Columbia Will Never Be The Same

Shortly after the second contingent of ILC cohorts left El Cerrito High at 3:00 AM to join the rest of their team from Brown, the front of the school started filling once again but this time with our fine students headed for Columbia University.

Leading our group to The Big Apple is Hercules High School Assistant Principal Cheryl Lilhanand.

At times, some have mistakenly likened these trips east to “summer camp”. These students, though will be enrolled in Issues in Biological Conservation and Intensive Seminars in Modern Chemistry. I always thought summer camp was about learning how to weave lanyards and sing Kumbaya by the camp fire. Like a lot of things, I guess I got this one wrong.

Before the van departed at 5:20 in the morning, Ms. Lilhanand spoke to the Columbia team and the many assembled parents to let them know of the many sights in New York City she would be escorting them to. She especially emphasized that most of these tours would be walking tours as that was the only way to actually see New York City. If this year’s adventure in NYC is anything like last year’s, we should expect lots of great photos posted to the blogs coming up.

Before they said their goodbyes to their parents, I quizzed these six scholars to make sure they knew why they were heading off to Columbia. Because of the sleepy nature of the early hour, some were confused and thought they were going off to study chemistry and biology but once prompted they remembered that the real reason they’re going to Columbia is to blog--and blog they will.

Tune in later this weekend and we’ll see just how successful they’ll be at their task.