That’s right, students from West Contra Costa Unified School District and myself, their chaperone.
We had an early morning flight from San Francisco to Minnesota. After a short layover, we landed in the windy city of Chicago at O’Hare International Airport. The students and I quickly got a lesson in transportation and learned how to take the L (Elevated Train) from O’Hare to our hotel. I had to give our students a quick lesson in Chicago etiquette, with all of our luggage, on how to get on and off the train without being trampled. We were able to seamlessly transfer from the Blue to Red Lines and arrived in downtown Chicago. We are in the lovely and historic Drake hotel.
After settling in for a moment of rest and relaxation we were off to meet two wonderful WCCUSD graduates with advanced degrees. Ms. Stephanye Johnson graduated from Richmond High School in 2003 and received her degree from Chico State in 2009 in Art with a specialization in painting and print making. Ms. Johnson currently teaches art in an afterschool program in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Ms. Donielle Robinson graduated from Richmond High School 2000. She graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Community and Regional Development. She received a master’s degree in social work from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a social worker in CPS. They were excited to meet with the students and share their current and past experiences as students. The students asked questions and shared the process they endured in order to get into this wonderful program. They all showed enthusiasm as they took pictures as well as the sights and sounds of Chicago. We all shared a wonderful dining experience at Gioridano known for their deep dish pizza. The students enjoyed meeting people who could relate to WCCUSD experience. Our tour guides then took us to Michigan Avenue and shared some of their Chicago experience. Many of the students discussed their future goals and plans. Some were interested in art and psychology. It was also a time that allowed me to get to know the students better. They were great sports when we were caught in the rain and were delighted to get back to the hotel. We look forward to seeing Millennium Park and eating at Spagio as well as our tour of Northwestern University. We can’t wait to see where the wind will blow us tomorrow as we explore the great town of Chicago.
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