Second
issue
VOL 1, ISSUE 2 FAST FORWARD TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY SPRING 2003
Plugging into the
CA: When I was little, both of my parents got
involved with cocaine, and I think that really had an
impact on me. Maybe I wasn’t getting enough atten-
tion. Things weren’t great at home and I would act
Community
out at school. When I was 9, my mom realized the AT A COMPUTER CLUBHOUSE,
Returning the Gift: “Anything worth achieving doesn't
CAL COLLEGE SPECIALISTS
CONNECT WITH LOCAL YOUTHS
Christina
On a recent afternoon at Eastmont
come easy. You have to fight through Mall in Oakland, UC Berkeley
the hard times and believe in yourself. graduate Letitia Henderson stood
beside a cluster of computers,
That’s the kind of lesson that watching magic unfold on a color-
prepares you for life...”
Anderson
ful screen. A 14-year-old high
school student was working the
keyboard, adding intricate detail
effect that her drug use was to an animated movie that he’d
having on me. She said, ‘I don’t created.
want to lose you to these “You see these kids and so
drugs,’ and so she just many of them have so much talent,”
stopped. And my life began Henderson said. “One of my jobs is
to change. My mom and I to get them thinking, ‘Okay, so what
moved to the East Bay. My am I going to do with myself after
dad stayed in Hunter’s high school?’”
Point. And I started to get Henderson, who earned her
more focused in school. I go bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley
back to Hunter’s Point on week- in 2002, now serves as a crucial
ends to visit my dad, and I see peo- link between the University and
ple I knew who’ve gone down the the community where she was
wrong path. I hear of kids my age raised. She works as an advisor for
who were killed by guns. I’ve been an unusual outreach program that
through some hard times, but I also encourages kids from some of the
realize how fortunate I am. poorest communities in Oakland
MOTIVATING OTHERS and Retention Center. to pursue their passions with an
Now a sophomore at Cal, “I didn’t have an easy road >>FWD: Did you have help from eye toward future educational goals.
Christina passes on the lessons but I didn’t walk it alone either,” other people along the way? The program—the Intel
she’s learned to high school students Christina says. “I want to make
C
CA: Lots of people. My high school Community Project—is a joint effort
as a mentor and as a volunteer at sure I reach out and help as many teacher, Ms. Mason, to name just by the Intel Corporation and UC
the University’s Black Recruitment people as I can.”
one. She had gone through a lot of Berkeley’s Center for Educational
hardships. People very close to her
Photograph by Dan Frost. had died. But she always persevered
and she encouraged us to do that
al Mentor Christina Anderson is Giving Back
too. Also, my counselor, Ms. Thompson. She was always telling me how
What She Got Along the Way.
important it was to keep up my grades, to make sure I was on time with
The way Christina Anderson sees it, tough stretches from her past prepared my assignments. She always made time to talk to me, and encouraged me
her for a prosperous future. Growing up in Hunter’s Point in San Francisco, to see education as a way to open up opportunities.
she watched both parents descend into drug addiction. She acted out in
school. She saw friends and classmates wander down hopeless paths. >>FWD: How did you first get involved with the Early Academic Outreach
Program?
With Christina’s help, her parents got clean, and Christina moved with her
CA: Mentors from the program came to our high school. They would talk Shaheehrah Bradshaw (right) and Ashia
mother across the bay to San Pablo. Christina enrolled at DeAnza High School
to us about college and what it took to get there. It was great to get to Bradford (left), members of the Intel
in Richmond, where she began to find her academic way. She also found Clubhouse, collaborate on a graphic
meet college students who had gone down paths not so different from design project. Photograph by Dan Frost.
guidance through UC Berkeley’s Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP),
mine. Some of them had had a tough go of it. But they hadn’t given up.
which sends college-age mentors into local high schools.
That’s really one of the greatest lessons you can learn. I had a mentor Outreach. At its core lies the Intel
“Seeing my mom, and how she turned things around, I learned that you can named Michelle who was with me all the way. When I had questions Computer Clubhouse, the high
never give up,” Christina says. “Life isn’t easy, but if you stick to it, you can about college, she was there to answer them. If I was unsure about what tech center at the Eastmont Mall
turn a challenge into an opportunity.” to do on my application, she was a guide. where Letitia Henderson spends
much of her time.
>>FWD: You’ve said you weren’t always a model student. What helped >>FWD: And now you’re an EAOP mentor. Why did you feel it was impor- Funded by a grant from the
you turn things around? tant to get involved? Continued on page 5 Continued on page 6
REAL WORLD COLLEGE APPLICATION EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
SCIENCE STRATEGIES ON THE WEB!
>>
Page 2 Page 4 Page 5
1
Celebrating UC Berkeley’s Real World Science:
Unique Partnerships Lance Powell teaches science at Thurgood Marshall Academic High
School in San Francisco, but his classroom extends beyond the building
to a blighted stretch of shoreline by the San Francisco Bay. Heron’s Head
Welcome back to Fast Forward, UC Berkeley’s Park has been treated for decades as a dumping ground, a sandy collec-
round-up of stories, articles, and tips about young tion area for industrial waste.
On a recent afternoon, Powell brought his students to Heron’s Head
people who are making extraordinary journeys to to gather soil samples. The kids conducted tests for lead and other for-
a successful future through academic achievement, eign substances that happen to hit very close to home.
and about the programs and people who are Vice Chancellor Genaro Padilla. “A lot of these kids live right in the neighborhood. Heron’s Head
Photograph by Peg Skorpinski. Park is practically their backyard,” Powell says. “So the lessons are very
helping them along the way. real to them. It’s just one way of showing them that science isn’t some
In this edition, we share with you our excitement about a number of new abstract subject confined to a classroom.”
Powell’s lesson plans are an outgrowth of an unusual joint effort
partnerships between UC Berkeley, and the schools and communities around us.
between UC Berkeley and local high schools to teach young students real
Many of these partnerships are dedicated to only one thing: Encouraging young world science in innovative ways. It’s called the Environmental Science
people to imagine a bright future, and directing the resources to them that will
help them in their journey to college. Happily, Berkeley is not alone in undertak-
ing this mission. Many supporters in the community have stepped up to the “…now the kids were out in the field,
learning first-hand about basic biology
plate and are helping us in our endeavor. To name just one, I want to applaud and chemistry.”
Intel Corporation for its support of the Intel Community Project, a collaborative
venture with Berkeley’s Center for Educational Outreach. Funded by a $50,000 Teaching Program and its philosophy is simple: that lessons are most
grant from Intel, Berkeley has been able to establish a College Resource Zone powerful when they’re personally relevant, and learning is deepest when
it’s hands on.
adjacent to Intel’s Computer Clubhouse, a high tech center at the Eastmont The program was born six years ago when UC Berkeley professor
Mall in East Oakland. There are hundreds of students ranging in age from 8 to William Berry teamed with Douglas Kern, a Bay Area geophysicist and
19 who are members of the Intel Clubhouse, and many of them have been drop- founder of the non-profit Urban Watershed Project. Their goal was to
restore the Tennessee Hollow watershed in the Presidio, which had been
ping into the College Resource Zone for information and help since its opening covered over when the site was a military base. They went about the
in February 2003. You can read much more about this partnership and others project unconventionally: by turning the Presidio into an outdoor class-
room.
highlighted in this column, throughout this Spring 2003 edition of Fast Forward.
Every week, as part of a hands-on environmental science class,
I hope that the wonderful stories contained within these pages will moti- Berry and Kern brought students from Galileo High School in San
vate all our readers in the knowledge that while the road to college may not Francisco to the Tennessee Hollow site. The benefits were two-fold: the
students worked on the restoration project while applying science lessons
always be a straight and narrow path, the barriers can be surmounted. To the
they had learned in school.
students, teachers, and administrators who are persevering in the face of under “Instead of being cooped up in a classroom, now the kids were out
resourced schools, and to the families who want only the best of futures for in the field, learning first-hand about basic biology and chemistry,” Berry
says. “They’re identifying plants, they’re testing the soil and water. And
their children, I say, press on. Partner with us—with all of us at UC Berkeley who
they’re doing it at a site that’s only a mile and a quarter from their
care so much about equal opportunity and equal access to educational school.”
resources—for the future not only of our children, but of our society itself. Within three years, enrollment in Galileo’s environmental science
program jumped from 30 to 100 students. Professor Berry realized they
Genaro M. Padilla is the Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Affairs. were on to something, so the program was expanded to other high
>>FWD schools.
UC’s Spirit Shines with its Community Efforts
The spirit of a university is not confined to its campus. It thrives on connections to the world at large. Nowhere is that more apparent than at UC Berkeley. The University has created unique
partnerships with businesses, public institutions and community organizations to establish programs that enrich young students’ academic and personal lives.
INTEL COMPUTER CLUBHOUSE neighborhoods free access to have helped revive wetlands on with the three R’s: reading, writ-
W
UC Berkeley and Intel work togeth- and training in the latest com- the Dow plant in Antioch and ing, and researching. Through
er to prepare students for life after puter technology. The students worked to restore a watershed in this project, the San Francisco
high school at the Intel Computer also get exposed to the College the Presidio. Dow, which helps Public Library gives MLK
Clubhouse at Oakland’s Eastmont Resource Zone, which operates in fund the program, also sends its Academic Middle School students
C
Mall. The Clubhouse is an invalu- tandem with the Clubhouse. It’s a own scientists to lecture in access to its vast online
able learning center that gives warehouse of information, staffed Bay Area high school archives. Students use
young students from underserved by UC specialists, designed to classrooms. this invaluable
open students’ eyes to college and the Presidio Trust to create a resource as they
o
opportunities and guide them unique high school science pro- BAY AREA WRITING work on research
through the application process. gram that meets young students PROJECT projects. All the
where they live. The program brings The Bay Area Writing way, they learn vital
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE students into the field, where the Project and teachers skills that will serve
TEACHING PROGRAM learning is hands on, and is linked from San Francisco’s MLK them in their later aca-
UC Berkeley has joined forces to everyday life. Among other Academic Middle School have demic lives.
with the Dow chemical company projects, students in the program joined forces to help students >>FWD
2
Environmental Science Teaching Program.
Today the Environmental Science Teaching Program reaches hundreds the teaching program, and has sent its own scientists to guest lecture in
of students at high schools in the East Bay and San Francisco, including local high school classes.
students in three classes taught by Lance Powell. Throughout the semes- “I’m not surprised at the response this program has received A MUSEUM FOR ALL AGES
ter, Powell’s students tackle a range of hands-on exercises that under- because it makes so much sense,” Andrews says. “The whole thing with
score the role of science in everyday life. In addition to soil sampling at
Heron’s Head Park, Powell’s students have conducted experiments in
science is you have to show the kids why they should care. Once you do,
what you realize is that they actually care a lot.”
UC Museum of
Paleontology
The UC Museum of Paleontology
(UCMP) is an active research center
that houses the largest paleonto-
logical collection of any university
museum in the world. It is also
home to an outreach program
designed to introduce the museum’s
collections to the K-12 audience.
The museum’s award-winning
website (www.ucmp.berkeley.edu)
is one of the primary vehicles for
outreach. UCMP has received
11th graders in the Environmental Science Teaching Program at Thurgood Students from Thurgood Marshall's Environmental Science class prepare a support from both the National
Marshall Academic High School in San Francisco build a watershed model 3-D plaster model of a watershed to simulate the effects of urban pollu- Science Foundation and the
to display concepts of landscape development hydrology in urban and city tants on an estuary like the San Francisco Bay. Photograph by Dan Frost. Howard Hughes Medical Institute
planning. (From left to right) Thurgood Marshall Academic High School
to develop web-based materials for
student Johnathan Jones, UC Berkeley instructor Steve Andrews, Thurgood
Marshall students Justin King, Jessica Ramirez, Myra Palomina, Thurgood teachers and their students.
Marshall teacher Lance Powell. Photograph by Dan Frost. A lot of high school students also care about college but don’t UCMP also has a long history
always feel they’re ready to apply. The Environmental Science Teaching of providing professional develop-
Program has helped in that arena too. This year, Thurgood Marshall sci- ment opportunities for teachers.
bio-remediation to learn how bacteria can be used to clean up oil spills. ence teacher Lance Powell says, 72 percent of his advanced placement These include annual short courses
They’ve constructed their own biomes, glass-enclosed terrariums that students applied to Cal. and workshops held in local school
serve as mini-replicas of rain forest ecosystems. They’ve even built To increase their chances, Stephen Andrews also runs a Saturday districts and at meetings of the
scale-model cities, replete with rivers, transportation systems and sewage academy on the UC campus, specially aimed at high school students who California Science Teachers
treatment plants, to help them understand the critical challenges of are interested in science but on the borderline of making the grade for Association and other professional
urban planning. college. As always, the focus is on hands-on learning. In keeping with the organizations. Currently UCMP is
Powell teaches his classes in tandem with Stephen Andrews, UC spirit of outreach, UC students with science backgrounds help Andrews working with two school districts
Berkeley’s point man in the Environmental Science Teaching Program. run the academy. on special projects:
Every week, Andrews drops by Thurgood Marshall with supplies, lesson On a recent Saturday, Andrews stood, arms spread, on the north
ideas and an endless depth of expertise. side of campus, while students in the academy took turns launching EARTH: A DYNAMIC STRUCTURE
“A lot of times I’ll have an idea of something I want to do in class and I’ll water balloons from a sling shot in his direction. It was part of an exer- (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/edu
run it by Steve, and he immediately has an idea of how to carry it through,” cise designed to teach students about the difference between precision cation/dynamic/) is a six-session
Powell says. “He’s got so much experience and he really knows how to and accuracy (a crucial distinction in scientific experiments). Later that course designed to support the
engage the kids. They love him. Everybody calls him UC Steve.” afternoon, Andrews would lead the students in another hands-on exer- needs of teachers in San Francisco
A burly man of boundless energy, Andrews is a UC Berkeley cise: testing the pH levels of Strawberry Creek. who are teaching Earth Science.
instructor with a background in soil science. When he isn’t teaching UC Kimberly Woo, a sophomore at Burton High School in San Francisco,
students, he tours local high schools, teaming up with teachers to show laughed as her water balloon arced high and landed 26 feet short of her GEOSCIENCES IN ALASKA
kids how to build watershed models or test the acid levels in local streams. intended target. It didn’t matter. For her, the program hit the mark. (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/edu
As part of the Environmental Science Teaching Program, Andrews has “It’s Saturday and I know I could be at the movies but this is more cation/alaska/) is a collaboration to
taken high school students to the Dow chemical plant in Antioch, where valuable to me right now,” Woo said. “I like science, but I also know I provide field and research opportu-
he led the kids in an effort to restore a wetland preserve. Dow was so could use some extra help with it. The more I learn, the more opportuni- nities for K-12 teachers from West
impressed by the students’ work that the company donated $15,000 to ties I have. I really want to go to Cal when I grow up.” Contra Costa County.
>>FWD T. rex photograph copyright UC Museum of
Paleontology.
>>FWD
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to the following individuals whose hard work and dedication are helping to make this
newsletter a reality:
Center for Educational Outreach Judith Frank, Assistant Director of Financial Aid,
Thank You to Our Sponsor the Margoes Foundation
Marsha Jaeger, Director Undergraduate Affairs
UC Berkeley is extremely grateful to the Margoes Foundation for
Gail Kaufman, Director, School/University Partnerships Yvette Gullatt, EAOP Coordinator, Student Academic
Services, UCOP its generous financial commitment, which has made possible the
Undergraduate Affairs Development Office Miya Hayes, Partnership Coordinator, School/University bi-annual publication of this newsletter for two years.
Maryellen Himell, Director of Development and Community Partnerships
Relations Judith Scotchmoor, Director of Education and Public
Programs, UC Museum of Paleontology
The Margoes Foundation, located in San Francisco, was founded
Rosita Lucas, Grants Specialist
Katherine Isobel Urbanski, Manager of Operations thanks to a legacy from John A. Margoes (1927-1983), who was
And we are very grateful to:
a visionary business leader determined to provide opportunities
Special thanks to these UC Berkeley contributors: Roland Addad, Marketing Manager for Residential and
for those less fortunate through imaginative grantmaking in a
Genaro M. Padilla, Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Affairs Student Services
Patrick Delaney, Bay Area Writing Project/MLK Academic Dan Frost of College Educated Photography variety of fields, including higher education for minority and dis-
Middle School Karen Kemp, Studio 49 Design, Designer advantaged students, among its highest priorities.
Nisa Donnelly, Senior Editor, Student Academic Services, Josh Sens, Writer
UCOP Lucie Ryan of Ryan Creative Printing
3
Your College Application Personal Statement
– 10 Myths to Keep in Mind –
1
Myth: UC only looks at grades and personal statements. I won’t be Fact: Choosing the right topic is
test scores when making admission
decisions.
able to write a perfect personal
statement.
key. In fact, writing an effective
personal statement is as much
9
5
about critical reading as it is
Fact: UC reviews your entire appli- Fact: Your personal statement about writing. Often, students Myth: Admissions officers really
cation packet. Your personal state- should reflect your own ideas and choose to write on topics that do appreciate humorous and creative
ment is a critical piece of this be written by you alone. There is Myth: It’s only two pages, so I not properly enhance their appli- personal statements. After all, it’s
review. Your ability to assess your no such thing as a perfect personal can write it in one sitting. cation. If you have gaps in your important to stand out from the
personal achievements and life statement. There is only a state- academic record, the personal crowd.
challenges within the context of ment that is right for the person Fact: A successful personal state- statement is the time to explain
your academic achievement weighs submitting it. That said, it is ment is seldom, if ever, produced those gaps and place them within Fact: What is funny to a high
heavily in the selection process. important to get feedback to in a first draft. Allow enough the larger picture of your personal school student is not necessarily
ensure your personal statement time to make sure your essay circumstances and your academic funny to an admissions officer.
rounds out your application. Good not only describes what you’ve goals. Writing about the prom, for Some students are genuinely
sources for feedback include accomplished, but why a particular example, is not a good complement creative and some are extremely
teachers, college counselors, and situation, activity or experience is for an application that reveals humorous writers, but in both
university outreach officers who important to you. It’s not unusual academic gaps. So be sure that instances these approaches need
2
Myth: UC only wants to hear
about hardship.
visit your school. When soliciting
feedback, try to find people who
do not know you well. People who
are less familiar with you and
your academic history tend to
to write six or seven drafts of
your personal statement. Start
early, plan to revise and be open
to feedback.
the topic and content of your
personal statement accurately
focuses on and explains the issues
that your application raises. Read
your application carefully: what
to be looked at with a critical eye.
If you’re planning to write a
humorous or creative personal
statement, get feedback from
adults. In general, however, aim
provide more objective (and more questions emerge for you? Those for a tone in your personal state-
Fact: Every student comes from useful) feedback. same questions are likely to ment that is thoughtful and
a unique background and every emerge for your readers. Choose reflective rather than funny.
6
student can write a great personal your topic based on these ques-
statement. UC admissions readers tions, and your personal statement
are looking for a thoughtful and will more likely enhance your
reflective account that reveals
your personal qualities, such as
leadership, creativity, initiative,
persistence, maturity, self-discipline
and respect for differences. We’re
4
Myth: I should write as much (or
Myth: The best essays include
descriptions of all the activities
I’ve participated in.
overall application.
10
Myth: I shouldn’t worry if my
essay contains mistakes—as long
also interested in your sustained as little) as I want in any format Fact: Quality trumps quantity. In as my ideas are good, grammar
8
and meaningful participation in that I want. other words, focus on one topic and syntax don’t matter.
activities that matter to you. If you (an activity, a personal experience,
have overcome adversity and the Fact: The UC personal statement a class) and explain not just what Fact: Guess again. You are
experience is relevant to your is limited to two pages, single-side you did, but why you did it. Focus expected to submit a well-written
academic record, the personal state- only. It can be typed or hand- on how the experience is relevant Myth: Writing about someone personal statement that is free of
ment is an ideal place to reflect on written using black ink. The font to your academic history and your else is easier and safer than writ- spelling and grammatical errors.
this. Just remember to do so within size should not exceed 12-point. academic goals. Strive for depth, ing about myself. Avoid clichés. Use concrete, vivid
the context of your academic Do not use italicized or boldface not breadth. and specific prose. Remember,
history. In sum, we’re interested type. Use reasonable margins (no Fact: The personal statement must even if you are not being judged
in the quality and circumstances smaller than 1⁄2 inch). Every word be about you. While it is tempting on your grammar and syntax, your
of your academic and personal counts, so be sure your statement to use the personal statement as personal statement will leave an
preparation for college. uses vivid, concrete and specific an opportunity to tell admissions impression on the reader. Be sure
prose. Also, because the personal officers about the important people to proofread your next-to-final
statement is a reflective and in your life, it is not appropriate draft carefully, and employ another
3
Myth: Only students who can
analytical piece of writing, a state-
ment that is less than two pages
in all likelihood will not adequately
complete your application because
it will lack sufficient detail about
7
Myth: I should write my personal
statement on whatever topic
to do so. Admissions officers are
interested in you, not the people
in your life or the ones you admire.
So, if your topic sentences and
paragraphs focus on another
set of eyes (preferably a teacher’s
or counselor’s) to find errors that
you might have missed. Your
computer’s spell check function is
not sufficient—you will need
afford outside help write great your topic. appeals to me. person, start over! human eyes to catch everything.
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
EFFECTIVE PERSONAL STATEMENT REVISION STRATEGIES
1
Concentrate on the whole by examining your essay’s theme. Try outlining your essay after you’ve writ-
Thoughtful and honest
essay’s frame: the introduction, the conclusion and ten it. An outline can provide a snapshot of your essay
a sentence in each paragraph that supports your and help you to see its organization clearly.
Strives for depth, not breadth
main theme.
3
Revise for focus, clarity and depth. Make sure that
Follows the conventions of good writing (vivid, cliché-free prose)
2
Examine your essay for continuity. Make sure that the skeleton of your personal statement is fleshed
your points work together conceptually—that key out with sufficient examples, fully developed para-
Has benefited from several drafts and feedback from others
points are unified by your graphs and meaningful prose.
ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR DRAFTING, WRITING AND REVISING THE UC PERSONAL STATEMENT Go to the EAOP Personal Statement Website: www.uga.berkeley.edu/apa/personalstatement
4
DOT-COLLEGE
A One-Stop
Photograph by Dan Frost.
College Not sure where to start?
Returning the Gift
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CA: You go out to these high
Shop on CaliforniaColleges.edu is a powerful,
open-ended site rich with content
that makes finding and applying to a
school in California a snap.
Just click on a role to the left to
learn more about what each section
schools and you see how much
potential these kids have. They
have so much going for them, but
they don’t always know it. They
need encouragement and some-
the Web
of the site can do for you.
Note: New roles will be added in the future for
one to help guide them. You real-
middle school students, graduate students,
parents, counselors and teachers. ize how easy it is for someone to
slip through the cracks. In my
life, I know I’ve had a lot of help.
It’s important not to forget where
CaliforniaColleges.edu is a free website that allows students, parents and TIPS FOR TEACHERS & PARENTS
you’ve come from and to give
teachers to obtain information about higher education opportunities in Using the Matching Assistant back to the community.
California. Developed through a partnership of California universities and The Matching Assistant allows users to research colleges and universities
community colleges and the California Department of Education, the site based on specific preferences. To help students understand the eight >>FWD: What are some of the
is a portal for colleges and universities around the state, linking prospec- search criteria, have them answer the following questions on their own lessons you try to pass on?
tive students to on-line applications, financial information, career plan- or in small groups: CA: On the one hand, I can help
ning and more.
I Are small classes better than large classes? with practical advice, when they
CaliforniaColleges.edu has two main functions. The first is College
I Do you want to stay close to your family while in college? have questions about college, what
Exploration. Visitors can take virtual campus tours or use the Matching
they need to do to get in, what
Assistant to find schools that best suit them. The site also provides infor- I What are your two favorite classes right now?
classes they need to take, ques-
mation on application deadlines, campus life, curriculum, tuition and the
tions about applications. But there
surrounding community. Students can move on to other sets of questions that will help them fur-
are also broader lessons that are
The site’s second function is Guidance and Counseling. It has online ther fine-tune their search. Below are some examples.
important in life. One of them is
admission planners and comprehensive information on college-prep A-G I How many colleges or universities are within 50 miles of your home? that life isn’t easy. There will
classes and financial aid. Name them. always be struggles and the crucial
Students can apply directly to any California State university by
I Name three colleges or universities that offer a major you are thing is to never give up. Anything
using a CaliforniaColleges.edu username and password at csumentor.edu.
interested in. worth achieving doesn’t come
This site is not ready for University of California applications but there is
I Name the one school that begins with Y. easy. You have to be willing to
a direct link to Pathways (the UC on-line application process). Student
fight through the hard times and
data can also be transferred to FAFSA-on-the-web (the Free Application
These questions help students gain expertise in using the search tool. After believe in yourself. That’s the kind
for Federal Student Aid) for quick and easy financial aid assistance.
answering the questions, students can come up with a list of three or four of lesson that prepares you for life,
schools that suit their needs and interests. There are more than 218 colleges no matter what comes your way.
and universities in California to choose from!
>>FWD >>FWD
Teachers and Counselors are Vital Sounding Boards for Students
Writing their Personal Statements
A strong personal statement helps about the student’s personality QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED AT basis of a thesis. Level Two more challenging tasks—such as
admissions personnel get to know and interests. A personal state- VARIOUS LEVELS. questions (“how?”) can inspire the clarifying their ideas—alone.
a student. It is an opportunity for ment is more than a chronology Level One questions deal with essay’s topic sentences. Level One Finally, review the entire
a student to fill in gaps, explain of a student’s life. It is a vibrant facts. A Level One question might questions (“what?”) can serve as application to determine how well
unusual circumstances and provide portrait of the writer’s character be, “What classes has the student supporting evidence. the essay fits into the entire
a more complete picture of who and aspirations. taken to become UC eligible?” package.
they are. Level Two questions are PROVIDING USEFUL FEEDBACK
Teachers, outreach profes- CRITICAL READING: CREATING open to interpretation. A Level FOR REVISIONS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR
sionals and counselors can THE “TEXT” AND ASKING Two question might be, “How has A good personal statement under- TEACHERS
provide invaluable support to stu- GOOD QUESTIONS the student maintained his/her goes several revisions. You can A six-session lesson plan is avail-
dents preparing their personal Before choosing a topic for their high grades while working 30 help students revise their drafts able by e-mail for educators
statements. Here are a few ways personal statement, students hours a week?” by providing focused feedback. On interested in teaching the per-
you can help. should complete the rest of the Level Three questions a first draft, comment only on the sonal statement. To receive lesson
application and read it carefully. address the significance of events ideas, the level of analysis and outlines and accompanying
HELPING STUDENTS GET They should ask themselves and experiences. A Level Three the theme. On a second draft, PowerPoint presentations, send an
STARTED questions about the information question might be, “Why is high comment on structure and provide e-mail with your name and school/
Encourage students to think about they’ve provided. Asking questions achievement important to this additional input on theme and organization to eaop@ucop.edu.
the personal statement as a writ- helps students anticipate the student?” analysis. On a close-to-final draft,
>>FWD
ten interview with the University. kinds of questions admissions Answering these questions comment on grammar, syntax and
It is an opportunity to discuss aca- readers will have. It also reduces helps students choose topics and vocabulary. If you combine feed-
demic and personal decisions, and students’ anxiety about having structure their essays. Level Three back types, students will “correct”
what those decisions illustrate “nothing to say.” questions (“why?”) can form the the easily correctable and leave
5
Reading,Writing and Researching
INNOVATIVE ONLINE PROJECTS ARE A LIVELY WAY FOR YOUNG STUDENTS TO LEARN
With help from UC Berkeley’s Bay By integrating computers final product is a well-researched I Write and organize notes from “Learning how to do all of
Area Writing Project, eighth-graders into the project, I-Search papers piece of expository writing with their research and interviews these things will be really helpful
at Martin Luther King Academic keep students engaged and moti- an authentic voice." I Keep a daily log of their search- when I'm in high school,” she
Middle School in San Francisco vated, teachers say. It shows in In the two-month project, ing process says. “I will be more organized. I
are "fast forwarding" their read- the thoroughness of their research Turnbull's students: will also be more up-to-date on
I Write an I-Search paper that
ing, writing and research skills. and the quality of their writing. I Choose their own topic this high-tech world, which isn't
includes answers to at least
They’re working on I-Search "Doing an I-Search Project all that hard to learn. Okay, I'm
I Determine what they already three of their questions and
papers, digitally enhanced with my students has saved this starting to scare myself. I never
know about their topic reflects on the
research projects that bring the battered middle school teacher's thought that I could talk like I'm
I Establish at least five interest- searching/reporting process
learning process to life. Unlike soul,” says language arts and a computer wizard."
ing questions about their topic The I-Search Project can be
Martin Luther King eighth-grader
I Find sources (including at least modified for students with special
Jazmin Fischer says the I-Search
“Okay, I’m starting to scare myself. three print sources) on
project has helped her learn how
needs by adjusting the number of
I never thought that I could talk like their topic questions
to use the Internet for tasks
questions that must be answered
I’m a computer wizard.” I Find and interview a or the number of sources that
other than surfing.
person with expertise must be used. In their search, stu-
on their topic dents will select reading that is
traditional research papers, which social studies teacher Helen accessible to them. Students of all
often dissolve into dry exercises in Turnbull. “I'm inspired, they're levels get a chance to work on
regurgitation, I-Search papers are motivated, standards are met, and such skills as paraphrasing, sum-
designed to engage students by real learning takes place. My marizing and note-taking.
requiring them to write in the dream of creating lifelong learn- Once established in the
first-person and compose journals ers really can be realized." classroom, the I-Search project
about the research process. Working on I-Search papers can be used for more teacher-
Technology also plays a vital has helped Turnbull’s students directed research on a wide variety
role. Students work on Weblogs, develop valuable research and of subjects. It introduces students
or “blogs,” online spaces for writ- reporting skills. The projects to the kind of independent research
ing, researching and publishing. require a high-school level of required in high school academic
Blogs allow students to edit and expository reading and writing. courses. Examples of this year's
publish on the Web, to store and Even more important, Turnbull I-Search projects will be available
update links to useful online says, "because students choose a for public viewing and comment
sources, to organize work, and to topic that truly interests them, in the first week of June, 2003, at
collaborate with other users. the I-Search Project motivates http://www.bayareawritingproject.
Thanks to a partnership with San and inspires like nothing else org/mlkBlogzeum.
Francisco Public Library, Martin I've ever seen. They work >>FWD
Luther King students also have harder to find information and
MLK Academic Middle School teacher, Helen Turnbull, conferences with
access, through their blogs, to the read at higher levels because they students Andy Wu and Arturo Sanchez regarding I-Search web logos.
library’s online resources. are genuinely interested, and the Photograph by Dan Frost.
Into the Community
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
digital camera, filming a movie
about their lives.
Clubhouse users are free to
Intel Corporation, the Eastmont pursue their own interests. What
Computer Clubhouse is one of 70 they don’t always consider is how
of its kind around the country. It those interests could serve them
is equipped with dozens of state- down the line.
of-the-art computers and cutting That’s where UC Berkeley
edge software——the latest tech- comes in.
nology in audio, video, digital ani- With a separate grant from
mation and graphic design. It is Intel, the University’s Center for
open every weekday afternoon to Educational Outreach has estab-
local school kids, age 10 to 18, lished the College Resource Zone
who get a chance to pursue their in an office adjacent to the
creative instincts while developing Computer Clubhouse. As its name At the College Resource Zone at Eastmont Mall in East Oakland, Alex Yamamoto puts the finishing touches on this
valuable computer skills. implies, the College Resource innovative community-based college information center. Photograph by Dan Frost.
On any given afternoon, Zone is devoted to helping kids
shortly after school lets out, the plan a life after high school. It going to campus and trying to sift student at McClymonds High With her help, she hopes they’ll
kids begin to filter in. They spend provides comprehensive nuts and through all the information. Here, School in Oakland, many of her have a chance to walk a similar
hours focused on their latest proj- bolts information on the college all that information is easily classmates didn’t consider college, path.
ects: designing album covers, cre- application process, from course accessible to them. College starts either because it seemed uncool or “They work on these com-
ating animated movies, laying requirements to scholarships and seeming like a more realistic unattainable. Or simply because it puters and the computers open up
down tracks for self-penned CDs. financial aid. Along the way, it goal,” says Miya Hayes, who had never crossed their mind. whole new worlds to them,”
They retreat to a glass-enclosed instills a simple but invaluable supervises the program for the Henderson knows the kind Henderson says. “In a sense that’s
recording studio to put the final idea: that college is an attainable Center for Educational Outreach. of kids who come to the Computer like college. Until you get there,
touches on a song they’ve written. goal. “These kids and their parents Letitia Henderson knows how Clubhouse. She’s been in their you can’t imagine all the places
They peer through the lens of a may be daunted by the idea of important that is. When she was a shoes. She’s also been to college. you can explore.”
>>FWD
6
Building Bridges, Clearing Paths
Two UC Mentoring Programs Help Open the Road to College
Starting Point class. His goal, he says, is to make
UC Berkeley feel more accessible,
Alfredo Garcia grew up without a a place where Gilbert feels like he
father in a downtrodden neighbor- belongs.
hood in Sacramento. His family Alfredo’s work through
spent time in a homeless shelter. Starting Point adds a vital stitch
Alfredo did a stint in juvenile hall. to the fabric of life on the UC
After high school, Alfredo Berkeley campus, where around
landed a job as a supermarket eight percent of undergraduates
checker. He didn’t consider trying are “reentry” students over the
to do much more. age of 25.
One afternoon, Alfredo “The other day I got a call
bumped into his former sixth grade from Gilbert and he told me he Starting point mentors Ethan Dominquez, Feng Trang, Allen Brown, and Kore Oliver practice the fine points of
teacher. “He was one of those was doing well in school and that mentoring with each other at a recent training session. Photograph by Dan Frost.
teachers who really took an interest he was applying to Cal,” Alfredo
in the kids and the community,” says. “When he gets here, it will would have been for me to head relationship, Drew says, is similar camps, foreign exchange programs,
Alfredo says. “He was very adamant be just as I’m graduating. And down the wrong path. I wanted to to one you would have with a sib- pre-professional internships.
with me. He told me I should go that’s so gratifying to me. It make sure that didn’t happen to ling, or a very close friend. Their relationship, built on
back to community college. He makes me feel like I’m part of a David. Everybody needs a role Twenty weekends a year, trust and commitment, can best
pushed me. He encouraged me to cycle. And it reminds me that model, but they don’t always have Drew and David and the other be measured not by sudden trans-
believe in myself.” nobody gets through life alone.” one, especially not young African mentor/mentees in the Scholars formations but by a steady
Now 31, Alfredo is in his American men.” to Cal program get together for a progress toward a long-term goal.
third year at UC Berkeley, a transfer He and David had met Saturday academy on the UC Drew says. “I’ll drop him off at
from community college in
Sacramento. He’s also a mentor in
a university program called Starting
Scholars to CAL
“Not meeting his potential, that’s
through an innovative mentoring
program called Berkeley Scholars
to Cal, which is run by Stiles Hall,
Berkeley campus, where they
tackle academic topics and play
games that help build friendships.
home and he’ll say, ‘Okay, see you,
I’m off to do my homework.’ He’s
just a great kid, and like his
Point, which operates through UC what I kept reading,” said Drew a non-profit agency that plays a In the years to come, Scholars to teacher said, he’s got a lot of
Berkeley’s Centers for Transfer, Houston about David, a Berkeley crucial role in UC Berkeley’s out- Cal will open up other opportuni- potential. We’re not going to let
Reentry & Student Parents. sixth-grader whom he had recently reach efforts. For more than 70 ties to David: summer music that slip away.”
>>FWD
Since it was launched in begun to mentor. That phrase kept years, Stiles Hall has provided
1999, Starting Point has paired cropping up in David’s report card. mentors to underserved students
UC Reaches Young Students
more than 100 UC Berkeley “To me there’s nothing sadder around the Bay Area.
Stiles Hall established
Berkeley Scholars to Cal to give
through the Arts and Academics
additional support to low-income
“And like his teacher said, he’s got a
students from backgrounds that
lot of potential. We’re not going to don’t always lead to college. The
let that slip away.” idea was to meet kids early and UC Berkeley has a longstanding commitment to the K-12 educa-
often, to provide them with tional community—a commitment that comes through in various
everything from academic tutor- outreach programs in the arts and academics.
students with students from local than that. It’s like his teachers ing to after school companion-
community colleges. The idea is to were saying he had this opportu- ship. CAL PERFORMANCES
bridge an educational gap that nity, and he was letting it slip Like other mentor pairings in The famed performing arts center hosts professional development
often feels too far to cross alone. away,” said Houston. the program, Drew and David get workshops for teachers in the Berkeley Unified School District. It
“I know how much of a dif- But looking at David, the together at least twice a week. also runs the Oakland AileyCamp, a 6-week summer dance
ference one person can make in young boy he’d volunteered to Drew goes to David’s school in program for 75 at-risk youth ages 11 to 14. Visit
someone else’s life,” Alfredo says. mentor, Houston saw shadows Berkeley, where he helps him with http://cpinfo.berkeley.edu/information/education/index.html.
“When you’re in community col- from his own teenage past. “It his homework or simply chats
lege, getting to a place like UC made me think back to when I with him about the day. They BAY AREA URBAN DEBATE
Berkeley can seem like it’s such a was his age, growing up in a browse bookstores. They go to This program fosters debate activities at urban high schools
long shot. I feel so fortunate to be house without a father,” Houston movies. They talk about writing, around the Bay Area. The philosophy behind the program is that
where I am. It wouldn’t feel right if says. “Things turned out okay for which is emerging as one of debate enhances critical thinking, public speaking and research
I didn’t help others get here too.” me, but I also realize how easy it David’s strongest interests. The skills that empower youth. For more information, visit
Through Starting Point, http://www.polisci.berkeley.edu/baud/index.html.
Alfredo became a mentor to
Gilbert, a student at Vista THE NEW LEARNING CLINIC
Community College in Berkeley. In Run by UC Berkeley’s University Extension, the clinic provides
Gilbert, Alfredo says, he sees a assessments of elementary school children on a sliding fee scale.
reflection of himself. The assessments include screenings for cognitive strengths and
“We both come from back- weaknesses. For more information, visit
grounds that placed a high value http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/dept/edu/learn.html.
on hard work, but didn’t always
emphasize education,” Garcia says. YOUNG MUSICIANS PROGRAM
“Education is about opportunity. For more than 30 years, this program has provided gifted low-
And that’s what I try to pass on— income students with professional music training. It serves more
the idea of using education to than 70 young musicians (ages 11 to 17), who receive year-round
open doors.” private instruction—at no cost to their families.
In their regular meetings, The program monitors student academic progress and provides
Alfredo has brought Gilbert to the A special bond exits between UC Berkeley student Jonathan Lim and guidance in choosing and applying to universities. Over the past 12
Cal campus, shown him the library, Joshua Hatcher, now a 7th grader at Berkeley's King Middle School, as Jon years, every student in the program has gone on to college. Visit
has been mentoring Joshua since 5th grade and is now helping him
the admissions office in Sproul successfully navigate these challenging middle school years through the http://ymp.berkeley.edu/default.html for more information.
Hall, taken him to his poli-sci Berkeley Scholar's to Cal program. Photograph by Dan Frost.
7
Second REAL WORLD
2
issue
SCIENCE
COLLEGE APPLICATION
STRATEGIES 4
Focus on Scholarships: How and Where to Look for Financial Support
Scholarships recognize your For eligible students, these The following programs
academic and personal achieve- awards are renewable for four request that you submit special
ments. They help fund your college years. materials for consideration.
education, and you don’t need to
pay them back. To qualify, you’ll
need good grades and perhaps
community service. You might have
The Cal Bears Scholarship,
Berkeley’s largest program, serves
nearly 5,000 undergraduates each
Visit the websites for important
application information.
The Incentive Awards Program
Scholarship Resources
Check out the following scholarship resources
to write an essay or be interviewed. year. Eligibility is based on GPA (http://students.berkeley.edu/incen no matter what college you plan to attend.
Whatever it takes, it’s worth the and financial need. tive/) serving up to 240 students
CollegeNETMach25 UC Berkeley Scholarship More helpful resources:
effort. from its 60 current partner
The Regents’ and Chancellor’s www.collegenet.com Connection
schools, offers $7,000 annually The Complete
UC Berkeley has many Search more than http://scholarships.
Scholarship, serving 800 stu- 600,000 private sector berkeley.edu
Scholarship Book
scholarships, with awards ranging for four years to entering students Presents financial help
dents, is Cal’s most prestigious awards, including school- Visit the Scholarship
with a commitment to service. regardless of financial
from $100 to the full cost of award for entering undergradu- specific awards, from Connection website to
situation, intended major,
more than 1,500 sponsors. investigate non-university
attendance. Most—but not all— ates and is one of few that are The California Alumni Association GPA or test scores.
scholarships and links to
Berkeley scholarships target FastWeb Contact Sourcebooks,
offered regardless of financial (http://www.alumni.berkeley.edu/) other on- and off-campus
www.fastweb.com Inc. (800-43-BRIGHT).
students who demonstrate high scholarship resources.
need. sponsors two scholarships for This site identifies more
The Scholarship Book
potential for academic success and than 180,000 scholarships, FinAid
Berkeley students: Provides comprehensive
The Cal Opportunity Scholarship, fellowships, loans and www.finaid.org
who have financial need. grants. This award-winning site
information for private
serving 100 students, offers a full I The Leadership Scholarship is scholarships. It is avail-
Some awards include benefits is one of the most com-
UC Berkeley able in any public library.
such as faculty sponsors, scholar need scholarship to academically a merit award for students who prehensive annotated
Undergraduate
promising students from specific exhibit leadership. About 950 collections of information The Undergraduate
association membership and aca- Scholarships, Prizes
about student financial Scholarships Bulletin
Bay Area high schools. students receive $1,000 annually. and Honor Office
demic/career planning services. aid on the web. Lists announcements on
http://www.berkeley.edu
various outside agency
Visit the websites listed below for I The Achievement Award /scholarships East Bay Consortium
scholarships. Located on
For more information on the applica- Incoming and continuing www.eastbay
complete information about each Program offers need-based awards campus, near the 2nd floor
UC Berkeley students will consortium.org
award. tion process, eligibility, and benefits elevator in Sproul Hall.
to students who have excelled find information on non- A directory of scholar-
go to www.berkeley.edu/scholarships university scholarships ship and financial aid
despite hardship. About 75 through the link “Outside information.
students receive $5,700 annually. Scholarship Resources.”
Want to find out more about Center for Educational Outreach
the outreach programs you’ve
read about in >>FWD? 2150 Kittredge Street Nonprofit Organization
Berkeley, CA 94720-1060 U.S. Postage Paid
Visit Kindergarten to College; University of California,
UC Berkeley in the Schools, the Berkeley
website “gateway” for the more
than seventy Cal outreach pro-
grams: http://outreach.berkeley.edu
Want to order more copies of
>>FWD?
Contact Michelle Bullock at
(510) 543-9674 or
mbullock@uclink.berkeley.edu