10/10 Fall Foliage

Never have I experienced the seasons without their California pretensions! The colors are just astounding! Skies are blue and temperatures are ideal.

The colors bring me such pleasure and make me all the more content to have matriculated at Middlebury College.

Follow the link to more pictures of the campus in fall.  Middlebury in the Fall

8/27 Moving into Stewart Hall

Middlebury College is such a fabulous place! I reside in Stewart Hall with my roommate Darryl from Jamaica on a single sex floor! My room is very comfortable. I just got the green rug from the bookstore! There is great scenery outside my window and lots of squirrels.

I am having a great time here at orientation. I do not have a lot of pictures because my camera charger is coming in the mail after accidentally packing it. I take pictures sparingly. We are having a week of mixing activities that promote meeting others and  getting acquainted with the campus.

Graduation Party Woo~

The festive gathering occurred at my home in Newark just hours after the Newark Memorial

commencement ceremony. I cannot recall having so much fun at a party in my life. So many people that came out to support me. You cannot conceive what a graduation party feels like until you actually have one.  I had such a great time in high school and know that my legacy will prosper as I more to higher heights.

The food was so delicious and I had so much fun with family and friends. I am so excited about attending Middlebury College in three months. 

I think that I will take it easy this summer. I know its going to be a good one.

Vincent Graduates from High School

On the 16th of June, I graduated with my class of 480 from Newark Memorial High School.

Can you believe the graduation only lasted an hour?

I am so happy to be done with high school and am very excited about attending Middlebury College!

Benevolent Theft!

At the conclusion of a spirit-filled service, an individual yet to be identified stole the benevolent offering which was in an envelope in a Deacon's Holy Bible at the front of the church during the Holy Communion! It happened in the front of the church in front of everyone, yet nobody saw. How horrible!

Peacefull Dinner for Two Goes Awry

Yesterday I invited a friend to eat with me at one of my favorite Indian resaurants. She brought a "little fresheman friend" with her. The freshman friend attempted suicide at the site. Police were involved. What a day. More details to come. I need a drink (of chocolate soy milk at least).

Vincent Receives Leadership and Civic Involvement Award

On Sunday April 27th, I was recognized with an award from the Southern Alamenda County Alliance of African American Educators for my Leadership and Civic Service Contributions. I am beginning to run out of room on my wall for all these awards.

Vincent Selects: Middlebury College

It feels so good to know where I am going to college. Middlebury is such a gorgeous and wonderful place to study. I cannot wait to go there next year. Click this link for images of my most recent visit. Click image above to enlarge.

Day 1 Pt 1) http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24922&l=fa9fb&id=566838799
Day 1 Pt 2) http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24925&l=bb84b&id=566838799
Day 2 Pt 1) http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24920&l=8854e&id=566838799
Day 2 Pt 2) http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24921&l=d8169&id=566838799

Vincent Selects a College

To Be Revealed on the Evening of April 16th, 2008

Two of Three

Yesturday I was informed of my admissions to Middlebury College of Vermont. I have made it into two of my three top choice schools. I now await admissions to Harvard. Hopefully I will find out today.

Vincent Recieves Gates Millennium Scholarship

I am so grateful to be a Gates Millennium Scholar. The Gates Millennium Scholars program, established in 1999, was initially funded by a 1 billion dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.My college education is now completely covered at whatever institution I choose to go to. This is truly a dream come true.

I came home from my 6 hour train ride from the Bakersfield conferences to receive a large package. Inside was a tri-fold informational folder with a letter and award of gold inside with my name on it.

After a rigorous nomination, recomendation, and applicaiton process, I was of the seven percent that was selected who demonstrated outstanding academics, leadership, and community service. Now I need to choose a college, its getting hard with all these choices.

Vincent Receives African American Achiever Award

On February 20th, 2008 I was presented with the African American Achiever Award from Foothill College of Los Altos Hills. I was nominated by Ms. P. Redd, counselor of the class of 2010 and advisor of the Black Student Union of wich I currently serve as President.

I am very grateful for being awarded for my efforts and will continue to strive to make the world a better place on my journey towards higher education.

Go Bears!

Well I just got into 1 of my three top choice schools. I await acceptance to Middlebury and to Harvard. Today I went to Berkeley and purchased a track jacket.

This is all so exciting for me.

If I get into Harvard, I will be returning my jacket on Monday.

Vincent Staffs Region 8 Conferences

For the first 3 days of his spring Break March 24-27, Vincent rode amtrack to Bakersfield to staff 2 conferences. The Youth Action Summit of Kern (Similar to the Action Summit of California, but just for that region) and the Leaders in Life Conference.

I havent gone through the intense summer training that the other counselors went through and at first i was a little weary of my ability to teach curriculum. I went down there expecting to make posters and things of that nature.

The first day I co-facilitated with Menelick. I was so glad that he was there by my side. Menelick has been so helpful to me since I joined the State Council. The other counselors and the Gamma supported me the entire time and I walked away feeling accomplished. I thank Willie and Megan for bestowing those responsibilities upon me because they helped me to grow.

Legislators were present at the dinner at the first conference and received our proposals. How great is that?!

Vincent Represents California to Pakistan, Russia and the UK

At YASC, the Youth Action Summit of California, students from all over the State came together to discuss world issues. We then developed action plans to carry out at the local level.

Vincent Jones via a world wide web uplink presented the work from the Hunger and Poverty Committee.

Vincent left the conference in Ontario inspired and increasingly motivated to make a difference.

Vincent Sings the National Anthem

Put your right hand over your stomach.

On Friday March 20th, ASB Vice President sang the national anthem at his school's HATS assembly. HATS stands for Hands Across Time and Space and is a multi-cultural assembly. It is the most popular assembly of the year. Over 5000 eyeballs watched with glee as Vincent evoked chills upon the student body.

Vincent Gets Promoted

Hello Everyone,

It has been quite some time since my last post. I desireto report that I have been promoted to the State Council of CASC, and currently serve as the newsletter editor! My interview was last Monday. I am so happy and ready to take on my new responsibilities.

Vincent

Happy Thanksgiving

I am having a wonderful day with family friends and food!

Shrimp Purses and Mangled Chicken

A couple of days ago my grandmother and I went shopping at Safeway. Because we were there so long, I purchased 2 shrimp purses for a dollar and two potstickers. Thereafter we went to Raleys to purchase some rotiserie chicken.

When we got home, we realized that the chicken was missing  a leg and a thigh and the bagger at Safeway failed to pack my chinese food. So after 3 hours of shopping, we went back to the two stores, retrieved the cold chinese food, and got our money back for the chicken. 

What a night.

Prince Vince

Vincent Poses with the Court (Above) and his Princess (to the Right)

Vincent was Crowned as 4th Prince at the Homecoming Game on Friday and enjoyed dancing with the homecoming court at the Homecoming Dance on Saturday. Vincent and the court will enjoy a fine breakfast at the Hilton on Monday; transported thitherto via limosine.

This is Vincent's most memorable high school experience to date.

Vincent Makes Top 5

Today we had the Opening Spirit Week Assembly where I was presented to the student body as one of the top 20 male candidates for homecoming. The crowd cheered with vigor at the sound of my name as my escorts showered me with confetti at the end of the runway in my gold and black suit.

Voting occurred at lunch and the top five male and female candidates were announced just before school ended.

Being in the top five court guarantees that I will either be homecoming king or 1st- 4th prince on Friday.

Vincent is Nominated for Homecoming King!

ASB Vice President Vincent Jones was nominated for homecoming king by the Black Student Union and has made top-twenty. Vincent will be presented to the student body this Friday in the Opening Spirit Week Assembly by escorts still to be determined. All are welcome to watch him walk the carpet of red in the NMHS Event Center.

Vincent Prepares for Spirit Week

The Student Body Vice President Vincent Jones has many responsibilities pertaining to Spirit Week 08. Each class competes with a half hour long or so skit complete with elaborate dance numbers and props.

Vincent was cast as Zurg, the evil villain of the plot and his outfit is currently under production by Allan's Lee's mother. Vincent will also appear in a dance choreographed by Rachael Gratz.

Seniors perform next Thursday (the 18th) in the New Event Center at My School. All are welcome to attend. There is no cost.

Vincent Sets Out To Attain a 4.4 GPA

Vincent is a very busy young man and has a lot on his plate. This year he is taking five AP and honors courses in addition to his extra-curricular activities and non AP courses. Vincent plans to attain 2 A's and 3 B's which will give him a 4.4 weighted GPA.

Vincent has never failed at anything that he has applied himself to and does not want to start now. Please do all that you can to provide support and encouragement to Vincent to help motivate him through the semester.

Vincent Flies to Vermont!

On the 13th of October Vincent Jones will be flying out to Middlebury Liberal Arts College to tour the campus for a total of thee days.

Vincent was informed of the splendors of this unique rural campus through the director of his math and science program Ms. St. Roseman who visited the campus over the summer.

In the August 2007 edition of U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges, Middlebury was ranked as the nation's fifth-best national liberal arts college. In the 2007 edition of the Princeton Review's Best 361 Colleges, Middlebury was cited as having the best professors of any college or university in the country.

Middlebury is known for its grand language, science, performing arts, and study abroad programs and presently teaches Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek (Attic), Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Vincent Was Well-Cast in His Fall Musical

Hello Everyone!

Vincent would like to inform you that he has received a wonderful part as the Lead Balladeer in our Fall Musical Assassins.

The Balladdeer pretty much sings songs throughout the production to inform the audience about the assassins. In 2004 Assassins won the award for "Beest Revival of a Musical.

It will be presented 6 times only at the Newark Memorial Theatre, 39375 Cedar Blvd.,In Newark on: Fridays & Saturdays November 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 & 17 at 8 PM. Order your tickets today. Vincent would greatly appreciate your support. You can buy your tickets from me for 10.00 dollars. Email at vincejones@sbcglobal.net or call him on his mobile phone.

Vincent is Appointed to Fill A Grand Position

Hello Everyone! I write to inform you that I have just been appointed as the Region 4 (Bay Area) Public Relations Director for CASC! (The California Association of Student Councils) This is a great honor!

I also just placed an order for my senior pictures! They are so wonderful! I can't believe that I am going to be graduating soon. The picture to the left is an example!

Vincent Attends CASC Leadership Camp (Stanford)

Hello everyone. I cannot believe that I have not updated my blog in over two months! I have been really busy with a lot of great things! I am going to begin blogging more frequently but in order to do that, my blog entries will be much shorter. I dedicate this entry to the phenomenal time I had at leadership camp! It was the time of my life.

At the beginning of August I spent four days at CASC Camp at Stanford University! To top things off I had the best roommate ever. Ross was engaging, open-minded, fun to talk to, and just a great person in general! We shared a lot of experiences and had many great conversations.

I met so many people and extended my contact list by about 40 contacts. I absolutely loved the people in my circle group! My group counselor Paula was extremely well versed and competent and led our group through many enriching exercises like facilitating and recording. (LOL inside joke).

We also had really good public speakers!

Together (my group with the entire casc population) we watched this one movie on stereotyping and racism and it was mind boggling. The discussion thereafter was even more so. Even though I was only with that group of ten for four days, it seemed like we had known each other for years when it was all over.

The banquet the day before the program ended was very moving and filled with emotion. I sang The Lion Sleeps Tonight and Ombra Mai Fu and riveted the crowd. The best dance of my life followed the banquet! Everyone knew me for sure after my songs and I danced with so many people.

I walked away so profoundly effected by my experience that I applied for CASC State Council! Thats another story.

SMASH Recognition Event

The End of the Road



This event was so great that I could not simply stuff it into my first post about SMASH. At the end of the summer there is always this big program where students are recognized for their hard work. This year it was held at Scot's Seafood in Jack London Square in Oakland California. There were so many people there! Myself and Xiomara Cortez were the masters of ceremony. Xiomara did the translating. Because it was my last ring and also because I thought taht it would be entertaining, I executed four wardrobe changes! I started out with a West African outfit and transitioned into traditional European formal wear- wearing black slacks and changing into different colored shirts as we progressed through the program. I was honored when the first year cohort present ed us with Smash medallions that read SMASH class of 2008. I also performed Ombra Mai Fu from Handel during the entertainment period of the event while select students waltzed to the song as I sung. People really enjoyed it. I was a little upset that I did not get any food because I was so busy moving the program but everyone said that It was really good. My mom, grandmother, cousin and instructor for the program Alesandra, my aunt Pat, and uncle William were all present to support me. The director Ms. St. Roseman is really a great person! She is easy to talk to and works very hard to make sure things run smoothly. I am very happy to know a person like her. She has approved for the SMASH program to sponsor me to go to Stanford for Leadership camp from August ninth to August twelth. I can barely contain my excitement. Words cannot express my gratitude. She has a good sense of humor too!

Vincent Receives the Peninsula Teen Opera Scholarship!

I could not possibly cram my entire five week session into one post. I started vocal training with Ruthanne before my summer program began where she made me aware of an available scholarship to this cool program. I have been into classical music for a while, especially opera and love to sing and it was right up my ally. I conspired with the treasurer of the program via e-mail and was scheduled in on the ninth of July for my audition and interview.

My mother was really busy at the house and my Uncle volunteered to take me to Foster City at the Jewish Community Center.

I sang three pieces and performed well in my interview.

I am very thankful for my uncle who transported me there and answered some questions in the interview. I am also grateful for Alanah and Radhika, scholars new to the SMASH program that volunteered their time to help me rehearse for my interview on piano. Thanks to Bravo, Miles, Jann, and Noel for letting me use the keyboard.