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.

Volunteer Profile: Sara Linderman

Sara and Melissa 

Sara has been a volunteer mentor with SMART since the fall of 2011.  She was looking for a volunteer opportunity that would enable her to work with kids, and more importantly, would allow her to develop a deep, sustainable, one-on-one relationship. She came across SMART, and the more she learned about the program's mission, approach, and results, the more excited she became. Sara is mentoring Melissa, an 8th grader at The San Francisco School.  “Melissa is inspiring in her intelligence (particularly her math and science skills) - but then again, all the SMART scholars are.  Her immense creativity is her most defining characteristic.  She taught herself how to knit by watching YouTube videos. She makes friendship bracelets that she gives away to her friends. She has an insatiable appetite for reading - particularly Manga (Japanese comic books) - and she transports me into the books she reads through her stories.  And aside from the stories - she generally talks my ear off - she is even more loquacious than I was at her age, and I got in trouble constantly for talking in school.”

Sara and Melissa do their best to hang out twice per month.  “I love cooking - and this is a passion I've shared with Melissa, who has come to love it, too (she actually noted she might want to be a chef in a high school application essay) - so we do that together.  She's especially into baking (her favorite was making "stained glass cookies" last holiday season - she's still talking about it).  That said, we try to mix it up - once in a while, a movie; we've gone horseback riding; we've gone to House of Air, to the zoo - whatever sounds fun. I try to introduce Melissa to things she wouldn't otherwise get to do.”

One accomplishment that Sara is particularly proud of is her work with Melissa to complete her high school applications. “Melissa is Chinese - her parents were born there and speak (only) Cantonese at home - so while she's obviously fluent in English, she struggles with grammar, both written and spoken. She recognizes this weakness and is actively and continuously working to improve - when we're together, I gently point out errors and we talk grammar rules so she can keep improving. Melissa just finished up and submitted her high school applications, which required writing an extensive set of essays.  We collaborated on them over dinner a couple times, and then I worked with her through the editing process.  It was awesome to see her work so hard and do such a wonderful job on something that I know is a challenge for her - and to know that I played a (very small) part in her accomplishment.”

In addition to the amazing work Sara does as a mentor, Sara has also been instrumental in supporting SMART in other ways. She sits on the Volunteer Advisory Board CAP Committee, and in preparation for CAP’s upcoming career panel, Sara recruited 11 panelists in various professions to talk to our high school Scholars about career opportunities. Sara also participated in SMART’s recent Fundraising Challenge through Crowdrise raising $1,000 to support SMART programming. Thank you so much, Sara, for all you do for SMART and the students we serve!

MAP: Exploring diversity and culture through the lens of San Francisco non-profits

Youth-based San Francisco non-profits share their work with MAP Scholars

MAP students started the New Year at SMART by learning about the diversity, culture, and history of the various neighborhoods of San Francisco: the Mission District, Bayview and Hunter’s Point, the Sunset, Chinatown, the Richmond District, and the Excelsior. We celebrated the diversity we see at SMART, and also cherished what we have in common as people; our sense of family, home, friends, and culture are ways in which we connect and relate to one another.

MAP scholars then delved deeper to discuss the concept of inequity, and analyzed the socioeconomic inequities that we see in San Francisco. We are continuing to look at these inequities through the lens of non-profit organizations, and examine how non-profit organizations address these socioeconomic inequities.

Last week, SMART had the privilege of hosting guest speakers from other youth-based non-profit organizations such as YearUP, SFCASA, Jamestown Community Center, and Mayor's Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP) on a panel. SMART scholars practiced their interpersonal and public speaking skills by asking the panelists carefully thought out questions, and participated in an engaging conversation.

At the close of this unit, MAP students will create their own youth-based non-profit organization, and present a ‘business pitch’ to SMART staff, tutors, and peers. They will craft their mission statement, their vision statement, and determine the staffing, fundraising, and resources they will need to start their own NPO. We are excited to expand and re-energize our civic engagement and sense of community!

Celebrating CAP Success!

Ana Maria (CAP Program Manager), and CAP seniors celebrate completing college applications!

We are more than half way through the academic year, and our first year of comprehensive CAP programming has been a success! All eligible seniors submitted their college applications by the deadlines. Students were required to apply to at least four California State University campuses, four University of California campuses and four private colleges – two of which needed to be out of state. On average SMART seniors applied to 15 campuses each, and 73% of our students have already been admitted to at least one campus, if not more. Acceptances will continue to roll in through April, with students making final decisions by May 1^st. In the first week of January we hosted a FAFSA completion day, and 100% of seniors submitted their FAFSAs, and are now working on scholarships, with a goal of applying to at least 10 each.

We are also proud to announce that SMART is offering our first ever Northern California College Tour this month. Sophomores, juniors and seniors have been invited to visit a wide variety of campuses to determine their interests, and specifically for seniors, to help them decide which campus is the best for them. Students will be visiting 2-6 campuses each over the course of the week. We will tour: Santa Clara University, San Jose State University, Stanford, UC Davis, St. Mary’s College, UC Santa Cruz, CSU Monterrey Bay, Dominican University and Sonoma State. 

College Essay - Alitzel, Class of 2013

Alitzel, class of 2013, is a senior at Urban School

During our official first year of our fully developed College Access Program, we celebrate the accomplishments of our high school students who boldly share their incredible journeys in their college application essays. In the coming months, we look forward to highlighting college acceptance notices, as well as student stories.

We begin by highlighting a poignant and beautifully presented essay by Alitzel.

"I had never seen so many girls in the same identical uniform before. The little chapel on Broadway street swam in navy and white plaid suits, and I felt like I was
drowning in them. Knee-length skirts with pleats and almost black blazers that I had
only seen businessmen in movies wear, cloaked the minuscule girls. The royal blue
chiffon ties were all tied methodically under the harsh square collars of their oxford
shirts, while I looked down at my own tie-less neck and felt my stomach drop. It
was my first day of school and I was clad in an inadequate uniform. Not only was my
uniform inadequate, but I, myself, felt inadequate. My caramel skin did not match
the milky skin of the girls around me and I found my eyes searching the crowd of
girls hungrily for a familiar face.

Walking into the grandiose marble mansion that morning, I knew instantly
that I was far from home. I realized that although I was still in San Francisco, I felt
like a tourist. The decaying bungalows I was used to learning math and social
studies in could never compare to the Corinthian columns which supported the
foundation of the palace I would now call my school.

The elementary school I had left, Buena Vista, did not match the high economic
standards that Convent of the Sacred Heart held, but it was not void of all richness.
In Kindergarten, I befriended a girl named Jackie, as we colored in the garden. She
was Jewish, went to temple, had a nanny, and her parents were lawyers who spoke
Spanish as a second language. I, on the other hand, lived in a small apartment, rarely
went to church, and came from immigrant parents who were learning English as a
second language. From this early stage stained with finger paints, I was engrossed in
cultures different from mine and grew to add others’ experiences and beliefs into
my own radiant painting of the world around me.

During my first weeks at Convent, I got to know the girls who would become
my best friends. When I introduced myself with my name, Alitzel, they all crowded
around me and exclaimed, “That’s so cool! Can you say it again?” Soon after, I
decided to introduce myself as “Ali” for the girls who could not pronounce my name,
but also to save me from cringing every time someone mispronounced it.
I taught the girls how to take public transportation, introduced them to the
best taquerias in the Mission and shared my own life story. I will never forget the
look of shock on my friend’s faces when I told them my parents chose not to become
naturalized citizens of the United States, or the shock I felt when they could not
point to Mexico on a map.

Though I left both schools years ago, the experiences I had at Buena Vista and
Convent are engrained in me forever. Through the conversations I hold, the
opinions I argue and in the way I maneuver around the world, it is evident that the
richness from all the diverse experiences in my life are worth more than each
individual experience alone."

Introducing SMART's Expanded College Access Programming

SMART is excited to roll out our fully comprehensive College Access Program (CAP) in September 2012. In order to achieve our goals of ensuring our Scholars are accepted into the four-year college of their choice, we will be working with all of our high school-aged students on a weekly basis. Throughout the CAP journey, SMART will provide our Scholars with the tools and confidence necessary to succeed in college, and develop the leadership skills and social consciousness to position them to become the next leaders of their communities and the world. This year's curriculum is greatly expanded, providing access to professional tutoring, and engaging our Scholars in community building events and workshops while each grade level works through a specific yearly focus:

• Freshman curriculum focuses on exploration. Students work toward understanding who they are and where they want to go with their lives. 
• Sophomores will focus on social justice and understanding the different systems in our society so that  they can identify career paths that fit their own passions. 
• Juniors prepare for college through researching schools and participating in heavy standardized test preparation. They will complete a multi-week Service Learning CAPstone project in the spring while developing their leadership skills. 
• Senior year is focused on college and scholarship application processes. All seniors will be required to apply to at least 12 colleges and 10 scholarships.

This year will be full of many firsts as the students build their CAP community. We are very excited to welcome them all back into the space as they walk on the path towards college!

Volunteer Profile: Dana Hall

"I am so happy that SMART exists, not only for the kids, but also because SMART has become a big part of my life as well."

Dana has been a SMART volunteer for three years, and is pictured here with Sonia, the student that she has been tutoring every week since she first became involved with the program. When they first started working together, Dana worried that she wasn't getting through to Sonia, and was convinced that Sonia wasn't thrilled about having a tutor; however, Dana pushed on, returning each week, and encouraging Sonia to challenge herself both socially and academically. A breakthrough came at the end of their first year of working together, when Sonia asked Dana for extra help in math. "She reached out to me--our time working together was making a difference, and she wanted more support. It was amazing!" 

In addition to the important tutoring work that Dana has taken on, she also assists with SMART fundraising through participation in the SMART Volunteer Board, and through personal pursuits. Together, Dana and her co-worker and fellow SMART volunteer, Liz Shapiro, started the Mensch of the Month calendar, now in its second year of production, and have been generously donating the calendars proceeds to SMART. 

In June, Sonia graduated from middle school, and will soon be starting her freshman year at San Francisco Waldorf School, where she will be attending on a full scholarship. Dana will continue to spend time with Sonia as a mentor, and will begin tutoring a new middle school-aged SMART Scholar this fall. Thank you Dana for all of your dedication to SMART, and for working to improve the academic outcomes for the Scholars we serve.