NEWSLETTER
The past few seasons have flown by for The Independent School Alliance, and they have been filled with celebration and accomplishment. In June, we held our Annual Picnic and Student Recognition Program at the Curtis School. More than 300 families attended and cheered on as we celebrated the academic achievements of Alliance students. The honored students included 50 members of the Class of ’08. They have followed in the footsteps of previous graduating classes, and all are currently enjoying their freshman year at some of our country’s most competitive colleges and universities. The June celebration also gave us our first annual opportunity to award scholarships to two of our graduating seniors. Ezrah K. Bryant (Chadwick) and Daniel Velazquez (Harvard Westlake) were the winners of the Azaliy Hekymara Memorial Fund Scholarship Contest, and their beautifully written essays earned each of them a $1,500 award. Ezrah used his scholarship money to help meet his financial needs as he entered Loyola Marymount University in September. Daniel’s award was applied to his first-year costs at Brown University.
And soon after we bid farewell to our graduating seniors, we became better acquainted with many of our new students during our annual Summer Orientation Program. Held in August at Pitzer College, the five-day intensive residential prep program helped 46 newly enrolling secondary students understand the rigorous academic challenges ahead. Classes were offered in English/Study Skills, Math, Computers, and a lab Science. Faculty for the program came from Buckley, Country, New Roads, Oakwood and Westland. Alliance students and alumni volunteered as student counselors and came from Brentwood, Brentwood alum/USC, Flintridge, Marlborough, New Roads, Oakwood, Vistamar and Windward alum/Fullerton.
As 659 Alliance students were settling into their classes this past September, 551 who benefited from $10.3 million dollars in financial aid, The Independent School Alliance staff was busy planning two organizational events.
On November 10th, we gathered supporters for our Luncheon Series. More than generous friends of The Independent School Alliance attended the event at the Regency Club, where they had an opportunity to learn more about The Independent School Alliance, talk to Alliance board members, enjoyed a program that featured presentations by Joanie Green, Director of the Crossroads Elementary School, and by Alliance student Kristina Murray, a senior at Crossroads Secondary School.
Just a few short weeks later, on Saturday, November 22nd, we held our biannual Across Colors Conference at Campbell Hall. Nearly 300 students and adults from Alliance member schools attended the day-long conference, which featured a keynote by Kip Fulbeck as well as workshops designed for students and adults to promote cross-cultural dialogue.
As we approach the end of this historically remarkable year, I am filled with a sense of hope and promise for our country. I am grateful for the support of our member schools in providing opportunities that will forever change the lives of our students and their families.
Manasa Tangalin, Executive Director
