An Unforgettable Summer

I remember sitting quietly during Mr. Gosney's presentation of the Ivy League Connection at my high school. It feels as though it was just yesterday when I first heard about this program. I was amazed that there was a program like this available for my school district, and that I qualified! 

The application process seemed quite simple. You wrote an essay for the program you wanted following the essay prompt for that specific program  that was sent out by Mr. Gosney. If your essay was chosen,  you'd then go through an interview. If you made it past the interview, well then you made it.

I was so surprised when I got the email telling me I had made it to the interview for social justice at Penn. I had already gone through two interviews for two other programs. There was a huge difference between the Penn interview and the interviews for the other two programs. That difference being my confidence level. For the first two interviews I was extremely nervous, and I went in there already believing I would not get the spot. I don't know what made me change my state of mind for the third interview, but I'm so glad it did! I could tell the difference in the way I answered the questions, the way I positioned my body, and I had a huge smile across my face for the majority of my interview. I walked out of the interview room with my head held high. When it was time to announce which three out of the seven applicants were chosen, I still felt quite confident. During the past two times that I had gone through that part, I was sure I wasn't going to get it. I just couldn't imagine it, I was sure that there was no way that I would ever win something like that. That is why I found it so strange that I wasn't nervous that third time around. When my name was called, I didn't know how to react. Of course I was happy, but I wasn't sure what other feelings were there, shock maybe a bit of disbelief.

Three and a half months later we embarked on our journey together. Mariko, Clara, Chloe, Cameron, Alysa, David, and Mr. Lawrence, these were the people I'd be spending the next thirty-five days with. That first week together was one of the best weeks I've ever had. Every dinner, every campus tour, every plane ride, and every minute just brought the Penn team closer together. I had no idea how close we'd all be by the end of the trip, we became a family. Every dinner was an experience, and I mean that in the best way possible. Dinning with the college students and college administrators was very helpful. I am a rising junior, so before this trip I really hadn't given much thought to which college I'd like to attend. Thanks to that first week, not only am I really serious about college now, but I now know where I'd like to apply!

When the second week came around I was both sad and excited. The second week meant moving into our dorms and beginning our classes at Penn, but it also meant that we would no longer be spending as much time together.

The next four weeks cannot be described in just one word. My social justice class was mind blowing. There could not have been a more perfect class out there for me. I was so drawn in during every class session, every discussion, every field trip, and every presentation. We covered such a wide range of topics in the class, so no two days were ever the same. I think the reason why the class was so great was because of the people who were teaching it, Prof Lamas and Michael. This was the first year this class was offered at Penn, and I think Prof. Lamas did an amazing job when putting it together. He and Michael made sure that we, the students, were always involved. They created such a special classroom environment where it felt like there was no higher authority, we were all equal. From day one we were encouraged to speak up. We tried to create judgement-free environment where nobody was afraid to say what they thought. 

There were so many things to do outside of the classroom. Summer Discovery, the program that provided the classes, made sure there was always some fun activity going on. Every single day there was something different. Along with the activities available, every Friday was movie night, and every Saturday we went on a day trip. Those day trips include a visit to New York and Time's Square, Georgetown, and Ocean City, New Jersey. If you didn't want to participate in their daily activities, their five story gym was a two minute walk away and Center City (shopping) was also available.

The whole journey was incredible. Now that I'm home it feels as though it was all one amazing dream. The diverse group of people I met, perfect class, delicious food, and beautiful campus, it is all a part of an unforgettable experience. I learned so much in such little time. There is a whole world out there outside of my community, and I can be a part of it. It's possible for me to do whatever I want in life, to reach every goal , and accomplish every dream. I just have to keep working hard, to never feel like what I'm doing won't pay off in the future because it will.

I know this is the first year that the social justice program was offered by the ILC, and that they aren't sure yet if they should offer it again next year, so to all of those wondering whether to continue it or not, I say YES. A million times yes! The class really is life changing, and I'd hate for my group to be the only group of students to experience it. It is worth it.

I want to take time now to say thank you to everybody who made this summer possible. Thank you to Don Gosney, Charles Ramsey, and Madeline Kronenberg for such an amazing organization. The Ivy League Connection has really changed my life! The donors who made it all possible! Your money is doing something incredible for the lives of so many teenagers! You aren't just giving us a fun summer, you are opening doors for us. Prof. Lamas, Michael, and Nantina, you put together a great class! Thank you for treating me as an equal instead of a student, and thank you for providing the class that you did! Summer Discovery, Ed Healy, thank you for making my four weeks at Penn so much fun! And to everybody else who was involved in making it all possible, thank you so much!  I would have never had the chance to do what I did this summer if it weren't for you all!

A Summer Well Spent

To this day I remember speaking with Don Gosney on the phone and listening to him describe all of the wonderful programs the ILC had to offer. When I heard about the physics program, I knew I had to apply. What Don described to me sounded rigorous and intense but by no means did that stop me. Even though my last physics class had been almost two years prior, I walked into the interview confident and hoped that my knowledge would shine through. Evidently it did, or I wouldn't be writing this blog today.

The first week of our trip was one of my favorites, definitely. It was filled with lots of fancy dinners and spending time getting to know seven other unique individuals with whom I'd be spending five weeks with. Washington University and University of Chicago were on my lists of interests before this trip so it was great to get to talk to admissions officers and students from both of these schools. The websites do a good job of portraying the school but nothing beats getting to visit the school and hear first hand from people who eat, breathe, and sleep the air of the university.

I was sad and excited once July rolled around because it meant a change of pace. No more moseying around site seeing, we would be fully engorged in our studies in our various programs for the next four weeks. The first week was hard because everyone seemed to be on different levels of physics so we had to play catch up. The weeks after didn't necessarily decrease in difficulty but my level of understanding increased tremendously. At the beginning of the program if you would have asked me how to measure the speed of light, I'd be just as lost as you were. But now I can explain to you how to find the speed of light using your very own device.

Of course I didn't come so far in the field of physics by myself, a big thanks to Bill, Ryan, Craig, Brian, Penny, and everyone else who helped out sometime during the course of that class. It was such a joy to work with such an amazing teacher like Bill. I looked forward to class everyday just to see what crazy, whacky, and sometimes dangerous demo Bill would use to give his lecture that day. I must say, I also looked forward to seeing his t-shirts everyday because they almost always foreshadowed the events of that day. Seeing someone do their job with that much excitement is inspiration and motivation for me to go after what I want. No one should settle for just anything. Do what you love and love what you do, otherwise there is no point in doing it.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't always class and hard work. The people at Summer Discovery did a great job of providing lots of fun activities for students during the week and also on the weekend. The staff at Summer Discovery was amazing as well. When the Penn Team first stepped on campus a man at the registration table asked us what we had for dinner the previous night. At first we were all confused and asked him what he meant, he repeated his question and then told us that we ate at Chilli's in the airport. That made it all clear. This man read our blogs every night before bed. It was Eli reading our blog and Ed knowing who we were without us having to introduce ourselves that made the faculty and staff at this program unique.

Though I chose to study physics this summer, that's not all I learned about. I learned a lot about myself and the world around me. I've mentioned this before, but a major theme this summer was the idea that you can do anything you set your mind to. Now that I look back, the theme to my hall in Lippincott was "the sky is the limit". The guest speakers we had in class, the lectures given by program administrators, and even the talk my RC Naya Wilson gave to us on our first night all helped to remind me that with determination I can do anything. I can see how much I've grown as a person and I couldn't be any more grateful for being able to experience such a wonderful experience.

This summer I am glad I made the choice to spend my summer studying physics at an Ivy league school rather than stay at home. Over the past five weeks I had the chance to live in a college environment and get the feel for a new city. The people I got to spend my time with were amazing individuals and I hope that our friendships will last long after our time with the ILC is over. I continually give thanks to the Ivy League Connection and all of those who made this summer possible for me.

Decision Mean Everything

All it takes to change your life forever is one decision. I made that decision at the end of last year, to compete for a position as a 2012 ILCers. When I first heard Don talking about the ILC, I thought it was a one of the best opportunities I would get in a long time. I had just finished taking Physics and knew that I wanted to dive deeper into it. I saw the Physics Academy at Penn on the list and just knew it was destined to be. I had to go for it. Then I became one of the lucky ones to get accepted. I was shocked. Every other interviewee, appeared more qualified than me, but somehow, I was picked. Excitement rushed through me as I realized that I would be going from coast to coast. 

At the time, I did not stop and think about what I did. I just went with the flow, trying to get to summer as fast as possible. I enjoyed the mandatory events because they gave me a chance to met the faces behind the program. I will have to say that everyone: Don, Charles Ramsey, and Madeline Kronenberg each talked with great passion towards the ILC, which made everyone more excited about the summer. I felt that the dinner at La Folie, was the best one because it gave me a chance to met my cohort, the sponsors, and eat some of the best food ever.

The first week of touring colleges and dinning with admissions officers left me speechless. I have never in my life looked at colleges and I didn’t even know what I should be looking at aside from if they had the class I needed. The information sessions and dinners gave me a sense of what makes a colleges perfect for the student. At that moment, I started my list of colleges, some made the cut, others didn’t. While we weren’t touring or dining with admissions officers, I had a grew friendships with some of the best people in the world. Yes, I am talking about the Penn cohort: Alyssa, Cameron, Clara, Chloe, Ivette, Mariko, and who can forget our chaperone Ian. 

The Physics Academy at Penn was more than I could have ever expected. We dove really deep into physics really fast. I had to push myself to understand to extras, which were essential in doing the labs. I can still remember our first lab, second, third, etc.. but the first ones were warm-ups for the hard stuff. The harder labs were left me in utter confusion. But to get out of my confusion, was the Physics Team, which was made up of Bill, Ryan, Craig, Brian, and Penny. I owe each one of them endless amounts of gratitude because they made my summer at Penn, the best summer ever, and will most likely remain the best one. Bill was a true example of doing what you love. For 15 years, he has done the Physics Academy, and it appears as if he has never lost his passion or excitement for the program. I want to be just like him, love my career with all my heart, never losing my passion or enthusiasm. 

After taking the Physics Academy at Penn, I have come to realize that there are two things that are immeasurable: how awesome summer at Penn is and the amount of gratitude I have towards Charles Ramsey, Madeline Kronenberg, and Don. My summer at Penn was beyond any level fun. I had a chance to make friends with people from every continent, except Antarctica…but I am working on that. Everyone who tries to describe how great summer at Penn is, is underselling it because summer at Penn is, as I mentioned before, indescribable. I can say thank you to Don, Charles Ramsey, and Madeline Kronenberg over a million times a day, for the rest of my life, yet I still will not be able to express my gratitude. They gave me the chance to experience college life before I even started thinking about colleges. On top of that, they gave me a chance to sit and eat dinner with college admissions officers, where I was able to talk with the same people who will be judging my application. This was all possible because I was given the opportunity, I decided to take it, instead of ignoring it. My whole future depends on the decisions I make today. The ILC has opened my eyes, now its my turn to keep them open and use them.

The Best of Two Worlds

I’ve been home since Saturday, but it feels like forever ago that I was at UPenn. It’s a whole new world over on the East Coast, and being there changed me even more than I was anticipating. The college tours were so helpful what with college apps coming up, the classroom experience was invaluable, and the people were incredible.

Even though it costs a lot more money than to simply send us straight to UPenn, I believe that the college touring portion of the trip is an indispensable part of the experience. The university that we study at over the summer, in my case UPenn, isn’t guaranteed to be the best college for all of us. Therefore, the opportunity to view more schools and get a better feel for what I was looking for was invaluable. During the college tour, I realized that U of Chicago is one of my top schools, which is something I never could have anticipated just by looking at the school on paper. I would never have toured all of these prestigious universities without the Ivy League Connection, and I’m truly thankful that I had that chance.

Being in the classroom was especially valuable to me because it was different from anything else I’ve ever experienced. At ECHS, I’m able to do well without studying until 2 AM or anything like that. I knew going into the program that physics at UPenn would be very different from any prior experiences, but I had no way of knowing just how difficult it would be for me. It took me about a week to adjust to more rigorous classwork and lecture-based teaching, but once I did, it was amazing. Having class for three hours straight with only a few breaks was excellent practice for college, and afternoon lab was always really fun and challenging. Bill, Ryan, Craig, Penny, and Brian all worked tirelessly to ensure that we had the best possible experience with PSSA. Their love of physics was inspiring, and the hands-on approach made modern physics feel accessible.

Quite possibly the best thing about this experience was the many different people that I met. Getting to know my roommate, Christine, was one of my favorite parts of the summer, and I hope we stay friends for a very long time. My classmates inspired and challenged me to do even better, and I have the deepest respect for all of them. I met people outside of physics through pick-up soccer, and it was great to meet people from all over the world who shared the same passion for the game that I have.

Most of my fellow students at UPenn came from privilege–their families and schools have more money, so they have opportunities that aren’t available to most of us in the WCCUSD. However, I realized that going to ECHS has given me a unique perspective on life and learning that I wouldn’t have if I went to some rich private school, and I actually wouldn’t give up my high school experience for anything else. Of course, there were six other people at UPenn who come from the same school district that I do. Clara, David, Ivette, Chloe, Cameron, and Alysa are all fantastic people, and they became my closest friends at UPenn. I am so glad that these friends, at least, I’ll be able to see again and again throughout the school year.

I’m especially lucky to have been to both Brown and UPenn for two different programs. Last summer, the Ivy League Connection sent me to Brown to take Women and Leadership. This summer, I took physics at UPenn through the ILC. I feel so thankful that I was able to take two amazing programs at two world-class universities, and I know that I’ve grown as a person and as a scholar because of the two incredible experiences that I had. Women and Leadership involved more activism and social issues, while physics was obviously more of a hardcore science class. Each class had something wonderful and unique to offer, and I loved them both.

The combination of the two experiences has convinced me that while I am happy in both areas of study, the best place for me is somewhere in between. I still don’t know exactly where I fit in, but at least now I have a better understanding of myself. Without the Ivy League Connection, I would have no idea whatsoever, and I can never thank them enough for the opportunities they have given me these past two summers. My time with the ILC has been life changing, and I have enjoyed every moment I’ve spent on the East Coast.

It's Over, But Not Really

I've been home for three days now, and I still haven't adjusted to the colder weather.  However, all this time spent walking around in winter coats and hunkering down under blankets has given me the opportunity to reflect on the journey I just returned from.  Going to Penn was the most amazing thing I could have possible done with my summer.  It changed me as a person and a student and taught me more than I had ever hoped to learn about Physics and myself.  

When I went to the first ILC presentation at my school, I automatically knew that this was the program I would apply to. Julia and Brian, close friends of mine and two thirds of last year's Penn cohort, spoke so highly of it, I knew I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by.  Every day, I am glad I stuck with it, even when I didn't get the first interview and even when I was so sure I had made a fool of myself in front of the panel.

The first week, when we toured colleges and met admissions officers, ranks pretty highly on the scale of awesomeness.  It gave me a clear sense of what I want in a college and introduced me to one of my new top choices- The University of Chicago. Sometimes it seems that when I send of my college apps they will be thrown in the air, and the lucky few that land in a certain spot will get acceptance letters.  However, meeting admissions officers, the people who will read my essays and applications, helped ground my worries and give the process a much more personable spin.  During that week, I sparked friendships with David, Alysa, Cameron, Chloe, Ivette, and Mariko that grew tenfold over the following month.  I loved seeing parts of the country that were unfamiliar, and, of course, the food we ate was an experience in itself. 

Once we started class, things shifted.  To be honest, that first week was incredibly challenging.  I soon realized how smart the people in my class were, and how much I had to focus in order to understand science, something that usually comes naturally to me.  The period of adjusting was tough, but after a while, I realized that we were all in the same boat, and maybe the people who initially surprised me were just smart in different ways.  "Smart" is a funny word, and this trip changed my personal definition of it. 

Every day of class was amazing, and I am very thankful to Bill, Ryan, Craig, Penny, Brian, and Joe for making it that way.  I'm not a person who will just accept things as they're told to me, so I appreciated the hands-on and visual aspects of our class.  Seeing Bill dash around the room, doing the same things he's done for the past 15 years with mountains of enthusiasm, showed me how important it is to find something in the world that I love to do and just do it.  I grew to love Philadelphia, heat and humidity included, and met people from all around the world.  I realized that there is so much out there, a concept I though I understood, but never really proved to myself before this trip.  

Having returned, my life has settled pretty much back into its old rhythm, but I do feel like a different person.  Studying at Penn instilled a new sense of confidence in me.  Even in a room with 35 other students, top of their class, straight A's, future rulers of the world, I could hold my own. As I begin my college applications to schools both in and out of California, I see the long road a head of me, littered with essay drafts and stress-filled nights.  The next couple months will be by no means easy, and they may shape my entire future. However, if I play my cards right, it just might be a little fun.

Leaving Penn?

Its crazy to be reunited with my parents , after a month of being away. On the drive back home ,I felt as if I were hallucinating. I just felt different, the car , and even the house. The time seemed to go by so fast, and the thought of me being in Philadelphia just that same day  was crazy.

The morning I returned home, I woke up at about 5:30 because my roommate was leaving. We said our goodbye's , and I watched as the door closed all the way , and I knew that I would not be seeing him ever again in my life. It was sad but I will always have the memory of him being my very first roommate, Fred. I then knocked out for a few more hours , so I would be well prepared for the trip to the liberty bell.

Around 7am was when I woke up again , promptly getting dressed so that I could finish up packing. After I was finished packing , I was pretty sure that my bag was under 50 pounds(it was 42.5) I brought my stuff down to Ivette's room , then headed back up to my room so that I could say the last goodbye's to what once was my cave. After about 30 minutes Mr Lawrence was there waiting for us , and we checked out and returned our keys. If we were to had lost the keys , it would cost over 100 dollars. Luckily none of did. Now it was time to head to the liberty bell , so we dropped our bags off at the hotel and got on the SEPTA. Once we got to the liberty bell sight , the sun decided to torture us with heat and humidity. We were relieved once we got inside the building. After we took a few pictures and read a few articles we had lunch and back we were to the hotel to catch our shuttle to the airport.

There , a 5 hour plane ride awaited us. On the plane I did about to things, slept or listened to music. When the plane arrived , I started to get butterflies because I knew that I was finally in the same proximity as all my close friends and my parents. After getting my luggage , I said goodbye to the gang which had truly formed into a family , and there I was riding home in the car thinking about how I felt and thinking about the past month  

Penn There, Done That

It feels so weird to be home!  As soon as I got off the plane it really sank in that I won't be seeing Ivette, Alysa, Cameron, David, Mariko, and Clara on a daily basis anymore.  We began this trip as acquaintances but now I feel so close to all of them and I hope we maintain that friendship now that we're back in our own lives again.  

On the other hand, I loved seeing my mom and brother at the airport!  I missed them so much and it was so wonderful to go back home with them.  The only thing that was super weird about seeing my brother was finding out that he outgrew me in the one month I was gone!  My little 15 year old brother is now taller than me; very strange. We also hung out with some close family friends last night so there were a lot of hugs, smiles, and conversations among us.  I was able to finally tell them, in person, how the program was for me, and I went on and on about how amazing it was.  Seriously though, the Social Justice class with Prof. Lamas and Michael was incredible and I was thrilled to share my experiences with everyone last night. 

I think that it is going to feel strange for a little while living back home without my cohort, but I life will return to "normal" in a couple weeks.  I put quotations around normal because I don't think that I will be able to go through my days without critically thinking about what is going on around me.  Although I believe that I was quite thoughtful and aware of my surroundings before the program, this class has widened my perspectives and taught me how to think even deeper about my actions and the actions of others.  Already, I have noticed a change in how I take in what other people say to me, and I try to respond in a more thoughtful way.  I am not saying that I am a totally different person, because I am most definitely not; but I do think that I have changed in some ways that I believe will allow me to move through life with more critical analysis and understanding.

I am excited to share the hundreds of pictures I took with family and friends, and I hope that I am able to hold on to my identity this next school year while I continue through my personal transformation (we discussed this with Arnold Farr).