Middle College
Summer 2022 Newsletter
Mark Your Calendars!
May 30: Yearbook Launch
June 13: CSM Summer 2021 Session Begins
August 10: Middle College Classes Begin
August 17: CSM Fall 2021 Classes Begin
Save
the
Date!
MC 2022
Yearbook Launch
- - - May 30th - - -
Be sure to keep an eye on your email!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
-- Middle College --
Class of 2022
For more photos of the celebration, and others from the year, CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE to read the blurbs that were read for each senior who crossed the stage. We are so proud of all of you!
Seniors! What will you miss most?
"I will miss that comforting feeling of people having your back just because you go to the same school and everyone is on the same page."
"I’ll miss the security of not having to know what you’re going to do with your life."
"The middle college teachers!!! What an amazing support system."
"My friends, teachers, and all the familiar faces"
What are you most excited about?!
"I am exited to meet new people and discover the world."
"I am most excited about this new level of independence."
"My classes!! Getting my AA degree!!"
"Pursuing my dream career!"
"Getting to choose my path."
What is your favorite memory?
"Going to Scandia, doing an escape room with my friends, and drawing on the whiteboard in Lien's advisory."
"My greatest memory from the past two years has to be the Middle College dance. It was really enjoyable to spend time with that small group of classmates outside of class. The energy was so positive and I think a lot of people came out of their shell. I’ll always remember Diego wearing his shades and showing off his moves. It’s also the first time I actually tried dancing, which was a lot of fun."
 "Playing volleyball on the lawn outside of building 12 with my friends"
"Community day."
"My senior reflection."
"Scandia fieldtrip!"
What's the most important lesson you've learned?
"To be kind to everyone."
"To make sure I stop once in a while."
"That everyone has times where they feel lost and where they don’t really know what they’re doing."
"Perseverance through the difficult times."
"Being authentic."
"That the way you live your life is a choice."
"I am capable of anything. I am beyond all expectations."
What is one piece of advice you have for the juniors heading into senior year?
"Just live in the present and make the best out of your senior year, but also don’t forget that it’s probably not going to be as easy as you think."
"To stay on top of their responsibilities but also to be kids."
"Don’t procrastinate!"
"Talk to people, go outside your comfort zone and try new things."
"I’ve learned that it’s okay to not have a clear sense of where you're going. What really matters is that you constantly extend yourself and try new things. In other words, “say ‘yes’ to life!”
"Have fun!"
End of the year picnic!

We had a great time celebrating a much deserved end-of-the-year together at our annual picnic! The day was filled with pizza, indoor and outdoor games, and lots of memory making :)
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Some other things to celebrate...
Mr. Burke is retiring!
As many of you know, this year was Mr. Burke’s last year as a Middle College teacher. After 35 years of teaching, three of which have been at Middle College, Mr. Burke decided to retire from the classroom. Mr. Burke’s favorite part about Middle College was interacting with students and building strong relationships with everyone in the school.  

One of the questions we get asked a lot as Middle College students is why we chose to come to Middle College. Many of us came for the ability to take college classes and to graduate early when we go to a university, but many more of us sought both a small and tight-knit learning community and a new environment away from our homeschools. Despite being a teacher, Mr. Burke came to Middle College for many of the same reasons. Mr. Burke came to Middle College for a small learning community in which he could build stronger relationships with his students. He also wanted to change his environment after teaching at Burlingame for 28 years.  

Now that he is retired, Mr. Burke first plans on catching up on his sleep after the chaotic last few weeks. Additionally, as many of his students know, Mr. Burke loves to go fly fishing. He plans to go fly fishing in places like Idaho, Oregon, Vermont, and Colorado, and in Colorado, he will also have his Peace Corps reunion.  But even though Mr. Burke is retiring from the classroom, he will continue his career as an author and as a speaker. In fact, Mr. Burke currently has two books in production right now.  

Additionally, Mr. Burke will stay connected with Middle College in a variety of ways. First off, he will be working as a substitute teacher for at least thirty days out of the school year, partly because he loves Middle College so much and partly because he wants to collect his health care benefits from the school district. He will try to sub mostly for Middle College and he might also work with seniors on their college essays in the fall. Lastly, Mr. Burke says that he will be available to write letters of recommendation in the fall, and his contact info is on the last page of the live agenda for students who had Mr. Burke as their English teacher.

Overall, Mr. Burke was a fantastic teacher who truly cared for his students. The impact he has had on the Middle College community will never be forgotten and he will surely be missed by all of Middle College.
National Poetry Month
April is National Poetry Month! To celebrate, here is a favorite poem written by one of our graduating seniors, Sheima Amir-Araghi:
Next Time

If there ever happens to be a next time, I hope you see how've I've bloomed
My love affair to the sun shone brightly upon my face
My light would shine upon all your dimmed blossoms
And you too would flourish

Let it be the next time I see you again
If I ever do
You come exploring all the places we promised to go together
That you let go of all your grudges and inhibitions to travel by my side
You're not as afraid of dying as you used to be

Let it be that the next time I see you, I say everything I couldn't before
You would bite your tongue
As I cried how hard it was when you left
I tell you I healed in your absence
Yet you still vanished 
Making me wonder if you were ever really there

Let it be the next time I see you
You greet me with a smile that reaches your eyes
You have aged beautifully and finally accepted rest
It's all I've ever wanted for you and I'm so happy

Let it be that when we finally do see each other, we are both everything we wanted for ourselves
We have done what we came to do while our ways were parted
And we may get together for a cup of coffee once a month, once a year, or once a decade
Maybe we'll talk until the cafe closes and we're asked to leave
Until then
Ramadan: April 1 - May 1
Graduating senior Ahmed Rashad shares the ritual of Ramadan with us:

"Ramadan is the ninth month in the islamic calendar, and it’s the month where Muslims fast everyday throughout the Month from sunrise to sunset.

There are a ton of traditions in Ramadan apart from fasting, such as praying Taraweh (a late night prayer in the mosque that lasts 1-2 hours), giving a lot to the people in need (Food, Money, Clothes, etc.), a lot of family gatherings almost everyday at sunset, to feast, and the vibes are immaculate. 

For me, Ramadan represents family, faith, self control and spirituality, as it teaches you that if you could control yourself from basic necessities such as eating and drinking, then you should easily control yourself from committing sins.  

Lastly after the Month of Ramadan is over, we celebrate 4 days of Eid Al-Fitr (Muslim holiday, =Christmas for Christians) where we get a lot of money and presents from our families, and eat in the morning to break the tradition that was going on for a month. Unfortunately though it’s not a national holiday YET, which isn’t fair because sometimes teachers refuse to let students out for the day, so hopefully that changes one day!!"
Juniors! What are you most looking forward to next year??
"Exploring new classes for my major, spending my last year in high school with my friends, and having an amazing time."
"Having a great, active senior year."
"Making new friends and seeing old ones"
"New college classes, looking for colleges/universities"
"I look forward to having more fun classes and new teachers. Although I will miss Mr. Burke and Rohrbach!"
"My new classes and finishing my last year of high school"
What is the most important lesson you learned this year?
"Put your mind to your goal and you will achieve it. Goals cannot be accomplished without perseverance and a positive mindset!"
"Give yourself credit, and never stop trying."
"Take your time and eventually everything will turn out alright"
"If I want something in life, I'll have to get up and do it myself."
"I can't take night classes"
What is one piece of advice for incoming juniors?
"Life is too short to be sad about things you will miss out on or goals you were not able to achieve. Things happen for a reason and don’t sulk on things that won’t matter in five years. A positive mindset and being goal oriented will help you in middle college and life in general. Always remember to have fun, grades aren’t everything!"
"Have a game plan set. You WILL run into some blocks, and you need to find a way to overcome them."
"Don’t procrastinate."
"Try not to hold on to the past too much because the point of the present is to keep moving."
"Express yourself fully, because there will always be people here who will love you for who you are. Also don't be afraid to ask for help, it really helps emotionally and academically."
"Take as many desired classes as permitted. Middle college is a great place for you to start exploring your options and honing in on your potential interests.
try different classes at different times to see what you'll like and how you handle different classes at different times."
What can juniors do for college over the summer?
With the school year coming to an end, it is time for all Middle College students to take a much-needed break and enjoy the summer. But for rising seniors, summer is also a great time to start thinking about college. There are four main things you can do over the summer in preparation for college applications in the fall.
Firstly, summer is a great time to visit any colleges you might be interested in applying to. Many people tend to think that visiting schools over the summer is not a good idea because students won’t be on campus, but this is not the case. While it is true that fewer students will be on campus than if you went in the fall, for instance, many students take summer classes to stay on track for graduation. So long as you register for an in-person guided tour through the college website, you will be given the opportunity to speak with students and admissions counselors which can give you great insight into programs or majors you might be interested in. If there is a school you might want to attend, you should definitely consider taking a tour of the school over the summer break.

Another productive way to spend your time over the summer is by taking a college class or two. Many colleges, including UC schools, don’t look at your grades for your senior year, so this summer is your last chance to improve your GPA before applying to colleges. Additionally, the lighter class load combined with the fact that CSM classes are graded on a five-point scale makes summer classes the perfect way to improve your GPA.

Another way you can improve your college resume is by adding to your work experience whether that be pursuing a volunteer opportunity, getting a job, finding an internship, or even starting your own business. Adding to your work experience shows colleges that you are hard-working, committed, and dedicated to being the best version of yourself. Work experience also helps with your resume for your future career after college.

The last thing you can do for college over the summer is to begin working on your college essays. College essays are an integral part of the college application process, especially now that SATs and ACTs are out of the picture for many universities. It is therefore important to begin working on your essays early to give yourself ample time for the revising and editing process. There are countless free resources available on youtube that can help you get started, and you should aim to have a draft or at least an outline before coming back to school in the fall.  

Taking a free college class or adding to your work experience will make you more confident when applying to colleges, and visiting college campuses or starting on your college essays will make the college application process a whole lot easier. All rising seniors should aim to prepare for college applications in one of the ways described above, if not more, but don’t forget to also enjoy your summer and relax!
-- Devin Gowdy --
Speaking of relaxing...
Looking for some flicks to watch over the summer? Check out graduating senior Ethan Dubovsky's brilliant movie reviews on youtube! EDPC Reviews
However you choose to spend your summer, we hope it's a great one!
-- Your Newsletter Team --
Maya Srimal
Angela Dayag
Clara Sapugay
Jaden Luke
Kati Luechtefeld
Lindsay Liu
Katherine Errington
Maya Richter
Sheima Amir-Araghi
Devin Gowdy