Issue 1: Spring 2005 Quarter - March 2005

EEP Names in the News

Congratulations Rich!

Doctor (to be) Rich! Yes, it's official. Rich has decided to go for his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. He begins his studies in August at the University of Southern California (USC). Although this will add to his already full calendar, he is very enthusiastic about this new academic adventure. Because of the added time he will need to spend on the USC campus, he is looking for PEEP volunteers to man the EEP office and Lounge in his absence. The plan calls for his leaving early one day a week (~2:30 pm) and coming in late the next day (~9 am) with PEEP volunteers serving as the responsible adult presence in the Lounge, late afternoon hours. He certainly is not forsaking his commitment to EEP and its students; the doctorate will actually enable him to strengthen the EEP and his skills in helping all of our kids. He will be going to classes in the evenings and will be in the EEP Lounge as usual as much as possible, Monday-Thursday, 6:30 am-4:30 pm. He expects to maintain his extra-full schedule for three years, receiving his doctorate in May of 2008. Congratulations! To volunteer to help, email Rich directly.

Looking for a parent volunteer for the EEPC. Is there a PEEP who is interested in volunteering to serve on EEPC's Judiciary and Disciplinary Committee? The parent member would correspond with the committee via email or telephone so the position isn't too time consuming. If any parent is interested and wants to volunteer or get more information, please email Samantha L. directly, EEP Club Vice-President. Thanks!

EEPsters in the News. Did you see the article on EEPster Bibhu Mohanty, who graduated last year summa cum laude with a degree in biological sciences and is now at Duke Medical School, rated in the top five in the country? The CSULA press release is available online - click here. Eleven EEPsters have been awarded the prestigious University Honors Scholarship: Priscilla B., Alezandra B., Joyce H., Tiffany K., Sam L., Ronald M., Chad P., Andrew P., Winny S., Frank S. and Lei Z. Congratulations EEP scholars! And seven EEPsters received the Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities Award: Alezandra B., Sam L., Timothy N., Andrew P., Winny S., Cat T. and Lei Z - click here for Who's Who article. More congratulations young scholars!

Congratulations Rich Maddox and Erika Garcia. On February 4th, they received recognition as CSULA's Outstanding Faculty and Staff Members of the Year! This award is meant to distinguish members of the university community who have made extraordinary efforts in providing services to the students. We know all who are reading this Newsletter would agree that they are definitely two worthy service providers! Congratulations!

EEF Website. Check out the EEF website updated with tons of useful links and information. Thank you to PEEPs Yury Kovshilovsky and Donna Hay for their efforts to make us so readily accessible for everyone online. Note that the website will link to the new EEP alumni date base (thanks to EEPster Drew G.) which will allow alumni to stay in touch with each other and report on important events in their lives.

EEF Financial News

Look at the new computers!

As You Do Your Taxes, Remember EEF! We bought and installed new computers for the EEP lounge over Exam week. We hope all the EEPsters enjoy them and take care of them! We have reached almost half our goal to date: $11,335 out of the $26,250 we were aiming for. We still have lots of items left on the list that we cannot purchase without your help. Also, remember that these gifts are tax-deductible, and we know you are taking a break from your taxes just to read this newsletter, so please put that check in the mail (Early Entrance Foundation, 16311 Ventura Blvd. Suite 1298, Encino, CA 91436) now! We really would like a contribution from EVERY family, whatever the amount, so we can show a great level of support when we ask for grants. Oftentimes, the amount of funds granted are based on the level of parent participation, so every gift - whatever the amount - is very important. With questions, email PEEP Ned Fenton. Thanks!

Electronic Scrip Update. We haven't yet received the check for the first quarter of 2005, but we're optimistic it will be great. It's never too late to sign up your grocery cards (not charge cards, just grocery club cards), for your family or even your friends and relatives, and EEP gets a percentage back on all your purchases. If you have no charitable organization specified on your card, the store just keeps all the money. We would love to add this money in for Rich's wish-list, so if you haven't done it already, you can sign yourself up online (click here) or call PEEP Donna Hay at 818/905-6249 or PEEP Shelley Kadison at 310/246-9060 for more information.

Spring Cleaning? PEEP Helene Chemel will take all those items you want to get rid of and sell them on ebay through her company iSoldIt (http://www.i-soldit.com/). She is donating ALL of the proceeds of the sales to EEP. So it's time to go through those closets and feel good about it! Call Helene directly at 818/701-0789, Monday-Saturday, 10 am-7 pm, for more details, or email her. You can deliver your items to her store at 10222 Mason Avenue in Chatsworth, or bring them to the PEEP General Meeting on Sunday, April 17th! Call or email her about large items.

Upcoming Events for EEP Families

Spring Quarter begins Monday, March 28! Dates of interest for this quarter are:

Spring Testing. The date for the second and last Washington Pre-College Test, and the bi-annual PEEP General Meeting, is Sunday, April 17th. The meeting is 10:00-11:30 am, followed by the 1:00-4:15 pm testing for prospective EEPsters. If you know of potential candidates, please refer them to the EEP office 323/343-2287 or to the EEP website.

EEP Applicant Orientation. The annual orientation evening for incoming Provies and their Parents is scheduled for Thursday, May 19th at 6-9 pm.

EEΠX Store

Rings, Sweatshirts, Yearbooks and More! We have it all! You and your EEPster can even order these items by email from home:

Cool design! (pdf drawing)

• Rings - Yes, as mentioned in the Winter 2005 quarterly newsletter, there is an EEP class ring, available for 4th year students. The rings have an EEP logo, designed by April E. (EEΠX Yearbook Chair) and the insignia of the student's major and year of CSULA graduation (click on pdf drawing link under picture to see it bigger). You can get an idea of what the rings will look like at the Jostens website or send an email to the EEΠX, attention Samantha. The rings will cost $398 for the women's 10K white or yellow gold, and $451 for the men's 10K white or yellow gold, which, although expensive, is actually slighter lower than the national average class ring cost. If you are an EEP Junior or Senior and you wish to purchase a ring, please send an email to Eleanor Boudreau at Jostens, with a copy to Sam L., and be sure to stop by on Thursday April 7th, 12 - 3 pm to have your sizing completed. There are actual rings in the EEP office for everyone to see and admire!
  
  
• Yearbooks - It's not too late to still order a Yearbook. The cost is now $35, and to reserve your copy, kindly email your request to the EEP office or call 323/343-5488 and leave a message for April E. or Catherine T.
  

  EEΠX sweatshirts are available again!

• Sweatshirts - Back by popular demand! Look out for those order forms, coming home soon (and we'll add in pictures of EEPsters modeling the sweatshirts too!). Black-that-goes-with-everything sweatshirts with the oh-so-cool-EEΠX-logo available in S, M, L and XL sizes at the incredibly low price of only $20 each. Mail in the order form or just send your child in with the cash or check (made out to "EEP Club"). Email EEΠX Treasurer Andrew P. with questions. Hurry, hurry, hurry - while quantities last! And this is for high-quality one-of-a-kind sweatshirts! What a bargain!.
  
  
• License Plate Frames - Show off your EEP pride on your car! The top part will say "Early Entrance Program" and the bottom part will say "We're Better Than You!" The frames will be black with yellow lettering, and cost about $10. We will only order them if there is enough interest, so please email EEΠX Vice-President Samantha L. if you want one (or more!).

Upcoming CSULA Events of Interest for EEP Families

Science Series. Milan Mijic (Physics & Astronomy): "How to Imagine the Universe?" Call the Department of Physics and Astronomy at 323/343-2100 for more information. Wednesday, April 13th at 8 pm in Physical Sciences 158

Jean Burden Poetry Reading. Speaker: Linton Kwesi Johnson, recognized as the world's first reggae poet. This increasingly popular event features an annual reading by a major or emerging poet. Noted poets, Pulitzer Prize winners and U.S. Poets Laureate have been guest readers since the inception of this series at Cal State L.A. Call Lauri Ramey, CSULA English Department, at 323/343-4165 for more information. Thursday, April 21st at 7 pm in the Golden Eagle Ballroom.

Science Series. Susan Terebey (Physics & Astronomy): "The Search for Extrasolar Planets." Call the Department of Physics and Astronomy at 323/343-2100 for more information. Wednesday, May 4th at 8 pm in Physical Sciences 158

Enjoy discount tickets at the Luckman

Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet. The Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet's engagement at the Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre in London garnered the company rave reviews as a "vital and major new dance voice from Los Angeles" - see more on their website. This success prompted an invitation to the new DTW Schonberg Theatre in New York as the first LA-based troupe to appear at the theatre. Now, Raiford Rogers returns to the Luckman with the premiere of Concertante, set to Frank Martin's Petite Symphonie Concertante for harpsichord, harp, piano, and two string orchestras. Rogers' award-winning Wishes and Turns, described in its 1985 incarnation as "a dance of refreshing verve and provocative intent" (Dance Magazine) and completely revised to great accolades for its 2004 revival, will also be presented. Call the Luckman Box Office at 323/343-6600 for more information. Saturday, June 4th at 8 pm at the Luckman Theatre.

Visit the CSULA website for a complete calendar of events.

Articles of Interest

Saving The Smart Kids - Time Magazine September 27, 2004 by John Cloud. "If the work is not challenging for these high-ability kids, they will become invisible. We will lose them. We already are." "A 2001 study found that 70% of kids who skipped ahead had no regrets." Click here for complete article.

Frazzled, Fretting and Freaking Out Over SAT Scores - LA Times June 12, 2004 by Greg Rubinsin. "What's amazing is just how pervasive this SAT mania has become." "I regularly hear from transfer students at UCLA that their community college professors were more involved and enthusiastic about their work." Click here for complete article.

A Lesson On College Tuition Breaks - LA Times February 29, 2004 by Kathy M. Kristof. "The government has authorized a smorgasbord of tax deductions, credits, income exclusions and savings incentives... for people paying for higher education." Learn about the Lifetime Learning Credit, the Hope Credit, the Tuition and Fees Deduction and Exclusions from income - last year's article, but still pertinent to this year's taxes! Click here for complete article.

Grouping Kids by Age Should Have Vanished With the Little Red Schoolhouse - LA Times April 26, 2004 by Denis Doyle. "Achievement alone is the proper standard for 21st century education." Click here for complete article.

For a link to all articles Rich has clipped, to learn about "twixters," "crispies," the meaning of life, the KiSS-1 gene, teens' brains and more, click here!

Links of Interest, Past Issues, Contact Information