Fresh Scholar

Reflections as We Prepare for College Football

2012-01-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

The college football season is about to start, so there should be a lot of optimism and hope in the air. But to some less fortunate schools, there is a lot of doubt about this season. For one school in particular (the University of Miami), the whole football program could be suspended for an extended period of time. The Miami football team is under duress because some of the current and former players have been caught receiving money from a booster who has given multiple players large sums money, which is totally against NCAA rules. Because a small number of athletes took money, the whole program could shutdown. A similar scandal happened in 1980 at SMU when players took money from a booster and the whole football program was shut down.

This is a bad sign considering the fact that the football program brings in millions of dollars and is one of the most famed and recognized teams in college football. This will be a dark day in college football if the football program goes under.

These scandals really point to a larger ethical and moral problem with college sports: the unequal distribution of money. These players, who are often African-American with little or no money, are courted by the big name schools; and while the schools make millions of dollars off of these athletes, the only trade off for them is a meal ticket and a dorm room. Oftentimes, these schools do not have adequate tutoring to help these athletes to ensure graduation. The number of student athletes who actually graduate are terrible. It is unfair that the players are being penalized for such “violations” as taking money, because the amount of money that the players are getting from the booster is far less than the money the university is getting from the television contracts and merchandizing from the football team.

-Marcus Vincent
Junior Correspondent

*Marcus wrote this and sent it to me in the beginning of last fall. I just dropped the ball on posting it!

Collective Bargaining and the NFL

2011-04-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

For the first time since 1987, the NFL is facing a lockout, which means that there could possibly be no football for the 2011 season. And I do mean no football. No Sunday afternoon games, no Monday night games, and no Super bowl. How and why did we reach this point? The larger question is: What can be done to prevent the cancellation of the 2011 season?

The owners and players had been working well together under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated in 2006. The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement expired last week so there is a work stoppage. The NFL players and the owners cannot agree on how to divide up the TV and ticket revenue, which comes to about nine billion dollars per season. A large portion needs to be set aside for player’s health and retirement benefits.

The fat-cat owners opted out of the former collective bargaining agreement in 2008. The owners were feeling they weren’t getting enough of the money brought into the NFL. Under the old deal, of 9 billion dollars, the owners would get one billion upfront, and then the remaining $8 billion got split up 60-40, with 60% going towards player salaries. Here is where its gets dicey; the owners wanted to take an additional billion dollars off the top and then divide the remaining $7 billion of that 50-50. According to the owners, they need “this extra” money off the top because they need funds to pay for huge stadiums and updated facilities. The owners are also required to pay for retired players health insurance and other miscellaneous services. In order to generate even more money, the owners want an 18 game regular season, which will increase the $9 billion pot substantially.

On the flip side, given the outbreak of head injuries and other major health problems, the players have absolutely refused to play two additional games, so that is off the table. The players, however, have offered to split all the money 50-50. It is important to note that the players were content with the old collective bargaining agreement and wanted to keep it, but it was the filthy rich the owners who opted out. The players have been willing to work with the owners and give up a little for the betterment of the game, but again the owners have been refusing their offers.

So now we are at a standstill. Further, the owners have refused to give information about their spending to the players, and as a result the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement. I believe that the ordeal will go to court and the judge will rule in favor of the players because once the judge sees how unfair the owners are treating the players, and the players will win the encounter in court.

This case represents the worst of capitalism; both sides are successful and making tons of money yet unable to reach an agreement. The owners are the real culprits here; in the end, they really don’t care about the game; they just want to fill their pockets off the backs of athletes.

- Marcus Vincent
Junior Correspondent

The Ohio State Situation

2011-01-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Ohio State, winner of the 2011 BCS Sugar Bowl, has a major problem after such a monumental achievement. Five of Ohio State’s players were caught selling their Big 10 Championship rings from the 2009 season for an undisclosed amount of money. Four of the five players were starters for the Buckeyes, and they were expected to have huge seasons but now they are suspended for the first five games for the 2011 -2012 season. After their admission of guilt, the five players agreed to stay in school and play in last month’s Sugar Bowl rather than forgo their senior season and go to the NFL. This means that all the players agreed to miss the first five games of next season.

The players lost big time. The players sold their rings and other team gear for money. Thus, it was agreed by the NCAA that any profit the players made from the rings had to be given away to charity, so now, because of their thoughtless acts, these players lost their championship rings, and they were unable to keep the money. The NCAA suspended the players because the players received improper benefits by receiving the money. But, the question is raised, should players be able to sell their memorabilia for their own profit?

The NCAA believes that players cannot sell their gear. However, I would have to disagree with their logic and side with the players. Athletes should be able to give away and/or sell their own personal items for money. They are the ones on the field, giving their blood, sweat, and tears, and if they are short on cash, they should be able to make the decision to sell their personal items. It can certainly be argued that the players disrespected the team by putting a price on what they worked so hard to achieve. Understandably the team was upset at the players for their actions. Yet, it still does not give the NCAA the right to regulate what players can and cannot buy and sell. This is, after all, a free and capitalistic society, and we all should be able to make a buck.

- Marcus Vincent
Junior Correspondent

Michael Vick: The Comeback Kid

2010-11-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

The front-runner for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award is Michael Vick. Vick, a star player for the Atlanta Falcons in the early part of the decade, has just returned to the NFL after a run-in with the law. Vick was in prison for two years and was out of the league. Now three years later, Vick has returned to his old form, for a new team and with a new purpose. Vick is now with the Philadelphia Eagles and is trying to re-write his image.

Michael Vick was the poster boy for the NFL from 2001-2006 when he was with the Atlanta Falcons. He was the best and most exciting player during that time. But in the 2007 season, Vick was arrested and was sent to prison on dog fighting charges in Virginia. Vick was sent to prison for 18 months and was facing numerous financial problems. Vick lost all of his endorsements and his contract with the Falcons. While many thought Michael Vick’s career was over, his persevered and broke through. He did his time honorably and suffered his losses, all the while trying to maintain a healthy attitude.

Two years removed from prison, Michael Vick is back in the NFL with the Eagles. Vick is the team’s starting quarterback, after beating out the front-runner Kevin Kolb for the job. Vick is back to his old form and is playing at a Pro Bowl level. Now the sky is the limit for Vick, who has the respect from his teammates, fans and the society at large.

Vick turned his life around and made the best of his situation. His story shows that anyone can do their best no matter what kind of mess they are in, and can do the work to get themselves back to their best abilities. Vick has shown that people deserve second chances and is giving hope to people who have made bad decisions in their lives. Further, his story illustrates that we can learn from our mistakes and become better human beings.

- Marcus Vincent
Junior Correspondent

The BSC Core Principles: A Year Later

2010-11-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I pray all is well. Last year, I wrote about the four principles that we were going to focus on as a program. A year later (September 25th 2010), we asked scholars to reflect on how they "did" last year with regards to each of the principles (humility, proactivity, integrity, and maturity). Here's a quick recap of that discussion:

(1) The principle scholars said they wanted to work on the most this year was proactivity.

(2) They suggested that a fifth principle be added: stability (consistency). A common theme amongst some of the scholars was they they started out strong last year (or there were spurts last year where they were strong academically), and then let up and fell behind.

Hopefully this year we'll see increases in all the principles, especially proactivity and stability. By the way, has anyone received any further "clarity" on the issue of whether or not "proactivity" is a legit word, lol?

New Links Section Added

2010-09-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Fresh Scholar Family,

We've just added a links section to the blog. The first link added is for "Brightstorm", a SF-based company whose mission is to bring great teaching to the world. They have agreed to partner with Berkeley Scholars to Cal II (mostly Juniors and a few Sophomores), and providing them with free SAT Prep resources. Until next time, take care and keep it scholarly...

Athletes and Gunplay from a Scholar's Perspective

2010-03-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

The following was written by a scholar who, in addition to maintaining a 3.8-4.0 GPA, is an avid sports fan and analyst:

"Athletes are considered by some to be “super humans.” Athletes have million-dollar contracts and are loved by adoring fans everywhere. Athletes have it all, but some athletes make stupid decisions that cost them their fame and fortune. Former NBA forward, Jayson Williams, and Washington Wizards guard, Gilbert Arenas, have both been in trouble with the law because of guns. Both were good basketball players that have made a bad name for themselves, black men, and the NBA. Jayson Williams, a decent basketball player in the 1990’s, was playing with his guns, inside his house when he accidently shot the gun and killed his limousine driver in 2002. After the shooting, he immediately tried to “cover up” the incident by making it look like a suicide. After 8 years, he was finally convicted of reckless manslaughter. Unfortunately, this tragedy could have easily been avoided if he had been more responsible.

Unlike Williams, Gilbert Arenas brought his guns from home and put them in the locker room for protection. According to witnesses, Arenas began arguing with another teammate, Javaris Crittenton, over a card game debt. The facts are still unclear; however, it seems that one player wanted to collect on the debt, and to see who was the “bigger man” guns were drawn to “settle the score.” Presently, both Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton are suspended for the remainder of the NBA season. These three men represent the worst of manhood, being irresponsible and immature. Furthermore, the three men did not take responsibility for their behavior. At the next basketball game, Arenas using his thumb and index finger as a gun, jokingly “shot” his teammates. The fact that they were gun owners was not necessarily the problem, but it was that they were completely reckless and irresponsible in regards to the guns, which now makes them poor role models."

- Marcus Vincent, 10th Grade, BSC II

Reflection of CPA talent show

2010-02-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

I arrived at the CPA talent show a little bit late. I sat down at one of the tables with my friends. After some food and laughs, out of nowhere, Mrs. Johnson came up to me and asked me if I wanted to host. I agreed, and then got up on stage to introduce the crowd and announce the first contestant. The first act was a group doing an Aztec dance. The next act coming up was a rap performed by my friend Dave and me.

Unfortunately, the instrumental we had on a CD didn’t play. The DJ said our CD must have been scratched or something. So we had to spit a cappella, cool. Dave forgot most of his words so he read from his note cards. His rap was good, but in one line he dissed the Raiders. So everyone got all upset. Next, it was my turn to rap. My very first two lines had everyone into rhyme. I kept going (reading something off of my arm) and by the time I was at the middle, my stage fright was completely gone. I finished with everyone clapping and cheering. I had to host the rest of the show but when I hopped off the stage everyone gave me pats on the back.

-Written by Jonah Hemphill

The French Revolution from a Scholar's Perspective

2009-12-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

Hello Scholar Family,

Below is an excerpt from a history essay written by Jamiah, a 10th grader in BSC II. She was one of few students to receive a 90 or above (out of 100) on the essay. take care and soak up the knowledge!

On the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens:

"This [The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens] leaves over 21 million "passive" citizens without the right of political participation; basically the right not to vote. The declaration of rights of man and citizens is supposed to create
equality. There is no such thing as half equal, it's either equal or
it's not equal. Equality is the condition of having the same rights
and privileges. How does denying the right for certain citizens to
vote, support equality? It does not! By denying the right for
certain men, it does not support natural rights that should otherwise be
given. Therefore the declaration of rights of man and citizens doesn't
show a successful example of enlightened government."

- Jamiah, BSC II, 10th Grade

A Freshman's First Quarter Experience with High School Math

2009-11-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

"High School. It has always been something that I wanted to be in. I was so excited the last week of summer unlike some of my peers who wished that the summer wasn't ending. A few weeks into the first quarter of the grading period progress reports were sent out. My Progress was pretty good except for the last grade on there. I had a D+ in IMP 2, which is the math program for my small school Community Partnership Academy. After seeing this grade my parents were a little mad but weren't furious.

The week after I had received the progress report, I went and talked to all of my teachers. They all basically said the same thing except for math. The math teacher, Mr. Goldman said " Eric, You have a lot of potential and I would like for you to come to my Tuesday and Thursday after school tutoring class." I figured I could go once a week. After going just one time after school and watching Mr. Goldman break down everything that we had learned since the first day of school, I began to understand how to work in his class. Now I am one of the 3 students passing his class. I successfully raised my grade at least by an entire letter grade. This progress makes me, Scholars [BSC II] and my family very happy.

Ending the quarter on a good note lets me start the second quarter by putting my best foot forward, and focusing on improving my grade even more. I am still excited about high school! GO Yellow Jackets!"

By Eric Saddler, 9th grade, BSC II

Scholars Love Dropping Eggs!!!

2009-11-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

An essential element of Saturday Academy is the interactivity of the lessons. We try to do primarily hands-on lessons, to keep the three hour Saturday Academy fun, engaging and to relabel academia as an arena where scholars can demonstrate their awesome intellect in a creative way. Two weeks ago, Berkeley Scholars 3, partook in the egg drop. This lesson is a favorite of the older cohorts. Maybe it's the act of dropping an egg, maybe its the unspoken competition or maybe its the physics lessons embedded in the activity; I'm not sure what makes the scholars LOVE this lesson, but Berkeley Scholars 3's affinity for this activity was no different.

The lesson is simple. We begin by discussing simple physic concepts such as:

Acceleration, gravitational pull, impact, force and absorption.

Scholars are amazed that an egg can't crack if force is concentrated evenly all around the shell (i.e. squeezing an egg with your hand) but will crack when tapped upon the edge of a bowl. The scholars engagement is captured and channeled into introduction questions, where as a group of learners we unearth the definition and examples of the above physic concepts. Then the challenge: Scholars must get in pairs and build a device that when dropped from 50 feet won't crack it's passenger (the egg). Pairs strategize, create a blueprint for their device, build then drop the device with the egg.

Check out some of our cool devices and the aftermath

Hector and Malayka's egg survived.

This egg wasn't so fortunate

Before the drop, Erick and Bryant's device is looking GOOD.

Their egg survived and these two ladies worked VERY well together all day.

Berkeley Scholars' Core Principles

2009-10-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Scholar Family,

Last year, one of the biggest mysteries of the program was figuring out how to identify the "essence" of the Berkeley Scholars (BSC) model. In other words, what type of disposition do we want the scholars to have once they graduate high school and enter college? What qualities do we want them to use as "weapons" against any obstacles they face inside (academic) or outside (life in general) the classroom?

After thinking long and hard about these questions, and taking a closer look at what it takes to excel at a top university, Lee, Carol, and I agreed that the answers to these questions could be summarized using four principles: Integrity, Maturity, Proactivity, and Humility. Below is a brief description of how each principle applies to the BSC model.

Integrity. To be a person of integrity is to be a person of your word. Therefore, it is important for scholars to follow through on their verbal and written commitments (e.g., as they pertain to schoolwork, studying, ASP and SA attendance, and so forth). In the event the scholar cannot follow through on something, we expect them to communicate with a staff member (e.g., mentor, coordinator, etc.) and let someone know.

Maturity. This principles was best summed up with Denzel's line in "The Great Debaters." Basically, scholars are expected to do what they have to do before they do what they want to do. It's weird, I've found that getting my schoolwork out of the way actually makes my "chill time" that much enjoyable!

Proactivity. To be successful in anything, scholars are going to have to be proactive with regards to seeking out help if they need it, and resources to help them navigate high school, college, and life in general. In addition, scholars are going to have to be "go-getters" with regards to making sure they achieve any personal, academic, and professional goals they set for themselves. One of the things we as a staff are becoming increasingly more concerned about is making sure we balance the amount of support and advocacy we give the scholars with encouraging them to advocate for themselves. We want the scholars to appreciate the support and advocacy they receive from their parents and BSC, without solely depending on it. Put another way, we want scholars to use the power and "know-how" they already have.

Humility. This principle really speaks to the type of impact we want BSC to have on a local and national level. We want scholars to realize that no one succeeds purely on their own. Everyone receives some kind of help and encouragement along the way. Therefore, we want the scholars to use their brilliance and the things they learn from their parents and through BSC in the service of others. Although there are only 21 scholars in the program, the goal of BSC is to show all youth who may think otherwise that it's cool to be a scholar and to handle your business in school. It's cool to be a person of positive influence amongst your peers.

Lastly, I want to emphasize that we as a staff know that how well BSC is able to help the scholars cultivate these principles depends on how well we as a staff embody them ourselves. Therefore this is not a "one-sided" thing, so to speak. We are holding our staff accountable to each of these principles as well.

So here are BSC's core principles moving forward. We are looking forward to seeing these principles manifest themselves in amazing ways, and for BSC to continue to soar to new heights! Thank you for your love and support during this process.

A young student interviews the president

2009-08-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was browsing the web and came across an intriguing interview between a 5th grade male and President Obama. This interview inspired me, because it points out the signficance of programs like Berkeley Scholars. Imagine if Mr. Weaver (the interviewer) continues to recieve adequate support from a college prep program as Berkeley Scholars. He will soar. He will do amazing things and will have the tools and perspective necessary to act upon his potential. Without such a program, his dreams are subject to the bludgeonings of his environment and is set at a disadvantage because of the lack of access of resources. Berkeley Scholars, hopes to be the answer by expanding its reach in the near future.

Dolores Huerta visits the scholars

2009-07-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

Check the Scholars out in the International Museum of Women monthly newsletter!

I.M.O.W. and Dolores Huerta Visit Stiles Hall in Berkeley

Huerta inspires a group of at-risk youth

Huerta with B.S.C. students,
who gave her flowers and a
commemorative certificate

As part of our on-going commitment to reach out to our community, IMOW facilitated an event with Dolores Huerta at Stiles Hall in Berkeley last Tuesday, July 21. Huerta joined us, along with Global Council member Pat Martel, to speak to 15 students from Berkeley Scholars to Cal (B.S.C.), a program which gives at-risk minority youth the tools to pursue a college education by providing them with mentors and academic support from 5th to 12th grade. The students' enthusiasm was evident throughout her inspiring talk about community organization and the fight for social justice. Afterwards, Huerta chatted and posed for pictures with the students, many of whom wanted a photo and an autograph as a keepsake. We are deeply grateful to Stiles Hall, B.S.C. and Dolores Huerta for making this event possible.

To get a behind-the-scenes look at Dolores' visit with I.M.O.W., be sure to check out our most recent blog.

Any amount you desire to donate can help us continue great programming. Scholars on the MOVE.

Donate to Berkeley Scholars

2009-07-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

Choose whatever amount you are comfortable with. Your kind donation allows us to provide one-to-one mentoring for black and latino youth for 8 years.

Significance of Working with the Little Ones

2009-07-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Recently I and a few other BSC II scholars were given a chance to teach BSC III about middle school life and give tips that worked for us, and share experiences in which we learned from. Working with the younger scholars was a mutual benefit. For BSC III it was a chance to learn about a new chapter in their life, middle school. For us, it was an opportunity to step up and be the ones passing on our knowledge to people who look up to us. It’s very important for BSC III to interact with the older scholars, just as it is for all the scholars to interact their mentors, for the same reasons as well. We use our mentors for people to look up to and for guidance. Not only do the scholars get a role model who is in college, but they also get role models who are halfway there, in high school, getting ready for college. So, BSC III has everything laid out for them; how to get through middle school, examples of how to get through high school, example of the process of preparing for college, example of how to get through college, and how to strive in all areas. Working with BSC III helps us to build life skills such as learning how to interact with a younger group of children and how to plan a lesson, which was a lot more challenging then I expected. In a less academic aspect, having interactions between both age groups is a golden opportunity to build a relationship; BSC II scholars gets a chance to serve as big sisters and brothers, and BSC III scholars more role models for guidance. I really loved working with BSC III, and look forward to many more future interactions with them.

- Super Scholar Shantel

Summer 2009 - BSCII Summer Scholars

2009-07-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

This is Julian speaking on behalf of the Berkeley Scholars 2 about how the summer is going so far. We are most definitely benefitting from the Math SAT prep from Celeste and hope that the English part will be just as beneficial. Even though the Math portion may not be my particular cup of tea, I know that it will help me for the PSAT we will all be taking in October this school year. That is only the first hour and fifthteen minutes. Around 5:15 we have our break and move on to the "big project". We are still in the beginning stages of choosing our topics and planning the way we want to organize our poster board. Overall, there haven't been any major problems with any of our peers and everyone is working with each other. There have been many group activities with each other which I feel is great and I think I am getting the same vibe from the other scholars. All is well on the Scholar Front.

-Julian Morris-Walker

2009-04-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

A photo journal from the 2009 Berkeley Scholar College Tour.

Berkeley Scholars Visit to Cambridge

2009-04-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

Click to play

Day 3 Trip to Boston--A Day in Pictures

2009-04-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

MIT Informational

MIT Tour

The Funky Architecture on MIT's campus.

Outside lobby 7...

Our handsome young men

Our beautiful young ladies

Meeting the Mayor of Cambridge

After the Award ceremony for the Keys to the City of Cambridge, Mass.

Thoughts from Scholars

2009-04-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

"I really liked the meeting that we had with the Mayor. It was very uplifting to know that we had reached out to other people and they appreciated the fact that we were on top of our academics. It made me feel as if I had made a right choice, to doing my school work. Also, I felt very inspired to be acknowledged for all my hard work. It was nice of the Mayor to actually take the time to have our program in the city hall. This really made me feel honored and very important." - Bilal

"I would also like to thank Susan (at CCTV) for doing all of this for our program. It was nice that she would help us put videos on the website to show how much fun we had and to show our appreciation for the trip." - Bilal

"The mayor was really nice for letting us visit her. When the Mayor was finished talking, she gave us a key to the city and I liked that. I like that because it showed me that I am important and that I influence young people in my community. I'd like to thank other people like Robyn Bell (Cambridge Tourism) and Jeff Walker (Chief of Staff, Mayor) "The best and most inspiring thing of the day was when we met the mayor [of Cambridge]. It was such a great honor that a very important business woman would take time out of her busy life to talk with us. Going up to receive our keys [to the city] from the mayor has so far been the best moment of my life. I really felt like I’m going to make a difference in the world and but until that nothing will top this. " - Brandon

Day 3 Trip to Boston Scholar Reflections--Jamiah and Erica

2009-04-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

Scholar Agenda:
MIT, Cambridge Community TV, Mayors Office--Keys to the City Award

"Today was such a great day filled with so many opportunities. We first attended MIT and we had some cool students who answered our questions. I learned that MIT is about engineering but you can also get into other fields like humanities. It’s a lot like BHS they said, but mostly math based. I love how homey and comforting MIT was.
We then went on a tour of the campus which was sooo abstract but beautiful at the same time. I just loved the setting.
We then went to the television station and it really broadened my range on fields I want to go in. I loved video-taping our little skits. It felt so natural for me. I am now interested in being a host of a TV show.
To top it all off we got the keys to Cambridge, Massachusetts by the mayor. This made me feel so honored and appreciated and made me want to do more. So now I’m shooting for my 4.0 to do all I can do possible knowing a whole city is counting on us. And the weather was PERFECT."--
Love Jay (Jamiah)

"Being a berkeley scholar means more than just being on a track to go to college; a scholar is a role model, an excellent person, and an involved student outside of academics. The image of a scholar is a prestigious image that is upheld at all times; scholars portray themselves in a professional manner throughout all vigorous activities. A scholar pushes through every obstacle that's thrown their way, in order to reach the goal set ahead. All these attributes make up a Berkeley scholar, and for those particular attributes that is why the Berkeley scholars program was awarded the keys to the city of Cambridge.

It was such a great honor to be presented with the keys to the city award. Meeting both the former mayor and current major was an honor itself. Also seeing the both of them have an extremely important part in Cambridge's history.

Honestly I myself and the scholars don't understand the true importance of this, but hopefully we soon will and cherish that moment. As well as future scholars after us will have to move to broader opportunities to receive a good education and go on more trips such as these. Speaking as a scholar, I would love to receive more acknowledgments such as the one given to us today."

Sincerely,

Erica Gratton

Meeting the Mayor of Cambridge - What it means to me

2009-04-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

"If Berkeley Scholars is a kid, meeting the Mayor and receiving the keys to the city was our puberty"

The essence of change was captured today in the Cambridge City Hall, while all of the scholars and college counselors watched in awe as the Mayor E. Denise Simmons told her words one after the other—each sentence being pounded and absorbed into our ears. We in BSC2, before coming to Cambridge, thought that life was already becoming “adult-like”, but having the privilege to come 3000 miles out to Cambridge and be honored in one of the highest ways possible to that city was just amazing.

Hearts pounded faster, pressed and ironed suits and dresses ruffled in the wind, backs were straightened, and chins were held up high each step closer to the Cambridge City Hall. Steps echoed in the main entrance, curving staircases curving to either side, as we all decide to turn up left, striding in two files with confidence. Hands are shaken, eyes levels are met, and we sit.

Slow-motion took over my body; a freeze-frame of this moment would remain with me forever. It amazed me and will always amaze me to see how far we scholars have come. It is truly an incredible experience to have been in. Seriously.

By: Benjamin Johnson

Day 2 Trip to Boston--A Day in Pictures

2009-04-09T20:39:00.001-07:00

The Scholars having an unanticipated ball playing tag in the Tadpole Playground.

Right before the Black Heritage Tour, in front of the Colonel Robert Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial.

Our Fabulous, Phenomenal Tour guide Jarumi! Hands down the best Park Ranger we have ever met!

Reunited with our favorite BSC II Dream Team: Lee and Kacy...and surprise!!!

Secret Hidden Alleyways that helped to assist runaway slaves in evading slave catchers.

The African American Museum....

We are famous!! We were interviewed and filmed by a camera crew for the museum.

Scholars and Mentors intently listening to Jarumi speak.

Visiting Karmaloop, an online clothing company, started and run by young people.

Hanging with New England High School students after Young People's Project Forum

Yes and a few of us were lucky enough to get the chance to sit (almost) COURTSIDE at a Boston Celtics Game!

Lots of fun!!!!

Day 2 Trip to Boston Reflections--Shantel and Shakti

2009-04-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

Scholar Agenda:
Black Heritage Tour, African American Museum, Karmaloop and Young People's Project Forum.

"I really liked the Black Heritage Tour, it was very informational. I had no idea that Boston had so much history to it. My favorite part, which had the most impact, was when we walked through the alley way where runaway slaves would go to, while their slave masters were being beaten by hidden people in the community. It was overwhelming, just knowing that many people ran through that same alleyway panicking, not sure if they were going to live to the next day. This city has so much history to it. I liked the meeting with YPP. Even though I had a stomach ache I wanted to participate so I worked through it and had fun. It was fun to work with the students from Boston and exchange ideas."--Shantel Livingston

"Okay so today was a pretty busy and (as usual) cold day. First we woke up and ate breakfast. Afterwards, we played tag at the park. We then took a Black Heritage tour and I learned a lot, I know most books don’t teach us. We then went to an online fashion place (Karmaloop). It was really fun to know what the business is like. I asked a lot of questions about how to get a job there, start a business, and what classes to take to help make a business or get a job like that. Then after that we went to eat at a place which had almost every type of food. After we had lunch, we met with a group called YPP (Young People’s Project), where we spoke about the education we had. I got to talk to kids around my age. I learned a lot of what they like to do here in Boston.

Oh and here is some Boston Slang For Ya!!

Fiyah--That's hot
Mad Heads--A lot of people
Bluff--Liar

and most importantly we taught them how to Jerk!!"

--Shakti Lewis

Day 1 of Boston Trip - From Latiana (scholar)

2009-04-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

Once we got off our red eye flight, we dropped off belongings at the Harvard Inn (the girls) and the boys went to their hotels. We took showers, got cleaned up, dressed and ate mini-bagels and cream cheese for breakfast, then got on the T-Line to go to Northeastern University. There, our tour guide, Mike, showed us the different buildings and told us what took place in them. He also showed us the freshman area, and one of the dorms for 2 people. The dorm room was very small compared to the dorms on CAL's campus. I couldn't see myself in one those dorms because it wouldn't be enough room for me. However, the interior building structure of the freshman residence hall was very unique and contemporary.

After the tour of Northeastern, we had a small Q & A session with Tricia, the dean of admission, and we talked a little about our interests, different majors and fields, and what's needed in order to get into this university. The person with the highest GPA to get accepted at Northeastern had a 4.8 out of a 5.0, which is really amazing ! Tricia supported our program by giving us lunch coupons and we all went to get lunch inside of the cafeteria, next to the largest library in Boston.

After lunch, we walked to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Susan gave us a tour. I loved how she was so energetic because we were so tired and if she would have been boring then I would have fallen asleep, so I appreciate her energy and I enjoyed seeing the beautiful visual art pieces. Even though I dont think I want to major in art or have an art career, I could see myself at that school because i do like to draw and there are no specific requirements or classes that you need to have or take in order to graduate from there.

Next, we got back on the T-Line and went to where we boarded a boat and got a tour of Boston in a boat, on the Charles River. The weather acted very funny. One minute the sun was out, the next minute it was raining, then the minute after that the wind blew with such force, creating the cold air, making my fingertips and toes freeze to the point where I didn't want to walk anymore.
I pushed through all the pain, all the coldness and finally made it back to our hotel.

We put on our pj's, ate pizza, reflected on our day, and I'm going to bed at 8:30 because I'm exhausted ! All and all, I enjoyed my first full day in Boston, MA and I cant wait till we explore our adventures tomorrow !

Berkeley Scholars - Departing Oakland Airport

2009-04-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

The scholars are departing Oakland Airport at 9:40pm (PST). They will arrive at Boston Logan Airport at 5:30am (EST). I will meet the scholars with transportation (train and bus) passes and breakfast. The itinerary for the day is as follows:

7:00 - 9:00am: Check-in at hotels and eat breakfast

10:00 - 1:00pm: Northeastern tour, admission presentation + lunch

1:30 - 2:30pm: School of Museum of Fine Arts tour

4:00 – 5:30pm: Charles River, Boston Boat Tour

After our tour we will eat dinner, have a group meeting and write our daily reflections. I'm sure after all of which the scholars and the staff will be thoroughly tired, so they'll probably go fast to sleep.

Log-on tomorrow to see pictures and hear about the day from the scholars themselves!

Berkeley Scholar College Tour

2009-04-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the press release that the city of Cambridge, MA is circulating in anticipation of the scholar's arrival.

MEDIA ALERT

WHAT: Mayor Simmons to give Berkeley Scholars "Keys to the City"

WHERE: Cambridge City Hall

WHEN: April 9, 2009, 4:00 p.m.

WHO: The Berkeley Scholars Program, a long-term academic program for African American youth, chooses a cohort of "scholars" in the 4th grade and follows them through High School graduation with comprehensive support. Scholars receive a UC Berkeley mentor, tutorial support, a weekly Saturday Academy and Summer Academy, all to expose the scholars to a college-going culture and help cultivate the habits that result in academic excellence. The scholars, currently in 9th grade hold an overall 3.43 grade point average.

In 2008, Berkeley Scholars established an annual college tour to reward its scholars for their commitment to achievement and to bring their dreams of going to a top-tier University to life. This trip to Cambridge will serve as the 2009 college tour for the Berkeley Scholars.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

25 African American 9th grade scholars will be visiting Cambridge April 7 - 11, 2009
Cambridge Hotels that will donate rooms to the Berkeley Scholars program are:

Hotel Marlowe
Hyatt Regency of Cambridge
Inn at Harvard
Royal Sonesta

While in Cambridge, the Berkeley Scholars will:
- Receive the keys to the city and have a special reception with Mayor of Cambridge
- Meet the first African American Massachusetts State Supreme Court Judge, Judge Ireland
- Take a cruise on the Charles River hosted by the Charles Riverboat Cruise Company
- Attend the Black Heritage Tour in Boston
- Have dinner and panel discussion on education with the Young People's Project

MEDIA CONTACT:
Leandrew Robinson
Founder, Berkeley Scholars
LeandrewR@gmail.com
1-510-978-6565

This is the second year of this trip and again I'm amazed on how all the pieces come together. I think this is a testament to the scholar's hard work and the Berkeley Scholar's program model. Just five minutes ago a current MIT student, who heard about the trip went out of his way to contact me to let me know he lobbied for us to receive FREE lunch after our visit with MIT. In addition he is working on getting us lunch at Harvard University and Tufts. I love to see so many people excited to greet and honor our Berkeley Scholars - it's truly an honor.

Fresh Eyes. Fresh Scholar - An Introduction

2009-03-27T04:08:00.001-07:00

If you ever watched a child play, you realize that it is something majestic about youth. Their imagination can engulf them into an alternative reality, where they can remain for hours, but still will respond when called for dinner. Children have the awesome ability to create anything they deem necessary to pass an hour or to cope with a nagging problem that threatens to harm their ideal world for the moment. Sooner or later, all individuals begin to descend from a loose reality that expands and contracts to individual needs, to what is called the real world - that still expands and contracts but often to foreign elements.

The concept of youth extends beyond a child, but to careers, businesses and industries as well. When a talented politician begins her career, she focuses on the change she would like to bring to her constituents. Her vision is typically optimistic, bold and remarkably young. As time goes on, and she wins her first election, then her second, something begins to change. She no longer has the spunk in her step or as much fervor in her eyes. This phenomenon is often caused by a new reality. One where one has to make sense to and/or appease broader authorities. When you can't say what's on your mind without filter. This young politician, or young business, nostalgically remembers when perspective was personal and in many ways desires to be young again.

Here is the chance, for all organizations, academics, politicians and business persons to be young again. Fresh Scholar, is an community of young people who will look at current events and civic issues and offer an unadulterated perspective. This is a place you dare to enter if you want to hear a truth that you may have ignored or the obviousness of a solution you've overlooked. Fresh Eyes, is governed and written primarily by persons 18 and under - and done so with passion and honesty.

How it works - 2 simple steps.
1) Each week a new topic is given and a group of young "scholars" will engage the issue with thought, discipline and respectfulness.

2) Immediately following the initial tackling of the issue, Fresh Scholar will open the floor for additional perspectives from more youth at their school, in their city, then across the country.

Fresh Scholar will try to preserve its youth by rotating leadership and inviting a broad youthful community to engage. Be a part of Fresh Scholar by following our weekly blog, commenting on things you like, respectfully disagreeing with other things and spreading the word to others in your community.

The original "Scholars" with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, March 2008

We believe in respecting everyone's thoughts and perspective - the safety of which is paramount to our community - so anyone who infringes upon the safety of our community, will be excluded from this experience.