Izzy Garcia - Step Up Speech 2015

Izzy (center) with her parents

As I reflect upon my time as a SMART student, I am reminded of  the endless amount of events, experiences, resources, interactions, and people that have contributed to making my time here at SMART one of the most rewarding and unforgettable experiences of my 18 years. 

However, there are far too many memories and moments that can wholly define our experiences here at SMART. From wearing fancy uniforms in middle school everyday, to our favorite outings to the park in front of City Hall, to moving into a new SMART office a grand total of 3 times, to CAP socials, to those dreadful test prep classes, to the Socal college tour, and more, these memories would not have been as significant if I had not shared them with my peers. You guys are part of the reason why I chose to join the College Access Program after we graduated middle school. I knew that the bond we first created as 9, 10 and 11- year-olds was something that I did not want to give up. Thankfully, it has flourished ever since.  

I can recall that very first day of SMART. I remember standing on the white stone steps, between two detailed white columns, underneath a ledge that read The Hamlin School in gold letters. I was dressed in brand new white sneakers, a crisp navy pleated skirt, a weird white top that resembled a sailor shirt (called a midi), and a carefully ironed tie that hung from my neck. My hands grew sweaty from clenching my backpack straps and my foot tapped impatiently as I waited outside my school for the infamous SMART bus. 

I remember the butterflies in my stomach once the clock struck 4pm. I was excited and nervous  to discover what SMART was all about. Finally, a rather small yellow school bus turned the corner, and made a screech with its brakes when it finally made a stop in front of the Hamlin mansion. “This is the bus we’re going to be picked up in?!” I thought to myself. I looked to my left, I looked to my right, saw no one in sight and then I rapidly jumped on. The narrow brown plastic seats that only fit one to two people and the smell of rubber seemed inviting. I saw familiar faces on this bus and also some that I hadn’t seen before in my life. Not even 5 minutes into the bus ride, did it come to my surprise that I heard kids on the bus start talking to each other, asking each other for their names, asking what schools they each attended. 

But most of all, I heard laughter. In that instant I felt safe. 

The transition of going into a private school made me feel like I was in an entirely different universe, but I knew that I wasn’t the only one going through this change. On that small, yellow school bus, my SMART peers and I were already starting to bond and build a community.It’s been a total of 9 years. SMART class of 2015, we’ve been here for 9 years. That’s almost a decade! I don’t know about you guys, but that makes me feel hella old.  We grew up together, guys. We’ve known each other and have watched each other grow from ages 9 to 17 or 18. I’m sure Nonoko remembers the small, cute, baby-faced, energetic and shy 4th and 5th graders that we once were when we started the program. 

Nonoko says, "I do!" Cecilia & Izzy 2009

And I’m pretty sure Ben and Erin remember working with the awkward, prepubescent, obnoxious, talkative, but bright middle schoolers that we once were too. And now, Ana Maria, Karla, Laura and Cindy have gotten the honor of not only working with us CAP students, but nagging and harassing us over and over these past 4 years. Whether it was to get us to come to workshop, telling us  to get off our phones while we did homework, asking us to fill out scholarships, reminding us constantly to finish our college apps and personal statements, or telling us to take advantage of tutoring, these ladies, as well as the other staff members have pushed us to reach our full potential. 

And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing since I began my time at The Urban School and at CAP. In addition to my classmates, my SMART experience would not have been fulfilling without the unconditional support, care, and encouragement I have received from every SMART staff member. If it was not for the staff members here and my love for the program, I would not have partaken in teaching last year’s CAP freshman about Identity and Social Justice, joined the Student Advisory Board, written and taught my own Identity lessons to SMART middle schoolers, been an office intern for Karla, helped out at SMART events and fundraisers, interviewed potential SMART candidates, volunteered or even agree to be the graduation speaker tonight.  

With the help of SMART staff, I became more proactive in seeking help with math and writing and became more involved in the Urban community. My time at CAP and Urban has been a significantly influential time in my life. I have transitioned from being a small, introverted, curious, energetic, clueless and occasionally shy kid to a still small but, well-rounded, confident, conscious, engaged and more extroverted young adult. It is because of all the SMART staff members that have worked with me throughout the years, that my passion for learning, helping others, teaching, and social justice  has heightened. 

As a senior in high school, I have not yet made a final decision for the college that I will be attending next fall. I am currently enrolled  at CSU Channel Islands with a declared sociology major, as I wait to hear back from Sarah Lawrence College, with the option of attending City College for two years and then transferring. My college decision process has not been so linear ever since my top choice school, Loyola University of Chicago, accepted me but failed to give me sufficient aid. While having had to turn down Loyola was the most frustrating moment in my college process, it is because of SMART that I will not view my current situation as a defeat, but as another chance to push myself to my full potential, take a risk, and make a sacrifice all the for sake of a great education and a brighter future. 

Regardless of the college I will attend next fall, I know I will take every opportunity that comes my way and I will make the best of whatever path I choose to take. And I will use the morals of hard work, motivation, and positivity that the SMART staff has instilled in me.  Thank you SMART class of 2015, thank you SMART staff members, thank you tutors, volunteers, and mentors, and thank you mom and dad for my 9 wonderful years at SMART.

Addie Honeycutt: Stewards in Our Communities

When you envision a leader that has made a difference in the world, who comes to mind? For many, this question conjures up the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr and Woodrow Wilson. However, two of our Scholars selected a leader much, much closer to home. 

While eighth graders at San Francisco Friends School, Angela and Giovanni profiled SMART's very own MAP Coordinator, Addie Honeycutt, for an article titled "Stewards in Our Communities." Below is the text of the article for your enjoyment.  We at SMART are very grateful to have Addie as an integral part of our team.  And we are equally proud of Angela and Giovanni for recognizing the ceaseless efforts of the SMART staff.

Article posted at San Francisco Friends School

Addie Honeycutt: Stewards in Our Communities

By Angela and Giovanni

Why should academically successful students be deprived of a good education based on their family’s income?  Addie Honeycutt works with SMART, a non-profit organization that helps students receive educational opportunities.  Addie started her love for teaching during her time working in underserved communities in San Francisco and Marin.  She then began working for Playworks, a non-profit organization and the only organization that helps bring community in low-income schools by organizing engaging gameplay during recesses.  During this time, she met with a few staff members who have kids that go to SMART.  From there, she began to become immersed with SMART’s action and goals. 

SMART helps motivated students achieve opportunities such as helping them get into private/charter middle schools, high schools, and even college.  SMART has an after school program for both middle schoolers and high schoolers who share the same background and goals.  Addie teacher middle school student about success in school, education, how to relieve stress and school work, and much more about the life of a student.  She helps families contact schools as some parents can only speak a certain language at home.  Because she speaks Spanish fluently, one of her jobs is to speak to Spanish-speaking families about their problems and needs.  Addie wants to help students reach their goals because there are many who really want to become successful but can’t due to financial problems, language barriers for families, and much more.  Because of SMART, students are able to reach their goals because of their persistence even from those problems.

So what can you do to help?  SMART runs purely off of donations and not from the government, meaning that there are limited spots for those students.  You can raise awareness in helping these young and motivated students by telling your family and friends.  Another option is to give back when you grow older.  As there is a requirement of age, you can tutor a student during the after school programs of mentor once you are an adult.  You can gain a new friendship with these students and help them in a direct way.  You can donate and find out more about SMART at http://thesmartprogram.org.

Heading Out to Nature with Outward Bound

Over Labor Day weekend, our 8th grade Scholars experienced one of the most beautiful landscapes in the state of California: Big Basin Redwoods State Park. There, some of the oldest known trees in the world exist, providing shade all day long and a gauntlet of trails with elevations upwards of 2,000 feet. SMART Scholars spent three days and two nights in the park along with two SMART staff members and four instructors from the Outward Bound Outdoor Education Program.  While there, students were pushed to their physical and emotional limits, helping one another overcome challenges and developing a new sense of camaraderie among the class of 2019.

While at Big Basin, students were split into two separate groups for the duration of the trip. The days started with stretching, preparing our bodies for the long days ahead, then breakfast (prepared by our student chefs), followed by long days of hiking and games. Individual and team building activities were intermittently peppered in, varying from journal entries to sharing challenging experiences in discussion groups. The days ended with half of the group setting up camp while the other half prepared dinner. Then, as is obligatory with these types of trips, once it got dark, scary stories were shared.

The trip was an experience that our Scholars will not forget! They challenged and supported one another, deepening the relationships and connections that have been forged over their past three years at SMART. With high school quickly approaching, the class of 2019 will have this trip to remember the great things they are capable of achieving and their ability to face and overcome any challenge.

Volunteer Spotlight: Wilson Lau

“I always knew that I wanted to somehow be involved with kids. I had a friend who was working as a volunteer tutor, and I was in the process of looking for an organization to volunteer with. My friend suggested that I join her one night at SMART to check out the program. I showed up, and ended up sitting with Enrique for a bit. We clicked, and once he became more comfortable with me, he really opened up.” 

Wilson tutoring through the years! From left to right with Enrique (now a college freshman), Anfernee (a high school freshman), and Eduardo (current 7th grader).

Wilson and Enrique reconnecting at SMART's 2014
Career Conference. 

That was seven years ago, and today, Wilson is still going strong as a SMART tutor! He is currently working with his third Scholar. “I ended up tutoring Enrique for two years, until he graduated from middle school—he’s currently at San Francisco State, and wants to be an engineer…which is surprising because in middle school he hated math. After Enrique, I worked with Anfernee for three years—we connected because we are both techies. I’m currently on my second year tutoring Eduardo—he loves to read, and loves to talk about what he’s reading.” 

On tutoring, Wilson said, “The level at which the kids are expected to perform in 7th grade is so much more than was expected of me…and they do it! Sometimes they are working on math or science problems that tutors haven’t seen in 10 or 15 years, and if I don’t get it, that’s fine—I want them to get it. Mostly, they just need to realize that they already know it. Maybe it’s not really tutoring, but enabling the students to teach themselves.” 

In addition to working one-on-one with our Scholars, Wilson has been a fixture around SMART, chipping in whenever help is needed. He makes a point of volunteering at our annual SMART Goes to College fundraisers, joins in for volunteer happy hours and student celebrations, has helped to recruit new volunteers, and always participates in our Assessment Saturdays, assisting the SMART community in identifying our next group of incoming Scholars through interviews, group activities, and math and English language arts assessments.

“There is something really genuine about hanging out with children. It gives me a different perspective on the rest of the world. And I know that I’m not wasting my life by helping someone—I’m doing something worthwhile. In the end, they teach me more than I teach them.” 

Thank you Wilson for your dedication to SMART and to our Scholars!

George Lieu, College Bound!

George Lieu, University High, class of 2014, and incoming  UC Santa Barbara freshman is spending his summer as a SMART intern. Selected to join us through a competitive application process, George is helping with IT, data entry, and here, sharing reflections on his past eight years as a SMART Scholar.

It’s hard to believe that just over a month ago, I finally graduated from SMART. SMART’s influence started during my transition from Tenderloin Community School to Cathedral School for Boys. Transferring from a public to private school was exciting, but intimidating as well. Everything at Cathedral was different; the sense of community was very powerful while the dedication to academics from both teachers and students was amazing. The 1-on-1 opportunities and well-rounded class schedules were also very new to me. Art and music class exposed me to a great deal of knowledge that I previously never knew existed. Moreover, I had many opportunities to experience something new, whether it was being part of a play/musical, going through some improv classes, or choosing between a wide selection of elective classes. The freedom to explore and develop my artistic skills along with my academics skills was mind-blowing. At the same time, I was attending SMART twice a week, receiving academic support from tutors. The combination of a new school and a supportive program helped me realize my educational potential.

When I entered high school, SMART also expanded in order to continue supporting students all the way to college. Other than the help with schoolwork, I found the support to be extremely useful when it came to the SAT/ACT and college application process. Personal meetings allowed me to craft a strong application and clarify any confusion, particularly regarding the aspect of financial aid, which was always a primary concern.

Looking back, I’m truly grateful for all that SMART has done for me. I’m happy knowing how much I’ve been able to achieve. In just a few months, I will be starting my college journey at UC Santa Barbara majoring in Computer Engineering. Although I’m a little nervous, I’m also eager. I’m eager to start a new chapter of my life and chase my aspirations in the next step of my education.

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.