Over the weekend of November 7th and 8th, 826 Valencia proudly hosted our first ever Great San Francisco Personal Statement Weekend. One hundred and fifty-nine eager students and one hundred and forty-three dedicated tutors filled the computer labs at Mission High School during this event, which offered one on one tutoring to high school seniors working on their college or scholarship application essays. Students came from public schools across the city from as far as Washington High in the Sunset to John O’Connell just down the street from 826. Students came prepared with their essays, seeking fresh opinions on their personal statements.
Mission Local reporters Sade McDougal and Garrett McAuliffe stopped by to create an awesome short news video that you can watch here! It captures the excitement of the event and includes interviews with both tutors and students.
Everyone worked intently and with super-focus for stretches ranging from two to five hours. We made sure they took breaks to enjoy sandwiches, snacks, fruit, and juice donated kindly by the generous people at Popchips and Whole Foods Market Noe Valley! These sponsors donated boxes of apples, bananas, and chips as well as cases of drinks that gave the students tons of energy to continue writing. A hearty “Thank You” to our food sponsors for the healthy and filling snacks!
Mission High School hosted us with open arms. Principal Eric Guthertz helped with every step and logistic, making sure the event ran smoothly. Teacher Steve Gipson opened his computer labs and stayed all weekend to ensure that no tech issues arose in the crunch of writing and editing. We are lucky to work with such an amazing community of learning.
Crafting a personal statement can be difficult, and the weekend turned out to be a moving experience for everyone involved.
With the help of their tutors, students made notable progress on their essays. Hendrix, a senior at John O’Connell High School attended the event on Sunday. He said of the weekend, “It feels good to see a lot of people serious about college. Seeing so many volunteers is a motivation, it makes me want to put more time into my writing. This is the best thing ever... Now I know how to change my writing and become a better writer both in college and in high school.”
Tutor Craig Charnley said, “Personally, I was inspired by how such kind kids could be shown they have a voice, that there is meaning in their lives, and that their ideas matter.”
Everyone pitched in to make this first ever personal statement event run so smoothly; from volunteers and Mission High staff to the students who attended. Thanks to the 826 Valencia community for your support as we continue to discover new ways to serve San Francisco!
The front entrance of Mission High
Students signing in before being matched with a tutor
Students and tutors hard at work
Mid editing session
Students taking a snack break
