Supporting Student Success – June 2016

Dear Friend,

By far my favorite time of the school year when I was a high school principal was graduation. The joy and the tears coupled with the pomp of graduation made the day special to not only the graduates, but to family, friends and staff. The entire AEF Board and staff congratulate all the graduates from our Alameda public high schools. We wish you the best as you enter the next phase of your life.

We wish all students and employees a restful summer. The AEF will be busy preparing for the 2016-17 school year. Our programs will continue to enrich the lives of our students. We thank you for your support and look forward to your continued support in the future.

Come to the South Shore Summer Beats Concert on July 4th from 3 – 5 PM featuring our good friends The Sun Kings. Money raised there will support the Equipped 4 Success school supply drive.

Sincerely,
Bill Sonneman

AEF Spotlight

Enriching Lives, One at a Time

The sheer volume of AEF’s Enrichment program is impressive enough – 400 after school classes and 70 summer camps serving upwards of 3,000 students per year. But it’s the impact it makes on the individual students that means the most.

Take Caitlin*. A second grader, Caitlin signed up for one of AEF’s “Beginning Violin” classes. She had missed almost the full prior year of school following three weeks in the hospital and was finding it hard to adjust to being back at school. Her parents thought signing her up for a music class would be a good idea, and what a good idea it was! There was something about this class that turned Caitlin’s passion back on for learning. Her violin teacher Donna Eyestone provides a caring, student-focused environment welcoming for all students. By the end of the 10 week program Caitlin was shining! Her mom said the violin class has “turned Caitlin’s life around.”

AEF Announcements

USA National Basketball Team

Can’t get enough of those Warriors? Then have we got a deal for you. Come out and watch Team USA take on China in an exhibition game at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, July 26th! The game features four Warriors players: Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala. A portion of proceeds benefits our Middle School Sports program. Who knows, you might be helping develop a future Warrior! Click here for more information.

Congratulations Track & Field Student-Athletes!

Three hundred students participated in this year’s track & field program. It was inspiring watching the growth and development of these students, many of whom had never tried track & field before. This year, we introduced the mini-javelin to the field events to great enthusiasm. A special thank you to ACLC/Nea coach Michelle Owens and her husband Irvin who helped us develop an online system for entering athletes and recording results. Thank you also to Charles Penalver and student Tate Johnson for the great photos! You may check the results and records here.

FREE concerts benefiting the Equipped 4 Success School Supply Drive

Please join us at South Shore Center this summer for a series of free “Summer Beats” concerts. We’ll be selling beverages to benefit the Equipped 4 Success school supply drive, which provides low-income Alameda students with backpacks filled with school supplies. First up, The Sun Kings on July 4th, 3 – 5 pm. Click here for more information.

ACT Test Prep and College Personal Statement Workshops Coming Soon!

Conquer the ACT with our summer Extended Crash Course in August. Seniors can feel confident about their college applications after taking our Personal Statement workshop in September. Classes fill up quickly! Scholarships available. For full information and to register, click here.

Thank you Kiwanis!

AEF was recently honored to receive a grant to support the community wide Equipped 4 Success school supply drive. Thank you, Kiwanis Club of Alameda, for supporting our students!