El Cerrito Meetup - Itineraries and Answers

Last night was the final meeting for many of us before our summer departure. We met at the El Cerrito High School Library to answer those long-awaited questions from parents and students, as well as to give out the itineraries for each group.

Before we dispersed into our separate rooms, Mr. Don Ellis introduced his new idea to us all. He is planning to publish the poetry and stories of ILC participants. These books would be printed and/or available online, and available for sale. He said that it was a possibility that book signings and newspaper reviews could ensue. This is an extremely generous and fantastic opportunity. Teen writers can finally spread their works out, past their diaries and journals, past their blogs and websites, past the school’s literary magazines. Their literature would actually be published and made into a book. People from all around would be able to read these students’ works.

The rest of the evening was spent in our separate class rooms, giving information about the trip, answering questions, and passing out the itineraries.

Ms. Bulls, our chaperone, asked the Vandies to go online or look in travel books to find some sights we would like to see - museums, historical sites, famous places, or entertainment. I am looking forward to researching what side trips we can make while in Tennessee and Georgia.


Attending this meeting only makes me more excited to leave for Vanderbilt already. I want to be on that plane tomorrow. But unfortunately, my tomorrow won’t include me traveling on a plane. Tomorrow I will be taking two SAT Subject Tests back at El Cerrito High School, and studying for finals.

Ah, summer. Please hurry along.