SMART Goes to College 2014 Keynote Speech: Jonathan Wang

Since, 6th grade, I’ve boarded a bus that transports me from the Bayview, one of the city’s most crime ridden districts, to Pacific Heights, the city’s most affluent zip code. This journey connected my home to my schools, Town School for Boys and now University High School. I’ve found this fifty-minute bus ride to be analogous to my family’s transformative journey with the SMART program.

It began in kindergarten when my mom marched ambitiously through the hallways of a reputable public elementary school, determined to obtain a spot for me. When my admission was denied, she broke down into tears. It was another setback after a difficult year between the arrival of my newborn sister, the divorce, and the financial condition that my father left us in, that finally broke her spirits. Her fear of a future fraught with uncertainty allowed me to understand, from an early age, that MY education would be the solution to our financial instability as well as a coping mechanism for the emotional and physical bruises that my father left us.

In fourth grade, I learned that my mom was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, a viral disease that no medication could cure. I was perplexed by her condition, and I asked lot questions about her recovery, but when I received no answers, my curiosity turned into frustration. Just when I was about ready to accept my situation, I was introduced by my 4th grade teacher to an academic opportunity that would allay many of my mom’s anxieties and my curiosities with her disease.

Recruiting talented and motivated low-income students, the SMART program offered me the resources to attend some of the best private middle schools in the city. So, when I was offered to attend an all-boy school in an affluent neighborhood in San Francisco, I was excited, but also wary. The prospect of competing against more privileged students who have received a top-tier education was intimidating. However, Town School for Boys offered me an abundance of resources and provided me with a laptop, a huge benefit especially since I didn’t have access to a computer at home.

However, what I found at the new middle school was much more than just the coveted laptop. I found a group of peers that piqued and propagated my intellectual curiosity. I became a part of an intimate community, wherein most classmates came from wealthier backgrounds, yet families were not judgmental but rather helped me integrate smoothly into the school.

Outside of school, I was supported by the SMART community, which was filled with energetic students who came from similar backgrounds to mine, all determined to pursue higher levels of education. With SMART, I finally found the symbolic shuttle to bring me, and my family, from our lives in the Bayview to lives filled with more opportunities.

During the past four years at University High School, I discovered my passion for biology and genetics. I found myself intellectually and emotionally drawn to classes like molecular and microbiology, as I learned that the viral illness, that has been so poignant in my mom’s life, is extremely common in the Asian community. Since then, I’ve been captivated by genetics and the endless possibilities that DNA brings to finding cures for different illnesses.

This brings us to the present. When I was initially approached to speak here tonight—my first instinct was to say NO. I was worried that I wasn’t the dynamic speaker SMART was seeking, that my story is not interesting – but mostly, I was nervous.

Instead, I said yes. YES has opened doors to academic opportunities. YES has challenged me in some of the best academic institutions in the city. YES gave me the strength to discover what I love and what I want to devote my career to. Thanks to SMART, I said yes to opportunities that if you asked my family about 10 years ago, would have seemed a laughable impossibility.

Just as my world opened up 7 years ago on that first bus ride across the city -- tonight, I’m proud to announce, that I’m preparing for my next life-changing journey. In the fall of 2014, I will be attending the University of Southern CA. As a first generation college student, I plan to maximize the opportunities college offers and use it as a stepping stone to uncovering more truths about genetics, an issue that has been so pertinent to my life.

Thanks to SMART and all its supporters, the journey getting here has truly been an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to pursue the next chapter of my life. Thank you.

SMART Goes to College 2014 Student Speech: Angela Xie

Hello, my name is Angela Xie, and I am extremely honored to speak on behalf of SMART and The San Francisco Friends School, two communities that have been such an integral part of my life.

I began my journey at Jean Parker Elementary School, a community filled with students who, like me, are Chinese American. The teachers were great, I excelled in school, and both my parents and I had lots of friends who were able to communicate in our native language. Imagine my surprise when my parents suddenly decided I will be transferring to San Francisco Friends School! At such a young age, I did not understand why my parents would pull me from a school where all my friends were and enter me into a brand new environment where I didn't know anyone. I was angry and I was sad.

Reluctantly, I walked through these doors my first day determined to prove to my parents they made a terrible mistake. I was pleasantly surprised when the teacher walked up and handed me a laptop, explaining that we could use them for class. There were Smart boards, new textbooks and an incredible library. Most significantly, I was no longer expected to memorize facts only to forget them a short while later. I learned formulas because I learned why they work. Creativity, technology, even student participation were all expected aspects of the Friends school curriculum. While my success in a public school relied on being good at taking notes and memorizing, at Friends I became more engaged and wanted to work even harder.

I learned to love learning.

In the midst of all these opportunities, I faced some hardships and challenges vastly different from what I expected on my first day at Friends. I translated often for my parents who were unable to communicate to my teachers. I quickly noticed how my peers around me were more affluent and unlike Jean Parker, at that time, I was the only Chinese speaking student. These differences I noticed could have easily put a damper on this new exciting opportunity, but it didn't - because of SMART.

At SMART I quickly made new friends who also felt that their transition into private school was difficult. I received a tutor, who to this day is one of my closest friends. Most importantly, SMART helped me see that Friends school is actually a community that embraces and celebrates differences. I learned that being different is a gift and SMART has helped me find my pride in being Asian and tri-lingual.

Through the incredible education I received at Friends and the support my family and I received at SMART, I am proud and extremely excited to enroll in my first choice high school - The Bay School of San Francisco. While I am sad to say goodbye to Friends this year, I feel I can continue to get what I love most about Friends at Bay, which are strong academics combined with a close community of students and teachers. I attribute my success to Friends, who set the framework, and SMART will still be here with me as I begin my high school journey.

I’ve already made a decision on what college I want to go to. In four years, I hope to see myself at Stanford University because they have a strong science program. I have a dream to give back and help others by advancing medicine.

Thank you Friends and thank you SMART for shaping and influencing who I am today, and for all of your time tonight in supporting these incredible communities.

Life at Yale: Liliana Santos

Liliana Santos, our keynote speaker at last year's SMART Goes to College event, recently visited the SMART office with her a capella group, Living Water, to speak with our Scholars and answer questions about student life at Yale. Here, she shares some reflections on her first year:

Life at Yale, in one word, is glorious. Fall was a stunning experience; leaves falling silently into piles of reds, and yellows. One week, the sky turned stormy grey and there was a sudden downpour. I put on my rain boots and coat and walked out into the rain, taking in the beauty of Harkness Tower and the stillness of the world. I found refuge in Dwight Chapel, a place that has quickly become my favorite place to contemplate and reflect.

From my weekly visits to the Farmer’s Market, to my work at Creating Kids Childcare Center with toddlers, to singing with my a cappella group, Living Water, being at Yale has been a whirlwind of beautiful, quiet, and extraordinary moments. When I first arrived, I was often so happy that I could just cry: the classes, the professors, the buildings and the leaves falling off the trees, were so surreal and yet so delightfully real.

At Yale, I’ve continued exploring, reflecting and learning. Each of my classes challenges me in new and exciting ways. My Black and White Photography class taught me to observe my world in a unique way; behind a 35mm lens. In my Dance on Film class, I’ve been pushing the boundaries of what I think dance, film, and the relationship between spectators and performers is. I’ve also been able to write stories and poems in my Spanish Creative Writing class. And, my Education Studies class has allowed me to explore a subject I’m truly passionate about.

I sometimes catch myself lost in memories as I notice the sunlight on Harkness Tower, or the engravings on the buildings on campus. It seems not so long ago I was only a fifth grader interviewing for SMART, a toddler lining up my stuffed animals as if to teach them something, a senior graduating from high school. Someone at last year’s SMART Goes to College event told me, “This is only the beginning,” and though it seemed a strange concept to me at the time, it is true; I’m beginning anew. There’s something exciting about starting again, about changing my family’s history: I’m off in uncharted waters. SMART helped me change not only my future but my family’s as well. SMART nurtured the potential I had to learn and grow and it was this initial support that kept me going.  Without SMART, I might not have realized that there was a greater world outside of my neighborhood, and that there was more to myself than just my circumstances. In supporting my education, SMART supported me as a learner, a global citizen, and a person. I now see that there is more to life and myself than I could possibly know, and I’m forever thankful to SMART for showing me that there is always something more to explore, learn, experience and grow from.

Liliana and her a capella group, Living Water at Yale, visit the SMART office and talk with our Scholars about student life at Yale!

Join SMART on May 1st at San Francisco Friends School for our 6th annual SMART Goes to College Fundraiser! Tickets and tables are available now.

Spotlight on Partnerships

We are all familiar with the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Here at SMART especially, we know this to be true. We also know that without the strong support of our community, we could not do the vitally important work that we do; therefore, we’d like to take a moment to recognize some of our community partners:  Bingham McCutchen,  the Junior League of San Francisco, and theBalm!

Bingham McCutchen
For over a year, SMART has had the good fortune of enjoying a partnership with the San Francisco office of global law firm, Bingham McCutchen.  Bingham has provided probono legal services for our families on an as-needed basis, held internal gift drives in which individual staff members purchased much needed school and office supplies for SMART, and for the last two years they have provided backpacks filled with supplies for our Scholars. They have hosted celebratory graduation events in their beautiful offices, welcomed our high school students for a career tour, and provided vital funding support of our programs. 

On September 10, 2013 SMART was invited by Bingham to participate in JFK50: Justice for All. Presented by Bingham McCutchen and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the event featured diverse leaders from business, law, journalism and government, including Condoleeza Rice, former Secretary of State, Jason Collins, NBA professional and Stanford All-American, Thurgood Marshall Jr., Bingham partner and principal with Bingham Consulting, Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Justice of California, William Swanson, CEO of Raytheon and John Yang, NBC news correspondent and commentator.  The panel discussed the legacy of the civil rights movement, the importance of continued engagement in diversity initiatives, and how those initiatives are reflected in today’s companies, classrooms and communities.

Thanks to Bingham, SMART was invited to contribute to this important conversation. A panel of distinguished speakers dropped into the SMART office to host a panel discussion for our Scholars, and SMART Scholar, Emerson Herrera, was invited to participate as a featured speaker during the event at the SFJAZZ center!

Junior League of San Francisco
This summer, SMART joined forces with the Junior League of San Francisco, to become the organization’s newest Community Program Grant Recipient. Not only has the Junior League awarded SMART with a generous grant of $15,000, but their partnership has allowed us to launch our first mentor program for our College Access Program Scholars. 19 Junior League volunteers have stepped forward to work one-on-one with a high school student to work through the college application process, which includes choosing a “best fit” school, perfecting their college essays, practicing for college interviews, and finding scholarships.

theBalm Cosmetics
theBalm is a local San Francisco company that boasts a complete line of makeup, skin care, hair care and nail polish. Aside from their commitment to making paraben and cruelty-free products, the generous folks at theBalm are committed to supporting the initiatives of local nonprofits, such as SMART. The company’s founder and CEO, Marissa Shipman, joined us in May for SMART’s 5^th annual SMART Goes to College fundraiser. After learning more about our programming, and hearing SMART alumna Liliana Santos speak about her experiences with SMART and her imminent entry into Yale University, Marissa decided to launch a charity flash sale program at theBalm, with SMART as the company’s first beneficiary! Please join us in sending a big thanks to Marissa and the entire crew…they are theBALM!

Emerson Herrera's Speech at JFK50

On September 10, 2013 SMART had the distinct honor of participating in JFK50: Justice for All.

Emerson poses with Condoleezza Rice at JFK50

Presented by Bingham McCutchen and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the event featured diverse leaders from business, law, journalism and government, including Condoleeza Rice, former Secretary of State, Jason Collins, NBA professional and Stanford All-American, Thurgood Marshall Jr., Bingham partner and principal with Bingham Consulting, Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Justice of California, William Swanson, CEO of Raytheon and John Yang, NBC news correspondent and commentator.  The panel discussed the legacy of JFK and the civil rights movement, the importance of continued engagement in diversity initiatives, and how those initiatives are reflected in today’s companies, classrooms and communities.

The featured speaker at the event was Emerson Herrera, a SMART Scholar and junior at International high school. Emerson closed out the evening with the following speech about his life, SMART, and educational equity.

Good evening.

"It is an honor to be here tonight celebrating the milestones of the past and continued awakening of the future. My name is Emerson Herrera. I am 16 years old and I have a bright future because of SMART.  While only 8% of low-income students graduate from college, thanks to SMART, I know I will be part of the 92% of SMART students who will benefit from an incredible college education."

"Many civil rights leaders often speak about the importance of educational equity. The right to a good education should be a given in this great country, but so often the marginalized populations are left behind. As an immigrant, first-generation college student from a low-income family, my life could easily have been drastically different. But because of programs like SMART and the undying determination and sacrifices my parents made for me, I stand before you today - a proud, college-bound student.

My parents left Guatemala in 1997 to seek a better future for our family in the United States. I was only 2 years old. My mother never went to school, and my father barely finished 1st grade due to family responsibilities. Despite their lack of education, my parents still valued education for their children. But as determined and passionate as they were, my parents could not speak, read or write in English and their own lack of experience as students prevented me from having the resources to fully understand the meaning of graduating high school and attending college. College was for the rich, and the best hope I had was to attend the under-resourced schools I was assigned to and I never knew that I had choices in my educational pursuits – until SMART.

As a student at Flynn Elementary, I loved learning and thrived in the classroom. I remember a particular sunny day when my 4th grade teacher, Ms. Obregon, told me she was very proud of my work and wanted to talk to my mother about SMART -  a program that provides motivated, low-income students with amazing educational opportunities and Ms. Obregon thought I was a perfect candidate. The application process was very rigorous but rewarding. Through SMART, I was placed into a great middle school and offered rigorous after-school programming twice a week where they continuously talked about college and how I could get there. I met other motivated students from similar backgrounds to mine. We learned from each other, and grew together. SMART is like a family, and they have done so much more for me than just provide academic access and support.

My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was in 5th grade. SMART immediately reached out to me and my family and offered to help with anything. SMART staff took me to visit schools when my mother didn’t feel up to it. My mother tried her best to be there for me and found comfort in knowing that SMART was there to assist me with anything I might need. SMART helped me escape my troubles by giving me an amazing tutor and mentor, Lauren Cleveland. During the weekdays, she would help me with homework and ask me about my day. On weekends, Lauren introduced me to different neighborhoods and places I have never been to in San Francisco. Having this partnership and friendship with an adult was very helpful especially because she went to college and had experiences that my parents were not fortunate to have.

Unfortunately in 7th grade, my mother became gravely ill and wanted to be with her family in Guatemala. My mother wanted me to stay in the United States to continue my education she desperately fought for me to have, but I felt I needed to be with my family and we decided to leave the two places I called home: SMART and San Francisco. At that time, my parents preferred not to tell us about the severity of her illness and I didn’t know that my mother’s days were numbered. It seemed so sudden when my mother passed away.

I remember it very differently now. It was actually a very bright and beautiful day. We could hear the crickets chirping and the birds singing. It had just rained the day before so the flowers and the grass were glistening with droplets of rain water. I woke up to see my mother pacing slowly since her body hurt all over. She couldn't speak very well but I heard the faint “good morning” and saw the smile she gave me. She knew she had to be strong when we were there, but I could see it in her eyes, the sadness she felt. When night came, my mother asked my father if I could take care of her for a bit while he took a break. When I grabbed her hand and she smiled at me, a flash of images passed through my eyes. I saw the happier times in her eyes, the memories of when I was a child and when she wasn't sick. But I also saw what she wanted for me, to become a well-educated professional who would not have to resort to manual labor to make ends meet, the way she and my father and their parents had to do.  She saw me tearing up and she told me she loved me and I shouldn’t worry about anything because she would always be there for me.

In the middle of the night, I heard the last sigh she gave. It was so sudden and unexpected. I wish I could have had some more time with her. There is so much more I wanted to say and I wanted to believe that a miracle could still happen. But I know she was suffering and now she is at peace and I am determined to honor her memory through contributions I can make to my community and family.

During this time, SMART kept in touch with me. They would email me and ask how I was feeling. When they heard there was a possibility of me coming back to San Francisco, they ensured a place for me at SMART. While it was very hard for my father to come back after everything that had happened, he knew my mother would have wanted me to continue my education here. My father is now a single parent, trying his best to be what my mother was in addition to working full-time. It was very difficult to try to go back to the way things were, but SMART provided much needed relief for my father to ensure the best possible education for me.

SMART helped me apply to and be accepted to an amazing high school with a full-scholarship. Throughout the high school application process, they helped my father with the application and financial-aid forms, offered SSAT classes for me to take and even drove me around to take tests, visit schools and fairs. When all of my classmates were nervous that they wouldn't get into their first choice or any school at all. I was confident. I was well prepared and I had a positive attitude because SMART helped me build that self-confidence. Even today, I feel that I can never go wrong when SMART is by my side.

I am so grateful to have SMART in my life. SMART is an amazing community with a lot of caring people and I wanted to give back to a program that has done so much for me and my family. This past year, I helped incoming families interested in applying to SMART. I took notice of how stressed the parents were, and how they would do anything for their children to get a great education. Through this experience, I appreciate so much more the opportunities my parents sacrificed to get me into SMART and now I am determined, more than ever, to be an advocate and a leader for my community. All children deserve a great education. Programs like SMART should exist for all students who need it. I want to take this opportunity to ask you all tonight to help honor the memories of JFK and inspiring civil rights leaders of past and today, and work together towards a community of equity so that I am no longer an exception, but a part of a diverse and well-educated society we all deserve to be a part of.

How proud my mother would be to see me on this stage today. Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity and sharing an amazing celebration of community and progress together.

Reflections of a SMART Summer

In September, SMART welcomed back our Scholars after a busy summer. Here's a recap of what we've been up to:

5^th and 6^th grade summer students on a visit to Heron’s Head Park

For six weeks in June and July our Academic Summer Enrichment Program for rising 5th and 6th graders expanded to accommodate 78 students (compared with 57 students last year)! This year, programming took place at one of our newest partner schools, the Mission Dolores Academy. In addition to math and English Language Arts curriculum, this year SMART added both science and history coursework, and of course, continued our much-loved tradition of science and environmentally-focused Friday field trips (including excursions to the new Exploratorium and Heron’s Head Park).

This summer also marked the kick-off of summer programming for our College Access Program (CAP). The

CAP Scholars during a Candlestick Point clean-up
 project with Literacy for Environmental Justice

CAP Social Seeds summer program focused on introducing and exploring the topic of environmental justice to SMART high school students. High school Scholars who did not have commitments to summer internships or jobs participated in programming with SMART and learned about environmental justice and injustice within their global, domestic, and local communities. To connect what students learned to the real world, the students did community service around San Francisco neighborhoods that faced, and still face, environmental injustice. The structure of the Social Seeds program mimicked a college course, so over the course of four weeks, students were paired up to work cooperatively on projects with a focus on environmental justice and presented their work at the end of the program. Because we aim to expose students in our College Access Program to a plethora of career options, during the summer months CAP students also went on career tours to learn about how different work places function and what types of career opportunities are available. This summer, students visited the law offices of Bingham McCutchen, Expedia, and Twitter.

Last, but certainly not least, this summer SMART escorted 19 high school students on our first-ever Southern California College Tour. Scholars visited nine different colleges (including Claremont Schools, UC Schools, and San Diego State University), and came back to SMART with a new excitement about their college prospects. To learn more about the tour, check out this tumblr blog, created by Laura Medina, one of SMART’s newest staff members and a SMART alumna!

Liliana's Speech at SMART Goes to College

Liliana and Nonoko Sato at SMART Goes to College 2013

Good evening! My name is Liliana Santos and some of you may remember me from the speech I gave 2 years ago at Town School for SMART goes to College. Being here tonight, I am overwhelmed with a mixed sense of peace, joy, and bittersweet happiness. I remember stepping onto Burke’s campus for the very first time as a graduating 5th grader. I had just been accepted into the SMART program, and I wasn't quite sure what was happening but I remember I was very excited and also a bit nervous. Standing here before you, I feel pretty much the same. But a couple of things have changed. I am now a senior at Lick-Wilmerding High school and I will be graduating in exactly 31 days. Speaking to you today for a program that I love and that has changed my life, at a school that helped me grow and nurtured me, I feel that I have come full-circle and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

To start things off, I’d like to make a confession. Ever since I was in 6th grade I wanted to attend Yale University. A pretty big dream for a sixth grader, but the origin might surprise you. As a middle schooler, I came across the Gossip Girl books. For those of you that haven’t read these books yet, they center around an elite group of students in high school from the Upper East Side. And, one of the main characters, Blair, who was my favorite character, really really wanted to go to Yale. Now, at that time, I had no clue what Upper East Side was or what an Ivy League school was. All I knew was that Blair wanted to go to Yale and I thought to myself– Well, if Blair can do it, I can too. “Going to Yale” became a metaphor for what I could achieve if I worked hard and believed in myself.

This past year as I applied to colleges, I realized just how competitive the process would be. As my mailbox began overflowing with college pamphlets I became more and more intimidated by the whole ordeal. Most of my classmates at Lick lead privileged lives and were expected to attend college their whole lives and fully supported through the application process. I on the other hand would be the first in my family to go through this process. Often, I felt very insecure about my qualifications and my own background. I was born in San Salvador, El Salvador and moved to the United States at a young age. When I was three years old, on April 15th 1998, my father was shot five times outside of our apartment building. My mother was left with two girls to raise on her own with the help of my grandmother and auntie. My uncle who is currently living with us, developed an addiction to alcohol and became more dependent on our family. In El Salvador, my greatest achievement would've been to not get pregnant during high school or to be a good wife. I would not have been encouraged to excel in school. Most of my family never reached past high school. And, no one has graduated from college!

But, despite these hardships and obstacles, I was able to persevere. SMART recognized me and saw my potential. As immigrants with low-income means, my family would not have been able to afford, much less become aware of a school like Burke’s without SMART’s help. At Burke’s I was offered art, music and theater classes, multiple sports teams (many of which I was not so good at), and teachers who had the time and desire to work with me personally.  Burke’s literally helped me come out of my shell and showed me how much I loved learning. Following on to Lick has been equally rewarding. In fact, their motto – head, heart and hands – has shaped my perspective as a global citizen, which in turn has shaped what I want to do with my life and how I want to do it; engaging in my community and helping those around me. 

Contrastingly, my public elementary school didn't offer any art classes. At church, many of the students my age who live in the Mission District are currently signing up for the Army or City College. Many have had to take night classes to earn enough credits to graduate, and many are unsure about what comes after high school. Unlike me, they were not provided with the opportunity to attend private schools or choose a school that fit them like a glove where they could have teachers who encouraged and strengthened them.

SMART goes beyond private schooling. When I was creating my college list, my college counselor recommended a lot of great colleges but Yale was not on that list. NONE of my top choices were on the list which was understandable seeing as my dream schools were highly selective and I was competing with my peers at Lick and elsewhere who had access to and could afford extra prep courses, extra tutoring, and private college counselors - whereas my family could barely afford to buy an SAT prep book. But, SMART came to my rescue with its College Access Program. During the summer they helped me with an essay writing bootcamp, SAT prep courses (with a book!), practice tests, and even tutors. And, let’s not forget SMART’s signature and never-ending stream of personal cheerleading. Without this extra support from SMART, I would not have been so confident in adding my top choice colleges to the list of schools I would apply to.

Last month, after I received my college decisions, I called Nonoko to tell her I had some very “bad news.” (emphasize the quotes) I asked her to sit down and take a deep breathe, I could hear her anticipating the worst. I told her: “I am very sad to tell you…that I was accepted to UC Santa Barbara, Lewis & Clark, UC San Diego, CSU Monterey Bay/Sacramento/Long Beach and Humboldt State. AND, I received a full ride to Stanford, Columbia, Amherst, Brown…oh, and Yale.” 

It took her awhile for the news to sink in.  Her response reflected my initial reaction to the incredible news. She was proud of my achievements and excited about all my incredible options!

From the beginning, SMART was the one to see the potential in me. I am thrilled to report that I will be joining the Class of 2017 at Yale University next year. My childhood dream and hope has become reality!  I am especially excited by the opportunity to study abroad, to study alongside current and future leaders, and to become a leader myself. I thank God for the blessing of having SMART in my life. SMART has helped me learn to be thankful for all my blessings and, above all, to never give up! I will take these lessons with me as I embark on the next chapter of my life at Yale. 

So to SMART and all its donors sitting here tonight, I am eternally grateful to you!  On behalf of all the future SMART students, I sincerely hope you will continue your support of this amazing program so that they too will have the same incredible opportunities I have had. Perhaps in a few years from now, I will be standing before you once again – next time in Louboutin heels– introducing the program for the evening and recounting the continued successes your support helped me to achieve.

Thank you all and thank you SMART.