success stories - ARCHIVE

Luis Torres
Eastside class of 2006
MIT Class of 2010
(profiled fall of 2010)

Luis Torres wasn’t always passionate about engineering. The Eastside alum and 2010 MIT graduate entered the doors of Eastside with the expectation that he would be a writer-- because that’s why his middle school teachers encouraged him to apply to Eastside in the first place. He now says he could hardly have imagined how life-changing his high school years would be.

He was born in Modesto, California and when he was a toddler his father was shot and killed while traveling in Mexico. Luis’s mother briefly moved him, along with his sister, to Mexico to be with family. A few years later, they moved back to California-- this time to East Palo Alto-- where the three shared a room in his aunt’s house until Luis was 12 years old.

Luis says growing up in East Palo Alto was “like living in a bubble” because the wealth and opportunities in the surrounding, more affluent communities were apparent. “You see what life could have been like for you if you had just lived on the other side of the highway.”

At Eastside, Luis quickly found that he was challenged as never before, and he learned that his academic interests extended far beyond writing: he discovered his passion for math and science. “I learned to exercise skills I never knew I had.”

“Even more impressive than Luis’s intelligence was his drive. He was determined to learn as much as possible about math and physics, simply because it fascinated him,” says Ryan Atkins, Luis’s AP Physics teacher at Eastside. “He really was an unstoppable force.”

Ryan says that after teaching Luis for less than a week, he realized two things: “One, Luis was not only ready for a rigorous college engineering program; he was also destined to thrive there. And two, I was going to have to make my curriculum much more intense.”

Luis says he still appreciates the way his Eastside teachers made him think like an engineer. He learned early on that what he learned at Eastside would provide the basis for his success in many fields once he graduated.

While at Eastside, Luis got involved in a series of activities that had what he calls a “domino effect” on his path to engineering. He got involved with NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) and met with Stanford engineering students every Saturday. He started competing in tri-math-a-lons, giving his SAT studies a jumpstart. He learned about the MITES program at MIT and spent a summer studying on the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts before his senior year of high school.

When it was time to fill out college applications, he applied to MIT and was accepted into their nuclear engineering program.

“It was the most challenging chapter of my life,” says Luis of his four years there. He says he sees what it’s done to his character and is still awed by the experience of studying shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the brightest minds in technology and engineering.

Now that college is behind him, too, Luis looks forward to pursuing his passion further. This fall he started working for the Shaw Group, an engineering firm with offices in Boston, where he will spend a year getting real-world experience before embarking on his next academic endeavor: graduate school studying nuclear engineering at either the Paris Institute of Technology or back at MIT-- he has been offered admittance to both.

Luis is excited to hear that Eastside is offering engineering classes beginning this school year. “Even though I felt well prepared at MIT, I want more students to consider going in the direction of math and science after Eastside because it can provide a great foundation for so many professions.”

Want to see more? Watch Luis’s video.

 

Joanna Leon
Eastside Class of 2005
STANFORD Class of 2009
(profiled fall of 2009)

Joanna Leon attributes her success in life to a solid foundation. She attended Cesar Chavez Elementary School and then the Girls' Middle School, where she experienced one of the defining moments in her education: She was surrounded by students like her who loved to learn and liked to be at school. She had the same experience when she chose to attend Eastside, where she discovered not only students dedicated to learning, but teachers willing to go the extra mile for her. She recalls applying to Stanford late at night on Eastside's campus and teacher Carrie Evans staying with her until her application was stellar.

Joanna would not change her Eastside experience, except for one response to a writing assignment she was given in her English class: When asked whether or not one person could change the world, she answered no. She says, "I still think about that assignment, and want to change my answer to a resounding yes. I didn't realize it at the time, but my teachers were changing the world, my world, and I plan to do the same." A big step towards that accomplishment was to do well in her undergraduate studies at Stanford.  She knew that Eastside had helped shape her identity as a leader and the day her professor mentioned Eastside in her class only solidified her belief in her capabilities.

Joanna graduated this past spring with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and is currently working at Girls to Women, a local non-profit organization. She hopes to apply to graduate school in the near future and become a licensed social worker. For those ready to join Joanna in changing lives, she advises, "When I first got to Stanford, I questioned my place. You should know you belong in college, you have earned it. It will pay off, your ultimate goal should be to be happy and put yourself first for a while and you'll be in a better position to come back and help, one person at a time."

 

Maricruz Alvarado
Eastside Class of 2005
Mills College class of 2009
(profiled in 2008)

Maricruz's favorite memories of Eastside are simple, but so common among Eastside alumni.  Her favorite nights consisted of staying on campus late with her best friends sharing private jokes.  Maricruz didn't stay late just because it was fun, but also because living with a big family meant it was difficult to find a quiet corner to study in.  She now appreciates the quiet space Eastside provided for her and her friends.  She also mentions her gratitude for being challenged during the day in Jen's College Readiness class.  It was in College Readiness that Jen helped Maricruz increase her vocabulary and prepare for college. Her late nights working hard paid off with not only an acceptance to Mills, but also an institutional scholarship from Mills due to her academic achievements.

Maricruz was drawn to Mills because of the focus on equality and small, intimate classroom discussions. It was also close to home, which meant she would still be close to her tight knit family. Talking with Maricruz one learns early on just how important family is to her.  During her first semester at college Maricruz learned there was no space or organization for mothers at Mills. Being the trailblazer that she is, Maricruz established the first mothers club on campus.  Since its inception, the club has steadily grown, acquiring its own space on campus, and voting Maricruz the chapter president.  The club has also encouraged Mills to begin collecting data on how many mothers are in attendance at Mills, allowing the college to better serve their students with families.

Something else you learn quickly after meeting Maricruz is her love for science.  She is a declared biology major who dreams of working at a hospital or in a lab researching cures to diseases.  She'll graduate in June 2009 a degree in biology, and having created increased opportunities for mothers on campus.  Her words of advice to those who are struggling to reach their goals, "work hard, don't give up if you really enjoy doing something, even if you struggle in the beginning, keep thinking about your future and I know you'll get there." 

 

Dallas teo
Eastside class of 2005
stanford class of 2009
(profiled in 2008)

Although Dallas Teo graduated from Eastside in 2005, he continues to have a huge impact on current Eastside students.  Whether it is through participating in alumni panels, teaching classes on campus, or simply having small conversations in the hallway, Dallas has become one of the most passionate and reliable advocates for his alma mater.  He credits this willingness to help out when called upon to his positive experience while attending Eastside.

The first time Dallas remembers hearing about Eastside was when Eastside faculty member Shaneka Julian walked into his middle school classroom to inform students about the opportunities at Eastside.  Like several of the students in his eighth grade class, Dallas had his eyes set on college, but no idea how to get there. He knew his chances of going to a great university would be greatly increased by attending a rigorous high school, but didn't want to burden his parents with the tuition bill at a private school in the area.  So, when Shaneka walked into his 8th grade class that day, she said everything Dallas needed to hear.  He was convinced Eastside was for him and now says applying to Eastside was the best decision he ever made. Eastside not only provided a direct path to college, but also the resources and guidance he needed as a first generation college student. Dallas' favorite memory of Eastside took place in social studies class during a debate on affirmative action, "I remember realizing that if you work hard enough you deserve to be there."  Dallas definitely worked hard and earned a well deserved spot at Stanford University in the fall of 2005.
 
It was at Eastside that Dallas found his love for literature and reading, but at Stanford where he solidified his passion for creative writing.  Dallas is now a senior and majoring in English with an emphasis in creative writing. He shared his knowledge and passion with current Eastside students when he taught creative writing at Eastside in the summer of 2008.

His senior year finds Dallas busier than ever and committed to maintaining a stellar GPA. Among his activities: Dallas is an active member of the Hawaii Club, coordinator for Project Write, and the Teen Program Leader at the East Palo Alto YMCA. Dallas also leads another program for local youth, Youth and Government at the YMCA.  While maintaining this schedule and a full load at Stanford, Dallas isn't complaining, "I know what it's like to not have help and students just don't know how to ask for the help."  Realizing that everyone must do their part in order to create change and reach out to youth in need, Dallas says, "I believe it all starts with our mentality. If students can't get over the mentality that education is not a priority then the prospects of our city won't be that promising and that's what I aim to do, change that mentality."

In 2009 Dallas will graduate from Stanford University and be the first college graduate in his family.  He plans to teach and inspire youth in his community.