[BHS etree] COLLEGE|CAREER: Advisor's Bulletin for June 11, 2009

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Do not reply to this e-mail, please contact Ilene Abrams at iabrams at berkeley.k12.ca.us.

College Advisor's Bulletin
Thursday, June 11, 2009

SAT WORD OF THE DAY:  HERALD -- to announce or publicize.  The lengthening of the day and the shortening of the night heralds the end of winter and the coming of spring.  

*I will be leaving Berkeley High at the end of the school year.  I have truly enjoyed my years here, getting to know wonderful students who have brightened my every day as well as caring and generous parents who have made my job easier.  I will be moving to Envision Academy, a new charter school serving Oakland families, which will be graduating its first class in 2010.  Thank you all so much for sharing your children with me and giving me the opportunity to help them in a small way to transition to adulthood.  My colleague and current College Advisor Angela Price will continue in that role.  Elisabeth Sandberg, currently a counselor here in the BIHS program, will be moving upstairs to join Ms. Price as College Advisor.  Please welcome her in the fall.

CAL GRANT UPDATE -- GREAT NEWS!  The legislative Conference Committee on the Budget voted to reject the governor’s proposal to eliminate the Cal Grant program. It’s important to keep your letters coming until the proposal is defeated in the final budget.

BACKGROUND - Gov. Schwarzenegger has frozen all Cal Grants awarded to students in the class of 2009.  He has proposed that the Cal Grant program be eliminated as part of his new budget.  Write a letter to your state legislative representatives and to the governor against this proposal.  Let them know what it will mean to you and others that you know.  For a sample letter, go to https://www.calpirgstudents.org/action/save-cal-grants .  Please do this now!  This drastic proposal hurts not only individual students and families, but the future of the economy of California.  
Additional info:  You can also write your own letter and send it to the following:  
* Harry Ermoian, Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Noreen Evans - harry.ermoian at asm.ca.gov 
* Dan Reeves, Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Kevin de León dan.reeves at asm.ca.gov 
* Colleen Beamish, Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield colleen.beamish at asm.ca.gov 
* Todd Moffitt, Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Roger Niello todd.moffitt at asm.ca.gov 
* David Reade, Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Jim Nielsen - david.reade at asm.ca.gov 
* John Ferrera, Chief of Staff to Senator Denise Ducheny - john.ferrera at sen.ca.gov 
* Russell Lowery, Chief of Staff to Senator Bob Dutton - russell.lowery at sen.ca.gov 
* Bob Hartnagel, Chief of Staff to Senator Mark Leno - bob.hartnagel at sen.ca.gov 
* John Casey, Chief of Staff to Senator Alan Lowenthal - john.casey at sen.ca.gov 
* Gina Zari, Chief of Staff to Senator Mimi Walters - gina.zari at sen.ca.gov

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES

*Summer math academy for incoming 9th and 10th grade African American males.  June 29-July 31, 8:30 am-3:00 pm.  Algebra Academy:  CSU East Bay -- Hayward campus, males entering 9th grade; Geometry Prep Academy: CSU East Bay -- Oakland campus, for males entering 10th grade.  Over 40 students will be accepted.  For more information or to get an application, call (510) 614-3000 or e-mail rtfisher at gmail.com.  Deadline:  June 12.  

*Stanford University lecture series for high school juniors and seniors -- Stanford EXPLORE: A Lecture Series on Biomedical Research.  This 3 week series (9 am -- noon, Monday-Friday, July 31-31) will explore the fundamentals and current research areas represented in the school of medicine.  Cost:  $900.  For more information, go to http://explore.stanford.edu/.  

FOR JUNIORS

The Junior Summer To Do List and the Senior Profile are both available in the College/Career Center.  The pamphlet Introducing the University is also available in the College/Career Center.  All of these documents contain helpful information and ideas of things to do over the summer that will make your fall much easier.  Pick your copies up before the end of school!

ATHLETES -- Juniors who want to play Division I or Division II sports in college need to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/ .   They also need to instruct College Board or ACT to send their SAT or ACT scores to the NCAA Eligibility Center.  Finally, they will need to turn in a Transcript Request Form to our registrar, Barbara Mellion (D173).  Mark “FINAL JUNIOR TRANSCRIPT” across the top of the form and paperclip the request to a stamped business size envelope addressed to the NCAA Eligibility Center.  You must use Berkeley High School (1980 Allston Way, Berkeley 94704) as the return address on the envelope or the Eligibility Center will not accept them.  If you have any questions about how to complete any of these tasks, see your College Advisor at lunch or after school.

FOR SENIORS

SENIORITIS? If you are getting below a C in any of your classes and are planning to attend a four year college in the fall, you MUST contact the college to discuss this.  All colleges will receive a copy of your final transcript.  By contacting the college and discussing your options with them, you may be able to prevent your admission from being rescinded.  Please see your College Advisor if you would like to discuss your grades or what to say to the college.

If you are interested in a career in technology or business, check out Year Up at www.yearup.org.  This free, full-time training program offers a weekly stipend and 14 credits from City College of San Francisco. It combines six months of on-the-job training at local corporations with six months of classroom training.  Applications and more information are also available in the College/Career Center.  

*New to the bulletin today