Gazette june2015v6vj 062315

GAZETTE SPECIAL EDITION JUNE 2015

Lower Sc hool / Ecole Primaire: 1009 Heinz Avenue – Berk eley, CA 94710 USA – Telephone: (510) 549-3867 – F ax: (510) 845-320 9 Middle Sc hool / Collè ge: 901 Gr ayson Street – Ber keley, CA 94710 USA – Telephone: (510) 549-2851 – F ax: (510) 549-0639 www.eb.org – contact@e b.org

UPCOMING EVENTS Welcome Day: Monday, August 31 First Day of School: Tuesday, September 1

IN THIS ISSUE Message from the Head..............................................................................p. 3 Graduation Speeches: Frédéric Canadas.........................................................................................p. 4 Stacy Chandler................................................................................................. p. 4 Suzanne Wallace..........................................................................................p. 5 Douglas Gostlin..........................................................................................p. 5 Julie Deléger and Komyarr Misaghi.............................................................. p. 6 Olivia Arizmendi..........................................................................................p. 7 Margaret Martin...........................................................................................p. 8 Class of 2015 Memory Boards..................................................................p. 9 Graduation Photos......................................................................................p. 10 EB Citizenship Award Recipient for 2014–2015....................................p. 12 Citizenship Award Speech, Diego Salgues...............................................p. 13 Grade Eight Class Gift................................................................................p. 14 Class of 2015 High School Placement.....................................................p. 16 Middle School Student Councils................................................................p. 18 EB Yearbook Dedication............................................................................p. 20 Class of 2011 College Choices..................................................................p. 22 G5 Moving Up Ceremony Speech: Frédéric Canadas............................p. 24 Lower School Talent Show Photos...........................................................p. 26 Thank You to Our Parents’ Association..................................................p. 28 Thank You to Our Room Representatives...............................................p. 32 Thank You to our Annual Fund Agents..................................................p. 34

BONNES VACANCES !

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD Another school year comes to an end… how time flies! Its seems just yesterday that we were welcoming students back to school, excitedly taking in the new playground, and introducing new parents to our community.

Our students are leaving one year older, and one year wiser. They’ve read books, learned multiplication tables, conducted experiments, traveled abroad, made new friends, and participated in countless other activities to form the building blocks of their futures.

Our incredible teaching staff has opened new doors and introduced new ideas to our children, instilling the joy of learning through innovative teaching techniques, quality experiences, and a universal sense of compassion and caring. The wonderful extended-day staff has watched over and played with our children as they’ve run, jumped, created, and stretched their imaginations in our new OLE. Our dedicated administrative team has kept the wheels turning behind the scenes, supporting teachers, organizing events, and doing the necessary accounting.

I can’t think of anything more inspiring than having every team, every individual all working towards a common goal with a common vision. I hope this vision will stay with our students long after they leave us. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2015!

I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has touched the lives of our students and parents this year. To our teachers, staff members, grandparents, alumni families, and friends: thank you for being a part of EB and for the part you have played in guiding our children along their journey.

And especially, thank you to you, our parents, for your support, generosity, and involvement at EB; you make our school and our community feel truly welcoming and special. I wish you all a wonderful summer. l Warmly, Frédéric Canadas, Head of School

G8 GRADUATI FRÉDÉRIC CANADAS, HEAD OF SCHOOL Welcome Parents and Family, Welcome teachers, Welcome Friends.

We are here today to celebrate together our 2015 Ecole Bilingue graduating class.

Students, it gives me great pleasure to address you today, to congratulate you on your accomplishments and remind you that you leave EB well prepared for your future academic success.

Without exaggeration, I can tell you that whichever school you have chosen to attend is lucky to have you because you bring with you the educational principles, the values and the deep learning that we, your parents and your teachers, have instilled in you.

You will be surprised and pleased when in your new school you realize how well prepared you are to think, analyze and problem solve.

Continued on page 36

STACY CHANDLER, MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD Welcome Parents, Family Guests, Faculty, Alumni and Students. This evening we celebrate the graduating class of 2015. The room is joyous and the graduates’ faces are smiling, even if there are a few tears that mark the passage of these students to new horizons. Grade 7 parents decorated this room with care to make sure this evening will be a perfect place for memories and talking about the high school moments to come. The EB graduates in this room are already “at home in the world” and you, the class of 2015, you will always have your roots right here, even as you move in different directions, to new places, perhaps learning additional languages, and always being curious and responsible learners. Tonight is a night of celebration to remember how you got to where you are now. It is also a night to celebrate where you are going.

Continued on page 38

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ION SPEECHES SUZANNE WALLACE, MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER Good evening everyone. Ms. Chandler invited me to share my thoughts with you this evening as we reflect on your time together at EB before you transition to high school, and before I transition to my new middle school next year.

At this point, you’re probably feeling a mixture of excitement, anxiety, curiosity, and a little bit of nervousness when you think about the upcoming fall. That’s completely normal. I hope that you’re also feeling ready and are looking forward to the change.

The past couple weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about what kind of advice you might find actually helpful and reassuring to hear from a teacher before going into your Continued on page 40

DOUGLAS GOSTLIN, MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR Good Evening, I am very honored that Stacy has asked me to say a few words at the graduation dinner this evening. And I am especially honored to speak to this group of 8th graders and parents.

You are a special group. As in past years, I always get to know the students and parents at a much deeper and more personal level during the 8th grade year as I work so closely with you during the high school process. Going through this process always brings out a lot of feelings and emotions.

Continued on page 39

JULIE DELÉGER AND KOMYARR MISAGHI, STUDENT COUNCIL CO-PRESIDENTS Welcome friends, family, faculty, and of course students.

Bienvenue à tous, amis, famille, professeurs, et bien sûr élèves.

In September, 2006, or 2003, many of us embarked on an inspiring journey. Contrary to many beliefs, this journey does not end tonight, or tomorrow.

En Septembre 2006, ou 2003, beaucoup d’entre nous commencèrent un formidable voyage initiatique. Et contrairement à ce que l’on pourrait croire, ce périple ne s’achève ni ce soir, ni demain.

Continued on page 42

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OLIVIA ARIZMENDI ON “THOUGHTS AND MEMORIES” This is a picture of me and part of my 5th grade class. My class had gathered in the Teachers’ Room and eaten crêpes. Earlier that morning, we had made the crêpes in small groups, taking turns with each step: one put in the eggs, the other stirred…

You see, our class has always been like this: we don’t work as individuals, we work as a group. This picture isn’t meaningful to me because it’s a good picture of me, or because I like crêpes. This picture is meaningful to me because it is a memory of the people I have grown up with, a memory of stirring flour into a crêpe batter, eating together at lunch, and bonding with my friends. This picture brings back many memories that I don’t want to lose, that I never want to forget. These are memories of people and moments that have shaped me, that have made me who I am.

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MARGARET MARTIN Attach

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CLASS OF 2015 MEMORY BOARDS

More photos of the Graduation dinner

http://www.eb.org/groups/eighth-grade/galleries

http://www.eb.org/groups/eighth-grade/galleries

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and the Graduation on the web at:

s/photos/g8-graduation-dinner-june-4-2015

s/photos/g8-graduation-june-11-2015

CITIZENSH EB CITIZENSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT FOR 2015 The Middle School Citizenship Award was created in 2011 to honor a student or group of students for acts of leadership small or large, for inspiring others to higher levels of civic engagement, and for their commitment to building community.

The goal of this award is to encourage Middle School students to take positive action in the EB community and beyond by modeling EB values. The Middle School is pleased to announce Diego Salgues in Grade 7 as the recipient of this year’s award.

Diego was a key student organizer in both the Green Council and Student Council this year. He took on a leadership role for many school initiatives, including the EWaste Drive, the Earth Day Film Festival, as well as initiating all of the Spirit Activities prepared by the Spirit Committee. His fellow students recognized him multiple times for being a go-to person for all information and initiatives and mentioned that he was always ready to help in a variety of ways: homework, information about the school or events, recycling, relationships with peers, and more.

The Citizenship Award honors Diego for his community efforts, leadership, and for his service to his peers. Through a gift of $1,000 to the EB Endowment Fund, made by the alumni family who instituted this award, Diego’s contributions will be remembered. Congratulations Diego on this award and all your commitment and hard work this year! l

Diego Salgues’ name will be displaced on the Middle School Citizenship Award Wall.

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HIP AWARD SPEECH BY DIEGO SALGUES, RECIPIENT OF THE EB 2015 CITIZENSHIP AWARD Thank you for all being here today. I’m very grateful to be able to get this award that is at such a high level of honor. I’d like to thank the green council members and Mrs. Campbell for allowing me to participate in organizing green events in the school. I’d also like to thank the student body for voting me into spirit committee along with my co-members. I feel these groups helped me strive to be the most caring, concentrated, and productive person I could be this year. Many other people could be named and you all know who you are but all in all I’d like to thank the EB community for awarding me this honor. Without them I couldn’t be here today. I’m greatly thanking my mama and pops for leading me on the right track and not letting me get wrapped up in shady things.

What citizenship means to me is when a student stops in the middle of what he or she is doing to help others. I’m not saying you should go out of your way just to look good. Citizenship for me means you strive to be the best person you can be, and that you try to see the best in others.

“More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other’s well being is a source of happiness.” Dalai Lama the XVI http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/compassionate.html The 8th graders are graduating this year and one day I hope to be where they are, going off to high school to meet new people and have many new experiences. When I graduate, I hope to come back to the Middle School to see students who are not only caring and productive, but also working and learning to become the most they can be.

In conclusion I’d like to thank those who brought me up here today and one day, I’d like to give them to their own “citizenship award.”

Thank you. l

CLASS OF 2015 EN A RECORD-SETTING CLASS GIFT ENDOWMENT! In 2008, the graduating students and their parents created an EB tradition of presenting the school with their legacy gifts to the EB endowment. The Class of 2015 took that tradition above and beyond through their tremendous efforts in contributing to this year’s Endowment.

Under the guidance, motivation, and enthusiastic support of two stellar volunteer parents, Laura Clydesdale and Jacqueline Van Lang, the eighth graders fully embraced the idea of giving back to EB. From making their own personal donations—which allowed their gratitude tree to blossom with each student’s gift—to filling out gratitude surveys; to creating videos; to the hours spent crafting their beautiful endowment project; this class was deeply invested in the outcome of their class gift.

They solicited local businesses for donations and lovingly created beautiful mason jars filled with spices, granola, cookie mixes, preserves, and more, for sale at the Marché; they even continued selling them afterwards to raise as many funds as possible before the deadline!

This class has achieved some history-making results:

• 100% participation in student giving

• The highest amount of funds raised through student giving

• The highest amount of funds raised through the sale of Marché items.

Record setters indeed!! This class, together with their families, friends, and mentors— and with special help and dedication from Laura and Jacqueline—has matched the record for the largest Endowment class gift in the history of EB. The Class of 2015 proudly presented their check for $16,556.60 at their graduation dinner to Florence Kragen, representing the school. This total gift was made possible by a generous matching gift of $2,000 from an alumni family, who initiated this EB tradition. We are grateful for their continued support of the EB Endowment.

Ecole Bilingue is proud of this legacy that our students have left behind for future generations of EB families. We are honored by the Class of 2015’s unanimous participation and leadership as a graduating class, and we wish them luck with the next steps in their educational journey. l

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NDOWMENT GIFT

The Eighth Graders, with the help of parents Laura Clydesdale and Jacqueline Van Lang, raised more than $16,000 for the EB Endowment. Bravo!

The Eighth Graders sold mason jars at the MarchĂŠ: candies, spices, cereal, and hot chocolate were among the delicious goodies displayed.

MIDDLE SC CLASS OF 2015 HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT Congratulations to the 8th grade Class of 2015 on their successful completion of middle school! It is with much enthusiasm that we send them off to high school!

This class has been a wonderful group of students, who have courageously embraced the often daunting task of selecting a high school and it is rewarding to see each of the students gravitate to a school that reflects his or her special interests, talents, and intellectual curiosity.

This is a list of the private schools where our 8th graders were accepted:

Athenian School (3) Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School (Cambridge, MA) (1)* Bishop O’Dowd High School (3) College Preparatory School (4) Concord Academy (Concord, MA) (1)* Head Royce School (2) International High School (9) Lick-Wilmerding High School (1) Lowell High School (2)** Marin Academy (1)* Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School (1)* Saint Mary’s College High School (4) San Francisco University High School (2) Urban School (1)* We wish the Class of 2015 much success as they embark on this new endeavor! Congratulations to you all! l

*Only one student applied to the school. ** Public school with competitive admissions requirements.

The high schools that the 8th graders have chosen to attend are as follows:

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CHOOL LIFE Toby Anderson Berkeley High School Olivia Arizmendi College Prep Andre Assadi Berkeley High School Sophia Bourdrel Berkeley High School Liam Carroll Berkeley High School Lola Chandler Berkeley High School Jack Clydesdale Berkeley High School Julie Deléger College Prep Ava Dove Berkeley High School Cameron Faulkner Berkeley High School Logan Gade Berkeley High School Isabella Gargani Oakland Technical High School Lena Gaultier Oakland Technical High School Sarah Gougeon Sir Francis Drake High School Magda Gourinchas Berkeley High School Julien Henderson Oakland Technical High School Jessie Hundel International High School Lyra Johnson Berkeley High School Haley Kirtland Berkeley High School Jack Korcuska College Prep Louise Largier Athenian School Katalina Lee-Righter International High School Marcus Lukan Berkeley High School Margaret Martin SF University High School Colin Milliken Marin Academy Komyarr Misaghi Berkeley High School Ebony Morris SF University High School Eric Murray Lowell High School Steven Ndedi TBA Grace O’Keefe Berkeley High School Bridget O’Kelly College Prep Luna Ragot Saint Mary’s College High School Iman Safi-Eddine Berkeley High School Alix Sivolella Lick-Wilmerding High School Brad Stimpson Berkeley High School Katusch Strich Berkeley High School Kate Tam International High School Amanda Van Sickle Berkeley High School Roxane Vay Berkeley High School

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2015

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MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCILS 2014–2015 COUNCIL Co-Presidents: Julie Deléger and Komyarr Misaghi Secretary: Ailish McGiffin Treasurer: Léo Cramer Spirit Committee: Sidhanth Kapila, Diego Salgues,

Shiven Sankalia, Reda Wais Class Representatives: Audrey Krueger (G6), Louise Largier (G8), Aidan McCarthy (G6)

2015–2016 COUNCIL Congratulations to all candidates! This year’s election had more candidates than ever and we are thrilled to have seen such interest in school politics through action and initiative!

Co-Presidents: Monique Jonath and Diego Salgues Secretary: Melody Joliff Treasurer: Nina Kelley Spirit Committee: Malcolm Clemons, Ethan Ford,

Sidhanth Kapila, Jordan Mure

FACULTY A EB YEARBOOK Every year, EB dedicates its yearbook to people who have inspired us. This year, the yearbook was dedicated to three women who have contributed immensely to the education of our students and the reputation of our school for more than twenty years.

We thank Corinne Fiscal, Françoâse Moréliéras, and Brigitte Bastrenta for their many years of service and for all the time, talent, and energy they’ve devoted to EB. They have touched the lives of numerous students, parents, and fellow staff, and will always be fondly remembered. We wish them many wonderful adventures in their journeys ahead. Bonne chance ! l

Corinne Fiscal is returning to France after more than 20 years of dedication to EB.

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AND STAFF

Françoâse Moréliéras is retiring from EB after more than 2 decades, leaving behind a legacy of passionate learners.

After heading up the EB Admissions Office for ten years, Brigitte Bastrenta is looking forward to her well-deserved retirement.

ALUM CLASS OF 2011 COLLEGE CHOICES • American University • Amherst College • Berkeley Community College • Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland) • German Language School in Berlin • Lewis and Clark • McGill University • Northwestern University • New York University • Quest University, British Columbia • Reed College (2) • Sciences Politiques, Reims (France)/Columbia University • Stanford (2) • Tulane University • UC Berkeley • UC Davis • UC Los Angeles • UC Santa Barbara (2) • Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris (France) or Université de Montpellier (France) • University of San Francisco • University of Southern California (Theater Arts Program)

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MNI

EB’s Class of 2011 continued the Memorial Weekend tradition of getting together one last time before heading off to college. They celebrated their high school graduations with an EB reunion potluck, hosted by the Dubois-Stringfellow family.

Congratulations Class of 2011 and good luck in college!

G5 MOVING U G5 MOVING UP CEREMONY SPEECH, FREDERIC CANADAS, HEAD OF SCHOOL Welcome, Graduates, Families and Friends, Students.

Today is an important landmark on your educational path. You passed through our doors 6 or 7 years ago and now you are about to leave through those same doors.

Looking at you today, it is clear that you are not exactly the same children that your parents brought here.

You have grown.

You have grown physically. You have grown mentally. You have grown emotionally.

You have grown socially.

Your parents and your teachers worked hard together to make sure that you would Continued on page 37

More photos of the G5 Moving Up Ceremony on the web at: http://www.eb.org/groups/g5-red/galleries/photos/g5-moving-ceremony-june-11-2015

From left to right: G5 teachers Pauline Tajmann, Carine Lapicque, Karolina Koppany, Franรงois David, and English Curriculum Coordinator Kathleen Mitchell

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UP CEREMONY

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LOWER SCHOOL LI

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IFE: TALENT SHOW

More photos of the Talent Show on the web at: http://www.eb.org/groups/g3-red/galleries/photos/talent-show-june-10-2015 Video: http://youtu.be/PbSEe-LiL24

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PARENTS’ AS THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION Ask any parent about what they like most about EB and they’ll probably tell you: the community. Thanks to our multicultural members from all over the world, the EB community brings a richness and diversity to everything we do, from sharing regional delicacies at World Celebrations to performing a cultural dance at the Marché. The PA plays an essential role in the creation, health, and growth of this amazing community.

We are incredibly fortunate to have such amazing volunteers who do so much for the school on a daily basis. We know how much work and how many hours go into making sure our events, classrooms, trips, and school run smoothly, and that it’s only possible through the numerous and generous contributions of your time and talent every day.

This year, the PA was especially successful in implementing several new initiatives: the creation of a PA website, which will streamline volunteer sign-ups and management, was a huge project which we hope will facilitate all PA activities for our parent body; a well-attended series of parent enrichment lectures was brought to EB to open the dialogue around diversity and inclusion; and we ended the year on a high note with a very successful Marché on our new outdoor learning environment.

Thank you to all of our parents—you’re all a part of the PA!—for a wonderful year.

From organizing major events like the Auction to conducting lice checks and helping with morning carpool: the level of community participation at EB is truly touching.

You create this wonderful community that we are grateful to be a part of. Thank you!

And a special thank you to the PA Board for their leadership, commitment and dedication to the school and the community. We are grateful to have such stellar members of the community taking on these important roles for the school! l

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SSOCIATION

2014–2015 PA Board and Committee Chairs

2014–2015 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD PA OFFICERS: Anglophone Co-President Renee Cole Clyde Francophone Co-President Nadine Amarelo Anglophone Co-Vice-President Tracy Poff Francophone Co-Vice-President Maria Reyes Secretary Aaron Ross Treasurer Steve Levine Communications Secretary Barbara Hanna Volunteer Coordinator Stéphane Deléger COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Room Rep Coordinators (3) Camille Servan-Schreiber (PK–G1) Manon Johnson (G2–G5) Noémie Hansen (G6–G8) Auction: Silent and Live Chair Claudine Ozzello Marché Chair Robert Lee Raffle Chair Olga Popova World Celebrations Chair Petra Fibrichova Auction: Online Co-Chairs Michelle Clincke, Anh-Thu Nguyen, Katie Slemmer Le Beaujolais Nouveau Setenay Bozkurt Frucht, Stéphane Deléger EB Spirit Wear Ann Lefkovits, Suzanne Rasic First Friday Coffee Golriz Ardebili, Anissa Burnley-Humphreys Grandparents & Friends’ Day Andrea Bacigalupo-Lee, Setenay Bozkurt Frucht Parent Enrichment Steve Levine Scrip & Retail Rebates Natasha Boissier Teacher/Staff Appreciation Day Ellen Wang Welcome Committee Janice Kirk, Karoline Robbins

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2015–2016 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD PA OFFICERS: Anglophone Co-President Renee Cole Clyde Francophone Co-President Nadine Amarelo Anglophone Co-Vice-President Barbara Hanna Francophone Co-Vice-President Maria Reyes Secretary Aaron Ross Treasurer Laura Carmany Communications Secretary Gabrielle Hedlund Volunteer Coordinator Todd Vollmerhausen

COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Room Rep Coordinators (3) Emilie Verbinnen (PK–G1) Camille Servan-Schreiber (G2–G5) Noémie Hansen (G6–G8) Auction: Silent and Live Chair Claudine Ozzello Auction: Online Chairs Michelle Clincke, Anh Nguyen, Katie Slemmer Marché Chair Robert Lee World Celebrations Chairs Petra Fibrichova, Clélia Donovan Raffle Chairs Olga Popova, Deniz Kursunoglu Le Beaujolais Nouveau Stéphane Deléger, Michael Elie Buddy Program Karoline Robbins Diversity Events Yael Perez, Kimbo Prichard EB Spirit Wear Suzanne Rasic First Friday Coffees

Golriz Ardebili, Erin McCormick Grandparents & Friends’ Day Andrea Bacigalupo-Lee PA Website Liaison Jeremy Bled PA Webmaster Katie Slemmer Parent Enrichment Nicole Harris, Laura Carmany Scrip & Retail Rebates Natasha Boissier Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day Laura Magu Welcome Day Janice Kirk, Roxanne Chester

THANK YOU TO OUR ROOM REPRESENTATIVES EB would also like to give a special thank you to all of the Room Reps who have helped both teachers and parents alike throughout the school year. Room Reps spend many hours helping to coordinate field trips, carpool, birthday parties, teacher appreciation... and the list just goes on. Thank you for your dedication to your classes and to EB; we appreciate each and every one of you! l

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ROOM REPRESENTATIVES Gabriela Barker Rosie Bell Christine Borchani Christine Brozowski Anissa Burley-Humphreys Caitlin Campbell Laura Carmany Emily Carr Geri Charnin Roxanne Chester Michelle Clinke Susanna Corcoran Claire de GuĂŠrin Alexandra Erman Petra Fibrichova Lisa Fontaine Chandra Ganguly-Meyer Joelle Garland Emma Gimon Noemie Hansen Gabrielle Hedlund Corinne Henton Beverly King Deniz Kursunoglu Steve Levine Erin McCormick Tom Meyer Kai Moore

Anh-Thu Nguyen-Trong Yael Perez Tracy Poff Stephanie Profitt Claudine Ozzello Stephanie Regni Karoline Robbins Heather Saulnier Camille Servan-Schreiber Marjorie Setchko Sophie Shabel Avery Sim Katie Slemmer Sarah Spear Suzanne Stevens-Rasic Rhonda Stewart-Goldstein Linda Stevenson Debbie Stimpson Minoo Taheri Alexandra Thusy-Privat Elizabeth Titherington Karine Tripier Nathalie Valette Yani Vargas Emile Verbinnen Hallie Von Rock Suna Yalaz-Angel

ANNUA THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL ANNUAL FUND VOLUNTEERS! It takes many hours, much energy, and lots of follow-up by devoted parents to make the Annual Fund, our largest fundraiser of the year, happen. Our Annual Fund Agents are parent volunteers who give generously of their time to make the calls (not always an easy task!), send the emails, and even talk face-to-face with other parents because they care. They know that each dollar donated makes a difference to our students, and they work very hard to reach out to every single family. We thank each and every one of you for the time and follow-through you have invested in this year’s campaign, and for taking on the challenge. Thanks to you, we can call this campaign a success!

A very special and heartfelt thank you to our two “Stephanies”—co-chairs Stephanie Walton and Stephanie Sullivan—who led the way to the finish line with humor, perseverance, and tireless energy. With these two ladies’ support, the Annual Fund team was able to reach EB’s goal of $360,000! These funds will go towards purchasing books, providing financial aid, training our teachers, and much, much more! These two amazing moms will come back to co-chair next year’s Annual Fund campaign, with more verve and enthusiasm than ever before!

Thank you to the parents, trustees, faculty and staff who chose to give to this year’s Annual Fund—your contributions make the EB experience possible for all of our students. l

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AL FUND THANK YOU TO OUR ANNUAL FUND AGENTS Paul Abboud Matt Arnold Bobby Bartlett Natasha Boissier Pat Burns Heather Clague Alix Gade Golriz Ghassem-Ardebili Priya Hidisyan Devyani Jain Hélène Jordan Max Kozlov

Dana Larson Tom Meyer Doug Oakley Isha Ray Aaron Ross Heather Saulnier Marjorie Setchko Stephanie Sullivan, Co-Chair Phil Tiffin Todd Vollmerhausen Stephanie Walton, Co-Chair Berna Watson

36 Frédéric Canadas’ Graduation speech, continued from Page 4 Most of you came to us when you were very young and this may be the only school environment you have attended so you do not know how this bilingual education has advanced your understanding of the world.

You have learned the delicate balance that is necessary when you are called upon to reconcile two, or more, different approaches to any given situation.

For you, it is second nature that there is more than one way to view the world.

For you, it is second nature to wait and gather information from more than one source in order to know how to proceed.

For you, it is second nature to understand that there is strength in every individual’s point of view and that differences of opinions are not necessarily a bad thing.

In fact, learning how to listen to all sides and taking and blending the best ideas gives strength to finding the best solutions.

You are so used to embracing diversity, thinking bilingually, looking for commonalities, understanding the subtle differences and creating nuanced responses to those around you- your friends, your teachers, your parents- that you hardly notice that these are exceptional skills that you have.

They are skills that we need today in our global and very complicated world.

Your years here at EB have given you a solid foundation to move up in your

lives with a keen understanding that you will one day become the leaders in your families, in your communities and in the world.

Your experiences at EB will help you bring fresh perspective to all communities you enter and enable you to enter into leadership roles with respect for the diverse needs and contributions of each community’s members.

Here are just a few key pointers for you to consider as you think about your role as a future leader: 1- Be determined to make your own path in life. To lead means you must be prepared to enter uncharted territory. You must understand your direction, your needs and determine a path to accomplish the goals you set before you.

2- Be a team player. It is your job to assemble a strong team that shares your values and sense of purpose.

Using teamwork, ingenuity, and inventiveness, you will be inspired and inspire others to work together for the common good.

lead means to hold a vision and have goals that others may not yet understand. When you know you have chosen a direction and you believe that your chosen path is best for the welfare of your community, then stick to it. And have the courage to lead even when others may disagree.

9- Be humble and learn from mistakes.

10- Finally, Eleanor Roosevelt, who was a brave and wonderful American leader, once said, “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”

We are all so proud to set you out into the world. You are shining examples of the EB educational values and principles that have guided your educational path thus far.

Congratulations Moms and Dads.

Congratulations, teachers and MOST importantly, congratulations to the 2015 Graduating Class of Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley! l

3- Be unafraid to make and stick to difficult decisions. Thinking differently and enlisting the right people to help you, comes with being a good leader.

4- Trust your intuition and take the time to back intuition with facts.

5- Understand your strengths and know how to use them to overcome adversity.

6- Never miss an opportunity to find a mentor. Find someone who knows more than you because there is always someone with more knowledge or experience than you who will be willing to help and guide you.

7- Allow yourself to listen and learn.

8- Persevere and have courage. To

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37 Frédéric Canadas’ G5 Moving Up Ceremony speech, continued from Page 24

receive the best start in your English and French studies.

They wanted to provide you with a strong bilingual foundation that most people in the world are not fortunate enough to have.

Each year, as you were growing, your world expanded and you learned new skills both inside and outside the classroom.

You studied sciences and math, history and geography.

You not only read in French, as well as in English but you also have learned to think creatively in two languages. You know and understand how differences and similarities are expressed in those two languages.

You have travelled together and learned about how people live in other places and how people lived years ago.

As you move on to middle school, you carry with you many valuable and important lessons. Some of you made your first friends here at EB. Forming friendships teaches you how to care for others. And you have hopefully learned that the best way to have a friend is to know how to BE a friend.

Reading, writing, science and math, history and geography, making friends, playing sports, creating arts…

These are all skills that you will need throughout your life and in the years ahead you will continue advancing these studies. Strive to improve, learn

and grow in every way.

There is always so much to learn.

Even after you graduate from college and begin your careers, learning never stops.

We are all placed on this earth and challenged to be our best throughout our lives.

Now that you are going into sixth grade, you can take some responsibility for becoming more powerful and effective learners.

You have many new academic adventures ahead. As you think about taking your first steps into middle school, you may be worried that you might make mistakes. Don’t worry.

You WILL make mistakes.

We all make mistakes and we all learn from the mistakes we have made.

Albert Einstein once said, “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

So, while it may sound funny, I hope you have lots of opportunities to make meaningful mistakes.

And remember that your parents and your teachers and your friends will always be there to help you and encourage you along the way.

Today, I hope you are feeling all of the love and support your parents and teachers have for you.

I know that they are, like me, all very proud of you.

Together, your parents, teachers and I want to let you know we are confident that you have what it takes to be successful in middle school and beyond.

Congratulations and bonne chance ! l

38 Stacy Chandler’s Graduation speech, continued from Page 4

future years, I hope you will share it again in the role of an alumni. Thank you for your dedication, EB alumni parents.

I hope you will feel the positive energy here tonight. This is a very, very special class: hard-working, tight-knit, thoughtful, funny, confident and inspired. And we recognize where our graduates come from, because tonight you will see a slideshow made by Armelle Jaffrin. Her patience, editing savoir faire, creativity and attention to detail, her generosity with her own time for our enjoyment of our children tonight, these are qualities we see in EB graduates. Thank you, Armelle, for taking on this huge project for us!

Thank you, Geri Charnin, for supporting Armelle with communications and photo gathering. Geri has been a dedicated, energetic parent.

You all know her through her role as our number one room representative, second title, solitary lice checker (no remorse about leaving this memory behind I’m sure). The grade 7 parent fairies who decorated and set up have left: Jennifer Villarina, Julie Ford, who came up with the theme for this year, and Robert and Rose Nadeau, Aengus McGiffin, Erin McCormick, Noémie Hansen, Lisa Clemons and Christopher Coleburn who implemented their idea, and I am appreciative of their creativity and work. I also thank the administration and building/maintenance crew for their help.

As you look around the room, you see the students we are here to honor tonight. These portraits attest to each graduates uniqueness. We thank Noémie Hansen for their original design and printing.

Several of our alumni parents are here to serve this dinner. We are grateful to our alumni for their support and for the role they play in keeping our community strong. This evening we have Christine Chapon, Tamara Daney, Hülya Gürtuna, Brooke Hauch, Ann Lefkovits, Vivian Lopez, Cottie Rood, and Marie-José Sat. Tonight you are living this evening’s graduation event and it’s a party. In

The class of 2015 find themselves here on the brink of graduation, because of our collective efforts and most of all, because you share our vision and you support EB’s mission.

You offered them this. You entrusted your children’s education to our expert faculty, who have prepared them for high school. As as you see, parents are at the heart of what make great events happen for EB every year. Tonight the greatest event is yours: the commemoration of your children as EB graduates: intelligent, respectful, kind, global citizens. We are grateful you gave us such an opportunity.

The faculty are tireless in their commitment to fostering each and every student’s learning. The faculty’s high standards—and tough love—have built strength of character and mind within an environment of support and fun. Thank you, EB teachers for so many years of dedicated teaching.

I can’t wait to see your talents in the Memory Movie.

EB has been a safe environment for developing curiosity. In the words of Charles Bukowski, graduates, take this advice...

“If you’re going to try, go all the way.

Otherwise, don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind...

It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery--isolation. Isolation is the gift. All

the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you’ll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you’re going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire.

You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is.”

Graduates, stay true to your EB values and strong sense of global citizenship.

Take on opportunities--hopefully bilingual ones!--and have courage when faced with challenges. And remember, you can always come back to visit EB. We will always know who you are and we believe in you.

Congratulations Class of 2015.l

Douglas Gostlin’s Graduation speech, continued from Page 5 You have to face two transitions all at once during 8th grade—preparing to leave EB, and preparing to find a high school. Whether you are going on to a public or private high school, I was very happy to be involved with all of you through this transition, whether it was helping you with the high school registration and the applications, or reading your personal essays.

I learned a lot about all of you— students and parents alike—going through this process. I learned about your values, your dreams, and your aspirations. And I also learned about how you deal with uncertainty, change, stress, disappointment, and success. I admire how you have so gracefully handled these different challenges in your life, all while continuing to excel in your academics.

Every group of students that graduates from EB is special in its own way.

There are some particular characteristics about this group that I would like to share, common themes and experiences that came up over and over as I have talked to the teachers, you the students, and the parents.

The word genuine came up a lot, especially in terms of your genuine love of learning – not just doing the work for the grade but truly wanting to learn. And being genuine with each other—your care, your support, and your compassion for one another.

Other words and phrases that frequently came up as I talked with my colleagues and you the students—love of life, lively, fun, and happy. You as a whole are a very high achieving group, but as many teachers have noted, you also have the unique quality of being

goofy, fun and humorous.

As you get ready to graduate in the coming week, know that you have truly made a wonderful and memorable impression during your time here at EB.

school system before becoming a college professor.

Woman with Flower I wouldn’t coax the plant if I were you.

Such watchful nurturing may do it And though the task of getting harm. through middle school is a challenge, Let the soil rest from so much digging especially in the 8th grade year with And wait until it’s dry before you water all of the added work of high school it. preparation, NHD, French correspondents, and other projects, you have The leaf ’s inclined to find its own made it. As Nelson Mandela said: direction; It always seems impossible until it’s Give it a chance to seek the sunlight for done. itself.

And next week you will be done when Much growth is stunted by too careful you graduate from EB. But rememprodding, ber, as Mandela also said: After climb- Too eager tenderness. ing a great hill, one only finds that The things we love we have to learn to there are many more hills to climb. leave alone.

And as you venture out from EB to conquer high school, college, graduate school, and whatever other endeavors you may undertake, remember that you are leaving here well equipped to climb all those other great hills.

In closing, I would like to read you a poem. This poem is for parents, teachers and students. It very simply and elegantly talks about the balance that is needed in parenting and teaching for you the students to continue to grow and mature into independent, successful and happy young adults.

When you, the students, leave EB and start high school, you are going to have an increased level of independence. And with that will come a higher level of responsibility. It will be greater than the transition from primary school to middle school. And parents, you are going to have to let go a little more.

The poem is Woman with Flower by Naomi Long Madgett, who in addition to being a poet, was also an educator—teaching first in the public

My best wishes for all of you as you prepare for your next journey.

Thank you! l

39

40 Suzanne Wallace’s Graduation speech, continued from Page 5

summer. So I’m going to do my best in the next few minutes to tell you what I, Ms. Wallace, think is most important for you to hear right now.

play, even if you don’t think you’ll make it. Ask your dream date to a dance. Dance, at that dance, even if you think you look foolish. Raise your hand in class before your thought is fully formulated. Get to know the cute quiet person who sits next to you. Volunteer to perform a scene in English class, instead of waiting for the teacher to call on you.

yourself with people who support you and accept you as you are will also help you stay healthy. Don’t reduce yourself to being a homework-doing robot. If you keep a part of your life that is just for you, you’ll be more balanced, happier, and an overall more interesting person.

I also urge that you take care of yourself as a whole person, not just a student. High school will be stressful, so it is incredibly important that you prioritize your emotional, mental, and physical health.

I’d like to share a couple examples from my life that illustrate these suggestions. As some of you probably know, I was a very serious high school student at a public International Baccalaureate school similar to Berkeley High. Some of my friends did the full IB diploma, but I didn’t. I chose only the few IB classes I was interested in, and instead set up my school schedule and my life so that I took the classes I cared most about, and played music 15 to 20 hours per week. The music relieved stress, made me happy, and kept me emotionally and mentally healthy. Those were the right choices for me personally at the time, and in retrospect, I still think they were the right choices for me. And even without the IB diploma, I got into good colleges and have had a fulfilling life so far.

One way to approach this is to be intentional about your academic load.

It will be easy to be swept along in the tide of classes you are “supposed” to Let go of a strict vision of what the take. Resist this tide as best you can. rest of your life is “supposed” to look Don’t take a class or do an activity or like. You’re young, you’re going to club just because everyone else seems change, and the truth is, there are very to be, or you feel like you should. few “right” or “wrong” choices in life. Choose the classes that are best for There are just moments and choices, you personally, your interests and your that lead to other moments and choic- school-life balance. This applies to es, which over the long term, create AP and IB classes as well. You don’t an arc. I wish for you that the arc of have to take them all. Really. Instead, your life is rich, with few regrets. So leave time for the things that give you say yes. joy. That could be baking, photography, programming, writing, playing Say yes to things that scare you, but in a band, playing a sport, walking secretly thrill you. For example, take your neighbor’s dog, or playing video an elective on something you know nothing about. Try out for the school games, or whatever. Surrounding

Remember how I mentioned before that life is a series of moments and choices that lead to other moments and choices, and that you should say yes to new opportunities? I have quick anecdote about that as well from my own HS experience.

I made a spontaneous decision to join my HS jazz band as their piano player my freshman year, even though I had zero experience with jazz. Unsurprisingly, I was a very mediocre jazz pianist, but the domino effect of choices and opportunities that opened to me as a result of that decision are still affecting me today and I am incredibly grateful. Most importantly, playing in my high school jazz band put me on a path to meet my now husband many

High school is going to be a big change, and you are probably all going to feel enormous pressure to excel and in four years, get into a “good” college, whatever that means to you.

I want to tell you, please, relax. There is no “right” or “wrong” college, and for some people, a 4-year college isn’t even the right path, and that’s fine.

What school you go to after high school will not determine your future happiness and overall life satisfaction.

What will influence your happiness and life satisfaction are more common things -- relationships with the people in your life, your pets, and participating in work or activities that are personally meaningful to you. So in high school, use this time to start to figure out what is meaningful to you, and what kind of person you want to be.

Basically, take risks, and give yourself opportunities to fail. Give yourself permission to be uncomfortable, to struggle and to suck at things. You will not be exceptional at everything.

If you are, it means you’re not challenging yourself and growing from it.

One of the most important life skills you can learn in high school is how to adapt and move forward when things are hard and frustrating. But, you won’t learn resilience if you don’t take a risk.

41 years later. You never know when something small will end up greatly influencing the long arc of your life, so say yes to opportunities that tug at you.

So overall, my suggestions for you are: Make the choices that are best for you personally and that will keep you healthy. Instead of judging yourself against the accomplishments of your friends or siblings, figure out what you find compelling and satisfying and follow that, because your life is not a series of boxes to be checked off for a college application. You guys are young. Let your teenage years unfold, and say yes to interesting opportunities, even when they don’t fit the plan you already had in mind.

What might look random and perhaps “foolish” today can end up defining you later.

High school will be a time of tremendous growth and discovery. It will go by quickly, so live it well, whatever that means for you. I will miss your spunk, humor, and thoughtfulness next year. I, and all your teachers, wish you the best as you embark on the next phase of your life. Enjoy the ride. l

42 Komyarr Misaghi and Julie Deléger’s Graduation speech, continued from Page 6 While becoming educated is a lifelong process, the love of learning that has been instilled in us by EB makes this process exceedingly simple. We do not perceive this process as a timeconsuming frustration--in its place we see it as exciting and enriching.

Thanks to our teachers, our families and the entire EB community we possess this love of learning.

Même si apprendre est le chemin de toute une vie, la passion et l’envie d’apprendre qu’EB nous as transmises rend ce processus tellement plus facile. Nous n’envisageons pas cette démarche comme un moment de frustration ou de gaspillage d’un temps précieux mais bien plutôt comme une démarche à la fois enrichissante et excitante. Gràce à nos enseignants, nos familles et à toute la communauté d’EB cet amour d’apprendre est en nous à jamais.

The EB Graduating class of 2015 is a group of people who are identically alike and radically different in many ways. We have artists and athletes, musicians and makers, dancers and dreamers, singers and superstars, thinkers and *tinkerers*, daredevils and do-gooders. However, what brings us together is our yearning to learn and our willingness to improve our environment and the quality of life of those whom we love.

La classe d’élèves diplomés en 2015 est un groupe de personnes à la fois absolument identiques et pourtant différentes à de nom-

breux points de vue. Nous comptons parmi nous des artistes, des athlètes, des musiciens, des manuels, des danseurs, des reveurs, des chanteurs, des superstars, des penseurs, des bricoleurs, des casse-cou et des bien pensants.

savons et comprenons maintenant, alors que l’imagination englobe le monde entier, et tout ce qui sera à connaître et à comprendre”.

Malgré tout, ce qui nous rapproche c’est notre envie d’apprendre et notre volonté d’améliorer notre environnement et la qualité de vie de ceux que nous aimons.

Mandela said education is the most powerful weapon to change the world, this affects us as we are more globally interconnected today than any other time in history. And for us EB students this global perspective means that we are already in the front seat of our education excursion, as EB has already given us a global perspective, a global education, and a global community, an uncommon yet excellent form of education to provide us the tools to change the world.

Although our years at EB have been limited, we have had an educational experience that we wouldn’t give up for anything in the world.

Même si nos années d’études à EB ont été limitées dans un sens, nous avons eu une expérience éducative que nous ne voudrions abandonner pour rien au monde.

We have learned how to become and continue to be “at home in the world” , as well as kind, caring and open minded people. EB has taught us to reach for the stars and to never back down, to think harder and dream bigger. In the words of Albert Einstein: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

Nous avons appris à être et à se sentir comme à la maison dans le monde entier, ainsi qu’à être des individus bons, généreux et ouverts d’esprit. EB nous a appris à viser les étoiles et à ne jamais reculer face à la difficulté, à penser en profondeur et à rêver en grand. En reprenant les termes d’Albert Einstein : “L’imagination est plus importante que la connaissance. Parce que la connaissance est limitée à tout ce que nous

Mandela a dit que l’éducation était l’arme la plus puissante pour changer le monde, cela nous touche car nous sommes plus connectés qu’à n’importe quelle autre époque de l’histoire. Et pour nous, en tant qu’étudiants à EB, cette vision globale du monde signifie que nous sommes déjà aux premières loges de ce voyage initiatique, puisqu’EB nous a déjà donné cette perspective humaniste, cette éducation globale, et ce sentiment de communauté universel à travers un unique et excellent programme éducatif capable de nous donner les moyens de changer le monde.

The Ecole Bilingue community has opened its doors and let us stay long enough to call it our second home, we have bonded more by the year.

La communauté de L’École Bilingue de Berkeley nous a ouvert ses portes et nous a permis de rester ici assez longtemps pour que l’on se sente comme à la maison, nous nous sommes rapprochés de plus en plus au fil des ans.

43 We have never been able to call each other classmates. Because no matter what, we are a family. I won’t lie, we have all been through tough times.

But we have all been there for each other. And to be there for one another and to accept them despite our differences is what it means to be a family.

Nous n’avons jamais été capable de nous appeler camarades de classe. Parce que peut importe ce qui se passe, nous sommes une famille. Je ne vous mentirai pas, nous avons tous eu des moments difficiles. Mais nous avons toujours été là les uns pour les autres.

Et, être là pour les autres et les accepter en dépit de nos différences, c’est cela être une famille.

As mentioned earlier, the journey doesn’t end here because we are no longer just a group of undeniable friends, but a family.

Comme je vous l’ai dit, le voyage ne s’arrête pas là car nous ne sommes plus seulement un indéniable groupe d’amis, mais une famille. l

44 Olivia Arizmendi’s Graduation speech, continued from Page 7 I have been at the same school for 11 years. That is practically my whole life. My classmates are my family. I almost know them better than my parents and brother. People say that the people around you shape who you are. I really take that saying to heart.

An example of the above is how everyone in my grade calls a pencil case a “trousse” (we say the French word with an American accent). Naturally, when I ask someone for their pencil case I ask them to pass me their “trousse.” However, when I tell my friends outside of school that I like their “trousse”, they just look at me as if I were an alien. I suspect that all of the people in my grade will have a hard time breaking this habit. As adults, I predict that every time we see a pencil case, we will remember our friends and classmates from EB.

dressed in my brother’s old sweater and my hair up in an incredibly messy bun, and I don’t worry about it. I don’t get any weird looks, nobody comments. Some are so relaxed that they will just start dancing in the hallways out of the blue, or they will lay down on the floor and start laughing.

Everybody brings something different to EB: one knows about all of the rappers in existence, another has been born an olympic athlete, another has style. Others brings humor and bad puns, sass, sarcasm, laughter… and cookies. All of these people have become a part of who I am. I bring something to the table too. We have all shaped each other and we continue to, each and every day. We are all friends, we are all family. We have all had good and bad moments together and I will remember them.

However, the day will soon come when we go our separate ways. On June 12th, at 3:30 precisely we will have no more memories built together, there will be no more homemade chocolate chip cookies, dancing in the People at EB have shaped me through hallways and Altoid eating. We will have to say goodbye to our friends, their generosity. Someone will show everyone that has molded and shaped up with boxes of homemade chocous for eleven years. late chip cookies freshly baked at 6:00 am and will share them with the Though this moment will be sad, it whole grade, someone else will take out an Altoid from their backpack and will also bring good. We will have end up with an empty box of Altoids to meet new people and discover new things. Some will go to private two minutes later, others will give schools, others will be home schooled their sweaters to the ones that always or go to public schools, some might forget theirs, even if they end up being cold. Nobody minds, because that even move to France. No matter where members of the class of 2015 is just the way we are together. end up, there will always be an element of EB carried within them. As We have known one another for so an adult, who they have become will long that people aren’t judgmental of be even more polished and refined each other anymore, we are comfortable with one another. We all do what than the person walking out of the gates of EB as a newly graduated we please, state our opinions and eighth grader. I look forward to disdon’t have to worry about being excluded from the clique (because there covering how my High School classmates have shaped me when I graduare no cliques). Some Fridays I come

ate in 2019.

Over the course of my thirteen short years living in a much older world, I have had quite a few life changing moments. I might have had more or fewer than others, but I believe that everyone has gone through or will go through this moment that I am about to introduce.

In this complicated world, kids want to become adults and sometimes vice versa. When I was younger, I would tell everyone that when I grew up, I would live in a camper, have fifteen dogs and not have a husband (because I didn’t want him to boss me around and tell me what fabric to use for the curtains). Now, I have realized that adulthood isn’t just about turning eighteen, getting a job, or getting married: it is about taking on responsibilities. Though some might not realize this, many of the responsibilities that lead us to adulthood come to us much before the age of twenty or thirty.

They came to me when I turned twelve.

I can’t remember the day I turned twelve too well, all I remember is watching others eat a Baked Alaska, asking myself if I really liked this sugar-packed, cake-like, baked thing. I also remember a family member asking me if I felt any different now that I was twelve.

“Nope,” I responded plainly. I was telling the truth, I never feel any different on my birthday; it’s not like a person grows an inch or two every time they turn a different age. However, what I didn’t realize was though I didn’t feel any different, from that day on I had taken a big step towards becoming an adult. I took on responsibilities.

Before turning twelve, other people took care of me. My life was full of

45 imagination and play. I remember going out with my older brother and his friend when I was 5 and leaving notes to fairies by placing them outside under a bush. We would leave for a while, and if the note was gone, then the fairy had taken the note.

(Of course, this was just the wind).

I would also make desks for my five dolls and give them pretend “tests” that would concern the spelling of simple words, math and even definitions. Then, listening to the radio, I would fill them out myself and purposefully make mistakes. When the tests were “turned in”, I would get a chance to correct them with colored pens and put stamps and stickers on the tests, depending on how well they did.

At the age twelve, my focus changed.

The dolls stayed in the back of my closet, no more silly tantrums, no more Playmobiles, no having my parents come with me to stores… I was into new things, I was over that phase. I was more into emailing my friends and “chatting,” painting my nails purple, cooking on my own, dancing ... For the first time in my life I had things I had to get done, that I had to do.

I started cleaning up after myself, putting my dishes away, cleaning my room on a regular basis, organizing “play dates,” flushing the toilet, and walking to the Elmwood neighborhood on my own. My “free time” also was diminishing drastically. I started having an hour or two of homework every day. I had dance classes on a weekly basis several times a week, and I started taking care of myself. I started getting things done, knowing what I had to get done.

When I turned twelve I started seeing what the rest of my life was going to be like, what independence was. This is a big part of adulthood. Adult-

hood is taking care of yourself and knowing what you have to get done.

When I am grown, I will never go back to being a child. I will stay the way I am (maybe I will shrink, or get white hair). Knowing how to take on responsibilities will be a huge part of my life.

Before turning twelve I relied on my parents to take care of all these responsibilities, but now I take care of myself. Adulthood isn’t about growing a beard, or owning a house.

The start of adulthood is taking on responsibilities, self control, knowing how to manage your life and take care of yourself. Everyone will start this preliminary step towards adulthood at different times. My first step was at the age of twelve. l