Issue 9: Spring 2007 Quarter - March 2007

EEP Names in the News

Rich's health. As everyone knows, Rich is back in the office virtually full-time. However, as is normal recovery, his left arm and hand are still not up to snuff, so it does take him longer than usual especially in writing/email matters. But his arm and hand continue to improve daily, and a full recovery is indeed expected. As always, he would never turn down any volunteer offers of help -- hint, hint!

CSULA Mock Trial team - all EEPsters - all minors!

Mock Trial Team competes at Regionals. Congratulations to all our Mock Team members who competed against 23 other collegiate teams at Claremont-McKenna February 23-25. EEPsters Tori I., Sonia L, and David N. were the attorneys, and Katherine D., Michael L. and David S. were the witnesses; Julian B. and Troi I. were timekeepers. They won one round and won the decision in another case, and can't wait to do it again next year. They are posing in front of the Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse, where the sign says "no minor children allowed - no exceptions" -- good thing they didn't check ids, as all the team members are minors!

EEPsters in the News. Congratulations to all the EEPsters in the news!

• Grad school acceptances are just beginning to trickle in, so look to the next quarter newsletter for full details. However, early news includes Andrew P's early letter of acceptance to the Law Schools at #11 Duke and #18 USC (and an invitation from Harvard Law to apply for free!); Geoffrey Y received acceptances to 3 medical schools (#15 Case Western Reserve University, Drexel University, #17 University of Rochester); Herbert L was accepted to UC Santa Cruz for the doctorate in computer science; Paisley K. was accepted at #1 Stanford Law School; and Laura P. was accepted to graduate Studies in Psychology at #16 Columbia University.
• The EEP again scored well in the CSLA Alumni Scholarship competition with six EEPsters awarded a scholarship prize this year. Congratulations to EEPsters Alexandra B, Jennifer C, Andrew J, Samantha H and Joyce H, who were honored at an Alumni Scholarship ceremony in March.
• Jennifer C. has also won the University's Golden Eagle Award of Excellence for outstanding student achievement.
• Christopher H. was named the Computer Science Department's Senior of the Year and was honored at a campus ceremony in February.
• EEP students are actively involved in a large number of the clubs and organizations on the Cal State LA campus -- truly exemplifying the EEPC motto of Scholarship, Involvement and Responsibility with a focus on the Involvement! The following clubs and organizations are among the many groups whose officers are primarily EEP students:
  • Association for Computing Machinery (ACM): Chair (President): Andrew P; Vice Chair: Spencer P; Treasurer: Alex K; Outreach Committee Chair: Christopher L; Program Committee Chair: Andrew L-Z
  • Humanitarians on Campus (HOC)/ Ladies of EEP (LEEP): President: Natasha S; Vice President: Elizabeth C; Secretary: Maggie H
  • American Medical Student Association (AMSA): President: Theresa C; Vice President: Roy C; Treasurer: Lubabah B-G; Secretary: Christine D
  • Chemistry-Biochemistry Club: President: Christopher L; Vice President: Joyce H; Treasurer: Alexander C; Secretary: Ronald M; Historian: Michelle M; Social and Publicity Director: Steven G
  • Forensics Club: Vice President: Cory O'B; Secretary: Andrew P; Treasurer: Alejandra B-V
  • Horticultural Club: President: Catherine T; Vice President: Albert H; Secretary: Maggie H; Special Events Coordinator: Samantha L
  • General Education Honors Club: President: Swapneel P; Vice President of External Affairs: Jennifer C; Vice President of Internal Affairs: Claire W; Recording Secretary: Andrea K; Social Secretary: Amanda J; Treasurer: Sunny P
  • Golden Key Honors Society: President: Michael C; Vice President: Samantha H; Treasurer: Amanda J; Secretary: Jennifer C, Alejandra B-V
  • Mock Trial Club: President: David N; Vice President: Sonia L; Treasurer: David S
• EEP Director Rich Maddox was named to the Deans List at USC for the summer '06 term. Only students with perfect GPA's in doctoral programs receive this distinction so it is a tremendous honor! Congrats Rich!

HOC lunches for the disadvantaged

HOC (Humanitarians on campus). This EEP-driven club performs many wonderful community events, including beach clean-ups and bag lunches for the disadvantaged. Does your EEPster have some spare time? It's just once a quarter to help make up the much-appreciated bag lunches in the EEP kitchen -- tell your EEPster to contact Natasha S., Elizabeth C. or Maggie H. for more details.

EEP in Mensa Publications. Early Entrance Programs nationwide, and CSULA EEP in particular, were featured in national and local Mensa articles, thanks to PEEP Donna Hay. The January 2007 Los Angeles "L.a.mentary" publication featured the article "One of LA's best-kept secrets: the Early Entrance Program at CSULA" (click here for the article); the February 2007 national Mensa magazine "Mensa Bulletin" featured "My Son Is a High School Dropout -- and Proud of it!" (click here for the article).

Was your EEPster also infected by . . .

. . .the great moustache outbreak of 2007?

PEEP Volunteer Opportunities. PEEP volunteers are always needed for computer work (at home), office help (on campus), chaperoning and carpooling duty for EEPC events/activities and, as always, help for the biannual WPCT exams and PEEP general meetings. Please let EEP know if YOU can volunteer by calling 323/343-2287 or sending a note to Rich or EEP. Special events needing volunteers this spring include graduation.

G. J. Echternkamp documentary. '96 EEP alum Echternkamp's feature film "Frank and Cindy" premiered at the Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills on Feb 8th. It was a huge success, and will be aired on Showtime on April 12th at 10:30 pm on "this American Life", with repeats throughout the week. Wow! Congrats GJ! Visit www.sho.com/site/thisamericanlife/home.do and www.thislife.org for more information.

Ideas for fun activities while you wait. For PEEPs who drive their kids to exams, and wait for two hours or so, I thought it might be fun to collect suggestions from other PEEPs on ideas to pass the time (other than volunteering to help Rich out, of course!). I love to visit the downtown library -- it's not only convenient (15 minutes away), but also cheap! Parking is only $1 (524 S. Flower St) if you enter after 3 pm, perfect for those later exams, or a whole-family after-school trip to avoid the worst traffic -- the library is open until 8 pm Mon-Thur. (Be sure to get your ticket validated; if you enter earlier than 3 pm, it costs $1 for the first hour, $3/hour for the next two hours, and then *ouch* $4/12 minutes!! -- keep an eye on your watch!) Email me with other suggestions for future newsletters. Visit the LAPL website at http://www.lapl.org/

new 30-minute meters in Lot B

New Parking Meters at CSULA. Parking lots B and D are getting new 30-minute parking meters which PEEPs and EEPsters may find useful. The ones in Lot B (on the South side of Bio Sciences) are operational now, and the ones in Lot D (on the South side of Administration) will be ready in mid-April concurrent with all the upgrades to that lot.

Office news. Three personnel changes are taking place in the front office. Congrats to Lisa Sakamoto who is expecting a baby this summer! This exciting addition to her family will affect her counseling hours for your EEPster. EEPster Amanda Jancu who had been working in the front office is graduating and planning to attend law school, but is already grooming her replacement EEPster Sharon Ready. Finally, Randi Swedenberg, Academic Counselor, is also graduating, so Rich is looking for a replacement Grad Assistant for this position.

EEPC Tutors. Don't those quarters fly by fast? If your EEPster is interested in being a tutor, or in need of some tutoring for a difficult course, remind him/her not to procrastinate! Have your EEPster email EEPC Academic Chair Samantha H. for more information. The Tutoring Program is an essential part of EEP success!

The cubbies were left in dismal disarray over Spring Break

Remind your EEPster to be neat. The EEP staff was not happy with how the cubbie and locker area was left over Spring Break. We know all EEPsters are anxious to get to that short week of vacation, but, that is still no reason to leave personal items in such disarray. For more disturbing pictures, click here! Rich cleaned most of this up himself, and that will lead directly to a new policy!! Remind your EEPsters that Rich is not their mother!

Reminder: PEEP Website and Yahoo Group. The PEEP website is continuously updated with tons of useful links and information, including our private Yahoo PEEP group which contains a private PEEP roster with city and emails so PEEPs can set up carpools, or just get in touch with the parents of your EEPster's friends.

EEF Financial News

Annual Giving Campaign Last Call! These PEEP donations go 100% to Rich to buy everything you see in the EEP lounge, even the quarterly cleaning! We have already received almost $18,000, with about 40% of our families participating, but remember that every gift, whatever the amount, is important to us, and is much appreciated. Please join in! Make your check out to "Early Entrance Foundation" and mail to: 16311 Ventura Blvd, #1298, Encino, CA 91436.

Fun and games and a tax break too!

College tax break. Over 25% of Americans fail to take advantage of the myriad of college-related tax breaks -- don't be one of them! As an example, a family with a household income of $60,000 with a child in college and another in graduate school can pocket more than $3,000 a year with the Hope Credit (a per-student annual credit for the first two years of higher education), deducting interest paid on student loans and deducting tuition and fees for the graduate student. The tax-advantaged college savings plans, known as 529 plans, can also boost your savings. And even if you're getting hit with the alternative minimum tax, these are credits that, unlike many others, still apply. Be sure to check out all that apply to you!

eScrip is Easy! It's simple, it raises lots of money for EEP, it's free and it needs you! Just sign up your grocery cards once (not charge cards, just grocery club cards) -- for your family or even your friends and relatives too -- and EEP gets a percentage back on all the grocery purchases all year long! If you have no charitable organization specified on your cards, the stores just keep all the money. Sign yourself up online (click here) or call (818/905-6249) or email (dhay16301@sbcglobal.net) PEEP Donna Hay for help, information or to let her know you signed yourself up. We raise over $1000 a year from this!

ebay Donations. Don't discard, Donate! PEEP Helene Chemel will convert your unwanted collectibles into cash for EEP on ebay through her i-soldit store in Chatsworth. Drop your items off anytime at her store or bring them to the PEEP meeting April 15th; visit the I-SoldIt website for more information.

Upcoming Events for EEP Families

Spring Quarter 2007 Important Dates. Dates of interest for this quarter are:

WPCT dates. The WPCT and PEEP meeting will be Sunday, April 15th. As usual, the meeting is 10-11:30 am, followed by the 1-4:15 pm testing for prospective EEPsters. PEEP volunteers are needed to help with the PEEP meeting and the WPCT meeting, including bringing snack foods! Remember, prospective EEPsters and their parents are always blown away by the EEPsters who are monitors and speakers -- we need your EEPster too! Don't forget that this is a good time to bring those unwanted tchotchkes for EEP to sell on ebay!!

Volunteer Opportunities. Please get as involved in the PEEP as you can! We appreciate your partnership and help! As mentioned above, the EEPC needs parent help with chaperoning duties (the spring formal and graduation), carpooling for events/activities and just plain old advise giving and wisdom dispensing -- email the EEP office at eepstaff@cslanet.calstatela.edu. PEEP also has many volunteer positions available, such as the April meeting and test, organizing next year's parent welcome, coordinator of escrip, newsletter-writing, PEEP website maintenance, etc -- please email PEEP Donna Hay at dhay16301@sbcglobal.net.

EEΠX Store

Yearbooks, Sweatshirts, T-shirts and More! We have it all! Just have your EEPster order one, and Rich will send home the item and a bill! With questions, email the EEP Club or call 323/343-5488 and leave a message.

Freshmen Cristiana P, Chris K and Jonathan W -- modeling EEP store items!

• Yearbooks - The order for the first "pressing" has been placed! But, the Yearbook Committee is still adding current photos, personal pages, and videos -- have your EEPster submit these to the yearbook chair, Margaret L., in person or by email. If you or your EEPster forgot to place your order, and you simply must have one, get in touch with Margaret for the costs involved with a second pressing.
  
• T-shirts and Sweatshirts, etc. Your EEpster has a choice of two t-shirts, and two sweatshirts, and don't forget that bodaciously amusing license plate frame (it makes a cute picture frame too!)
  • Lemonhead Sweatshirt - just $25 for this one-of-a-kind distinctive outerwear!
  • Lemonhead T-shirts - for $10 cash or check for the companion long-sleeve t-shirt.
  • EEPC t-shirt - guaranteed as unique, this t-shirt features the likeness of EEPster 2006 graduate Neshan! $10 for this limited edition t-shirt!
  • EEΠX Sweatshirts - only $20 for this black-that-goes-with-everything sweatshirt with its oh-so-cool-Greek-EEΠX-logo! Your EEPster will want to show off EEP pride!
  • License Plate Frames - a mere $5 pittance and you can playfully diss everyone ("we're better than you")! And as a special incentive, get one FREE with any order!
• EEP smiley face Mug. It's in a bright yellow, of course! Guaranteed to make you smile every morning! Only $5.
• Rings - EEP class rings, available for 4th year students and graduates, have an EEP logo (pdf drawing) designed by April E. and the insignia of the student's major and year of CSULA graduation. You can get an idea of what the rings will look like at the Jostens website. The rings cost $398 for the women's and $451 for the men's (10K white or yellow gold).

Upcoming CSULA Events of Interest for EEP Families

FREE Tax Return Preparation! The IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program offers FREE tax services to low and moderate income individuals who cannot prepare their own income tax returns. First-come, first-serve basis on Fridays and Saturdays. No Appointments! Salazar Hall, room 363. Through April 14th, of course! Call David Hossain, Accounting Dept., at (323) 343-2847 for more information. (And who designed that IRS logo? Scary-looking, huh?)

Winter 2007 Science Series
--- Wed, Apr 11th at 8 pm - Alison McCurdy (Chemistry and Biochemistry): "Molecular Attractions: Peptides and Photoswitches"
--- Wed, May 9th at 8 pm - Betsy Peitz (Biological Sciences): "Development of the Testes and the Male Reproductive Tract"
Both are free, at Physical Sciences 158. Call (323) 343-2100 for information.

An Inconvenient Truth. In his award-winning film An Inconvenient Truth, Vice President and former President-Elect Al Gore offers a passionate and inspirational look at efforts to halt global warming's deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. The 96-minute film will be followed by a discussion, giveaways, and opportunities to connect with others concerned about the environment. Thur, April 5th at 6:15 pm in the Golden Eagle Ballroom. Call (323) 343-5001 for information.

Spring Lectures and Readings.
--- Wed, April 11th at 6:30 pm - Jean Burden Poetry Reading's featured 2007 poet is Andrew Motion, the Poet Laureate of Britain, in his first appearance in Los Angeles. In the Golden Eagle Ballroom - call (323) 343-4140 for information.
--- Fri, April 13th, 3:15-5 pm - Philosophy Department's Visiting Speaker Colloquium features Ned Block (NYU): "The Methodological Problem of Finding Consciousness in the Brain." At King Hall C4070 - free - call (323) 343-4180 for information.
--- Thur, April 26th at 6:30 pm - David L. Kubal Memorial Lecture: "Humanities, Ecology, and 17th-Century Art" Speaker: Robert N. Watson, an internationally recognized English Renaissance scholar and a professor of English at UCLA. In the Golden Eagle Ballroom - visit the website or call (323) 343-4140 for information.
--- Sat, May 5th 1:30-3 pm - Philosophy Department's Faculty Brownbag Colloquium features Henry Mendell (Cal State L.A.): topic TBA. At E&T A420 - free - call (323) 343-4180 for information.
--- Fri, May 11th at 2 pm - 24th Annual Leon Pape Memorial Lecture: "Small Wonders: The World of Nano Science" Speakers: Horst L. Stormer, Isidor Isaac Rabi Professor of Physics, Columbia University, New York, NY, and adjunct physics vice president, Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ. Physical Sciences 158. Call (323) 343-2100 for more information.

Cinco de Mayo Concert. Join in on the fun at the annual “no-alcohol” concert headlined by Quinto Sol, and featuring other local bands and spoken word artists. Fri, May 4th, 7-11 pm in the Golden Eagle Ballroom. Call (323) 343-5001 for information.

CSULA Calendar for all events available at http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/calendar/

LACHSA too. EEPsters and their families might also be interested in LACHSA events, such as Candide in November. Visit their website for their schedule, with details on their many concerts throughout the LA area, as well as their events at CSULA's Luckman Theatre.

Articles of Interest

Make Your Savings Last As Long As You Do - BottomLine, March 1, 2007. New Strategies for IRAs and 401(k)'s -- this is a good time to take a new look at your IRA and 401(k) strategies and see how they may affect your taxes because of new federal laws. Click here for complete article.

Six Ways Men Can Make Their Marriages Much Happier, ...and what wives can do too - BottomLine, February 1, 2007. Men often are told that they must behave in ways that are totally unnatural for the average man. Here are steps men can take that will make their marriages happier but still let them be themselves. Click here for complete article.

Top Mistakes That Make Homeowners Prime Targets for Burglars - BottomLine, Winter 2007. To get the real scoop on how to protect your home, a reformed burglar talks about the top 7 mistakes people make most often. Click here for complete article.

Make Your Grandchild a Tax-Free Millionaire - BottomLine, Winter 2007. Just $2,000 a year for five years and your child will be a millionaire at age 65! Click here for complete article.

For a link to the index of dozens of articles Rich has clipped -- to learn about homework myths, MySpace safety, "crispies", "twixters" and much more -- click here!

Old Favorites! A Nation Deceived - a study summarizing 50 years of research on acceleration and its effectiveness - at this website http://nationdeceived.org/download.html and TIME's "Saving The Smart Kids" - a 2001 study found that 70% of kids who skipped ahead had no regrets.

Links of Interest, Past Issues, Contact Information