and the hustle and bustle of urban areas. I was told by the Yale alumni that New Haven, although not like San Francisco, was an area filled with many activities. I doubt that I will be exploring much of New Haven with the rumored twelve to thirteen hours, but nevertheless I am excited to explore the East Coast and meet new people, while indulging in my passion of government and politics.

As a group we walked back to the Powell Bart Station in the Westfield Mall. Some of the alumni and adults decided went home on their own, while the kids, parents, ILC heads, and a few adults and alumni took BART. During the ride home I spoke with Austin Long, a current student at Yale. He is from a neighboring town and explained to me about the application process, what makes you stand out in school, and what colleges are looking for in a student. He told me his personal story of being accepted into Yale, and overall his story encouraged me to apply to Ivy League schools such as Columbia and Yale.

This night was a lot of fun. I learned so much about Yale and college life. Tonight was a rare experience and I am glad that through the Ivy League Connection I could experience it. I just can't wait to go study at Yale this summer and study government and politics, while meeting new people. The glutton in me also wants to taste the pizza of New Haven, which is rumored to be extra exceptional.

My outfit of the night.

A Brief Reprieve

This is a difficult period in my and, I am sure, many of my fellow Yalies' lives. It is the second semester of my junior year, and between normal classes, AP tests, SATs, trying to get a summer job, and all my other standard responsibilities it can be a lot to handle. On the bright side it is great practice for Yale.

My day today began with the AP Calculus BC Exam which went from 8 in the morning to almost 1 in the afternoon. The rest of the school day was relatively easy, and soon enough I was off to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the program I do there on Wednesdays.  I finished up, returned home, and before I knew it it was time to get ready to meet up with the ILC group.

The trip there was uneventful. Everyone spent the time socializing and getting to know one another better. Once we arrived at the restaurant the true fun began. The group consisted of the Yale cohort (with each of us bringing one parent), a large group of Yale alumni (many of them recently graduated), some IlC sponsors, and of course the ILC leaders: Don Gosney, Madeline Kronenberg, and Charles Ramsey. We socialized for a little while before being seated and I learned a few interesting things about Yale. It has a system, almost unanimously described as being similar to Harry Potter, in which students are split randomly into separate colleges. They then live with, eat with, study with, and bond with the people in their college, while developing a (mostly) friendly spirit of competition with the other colleges.

The ILC's private room

After everyone was seated the formal part of the night began. First everyone introduced themselves, then there were a series of speeches. I was selected to be one of the speakers and asked to talk about how I would give back to my community after my time at Yale. I was a little nervous and missed a few of my talking points, but I was happy with my speech in the end. Everyone who gave a speech did a fantastic job; I felt truly moved by their words.

I realize that I neglected to describe about a very important detail... the main part of the event... dinner! The meal was unsurprisingly fantastic. Although I am not normally a fan of salad, the Caesar salad served as first course blew me away and I enjoyed every bite. I chose filet mignon for the second course and was not disappointed. Finally the desert, chocolate cake with ice cream, was a pleasant end to the meal.

It was a fantastic night, and an enjoyable break from the stress of junior year. I made some connections with Yale alums, one a venture capitalist and one an entrepreneur, who were both very friendly and urged me to reach out if I needed advice or help with anything especially relating to college. I am growing closer to my cohort with every milestone we reach together. I could not ask for a better group to face the challenge that is Grand Strategies with me.

Next week is the school board meeting, but before then I have an essay to write, two AP tests to take, and an interview for my summer job. I cannot wait for summer.