Afternoon Group to Focus on Skills, Not Homework

If you read your child’s report card, you might have seen comments similar to this one: “My concerns about your child lie in his basic skills in mathematics, reading, and writing. He is starting out the year behind, and in order to catch up, he needs a big effort.”

Mastering basic reading, writing, and math skills is essential for your child to be successful in middle school, high school, and beyond. Our students need to acquire a strong foundation while they are still young.

Starting in January, afternoon group tutoring will focus mainly on helping EPATT students to build up these basic skills. Tutors will only allow students to spend 30 minutes on homework. The remaining 1 hour will be spent on math, writing, and reading.

Don’t worry. EPATT still plans on helping your young students with their homework. Starting at 3:30 pm, afternoon group students may come to EPATT to work with a buddy from EPATT’s High School Group (HSG). These HSG buddies will assist your child with homework problems, and EPATT staff, including Tina and the Tutor Coordinators, will also be available.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Tina at 725-4450 or epattvtc@hotmail.com.

Field Trips Strengthen Team Spirit

We all know our kids love to go on field trips, and there have been no shortage of them this quarter. The middle school and high school kids practiced their aim at Laser Quest in Mountain View and skated in circles at the Winter Lodge in Palo Alto while the afternoon group climbed to the top of a three-story play structure at The Jungle in San Jose.

Field trips allow the students to bond and help create a team environment outside of regular programming. “Going on field trips is fun,” says 8^th grader Jazmin Cortez, “because it is the only time we get together to talk and joke around.”

Watch for upcoming field trips in 2007. MSG and HSG will be able to partake in the annual Tahoe Trip if they meet the GPA requirement by March 5^th.

Save the Date: EPATT’s January Calendar

January 2007
S M T W Th F S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31

1-5 NO EPATT

8 EPATT Parent Meeting at 7 PM

9-12 Study Hall for K-12^th graders (no tutors)

15 NO EPATT- MLK

16 Tutoring Begins

17 MSG Progress Report DUE

22 HSG Progress Report DUE

27 SAT test date

29 Stanford Financial Aid Workshop at 6 PM

Parent Champion,

Lisa Tupou!

Lisa Tupou is a role model parent. She regularly volunteers at her kids’ school, drives the carpool, assists fellow EPATT parents, and attends all EPATT events. Lisa has even been spotted at EPATT helping her kids with their homework. Last quarter, ALL four of her children achieved a 3.0 + GPA!

My College Application Experience

By Alisi Vea, 9 year EPATT veteran

My name is Alisi Vea, and I am a senior in high school on full scholarship at Pinewood. I have already applied to San Jose State, San Francisco State, and Cal State Northridge. I also plan to apply to private colleges, including USF, Saint Mary's, UOP, Santa Clara, Redlands, and Whittier.

EPATT has paid for my college applications, SATs, and Pinewood High Scholarship. I have learned to play tennis and come to love the game of tennis thanks to Coaches Ed, Diana, and Dave as well as to my fellow EPATT students who have challenged me on and off the court. I don’t think that I would have even finished my state school applications, let alone start my college list, if it weren’t for Christina.

My parents have also helped me. They force me to go to EPATT every Friday for SAT prep and constantly check up on my college applications. My mom always tells me to talk to my college counselor about deadlines and requirements. My dad always tells me to focus on getting good grades and to study hard.

My advice to parents and students who are close to the college application process is to stay on top of everything. It helps so much when you do things early. Also bug Christina with questions. She may seem like she hates it or maybe even you, but deep inside, she is happy. There are plenty of helpful resources: EPATT (Christina), College Counselors, even friends and alumni. Talk to other kids at school or other kids in the same grade if you have questions or don’t know what to do, that way you can do it together.

EPATT Graduate Update

Where are they now?

Irene Guerra graduated from Stanford University in June and now works at the Shelter Network in Menlo Park, where she is training to be a case worker. Irene spent 9 years at EPATT prior to earning her degree in Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies.

Laura Haggins, a 9 year EPATT participant and the daughter of Pat Townsend, is currently the supervisor of childcare at Tutor Works in Menlo Park..

After graduating with a degree in Business from Cal Poly Pomona in June, Mesui Fakapelea spent the summer as an intern at EPATT.

Above, nine year EPATT veteran Drizella Moreno poses with her parents, Daniel and Mirna, at her graduation from Menlo School, where she excelled in both tennis and academics. Drizella is now a freshman at University of San Francisco, where she is studying Biology.

3.0 GPA Grand Slam Winners! Los siguientes alumnus recivieron solamente A’s y B’s en su reportaje:
Jada Reese	Alyssa Nevarez
Andrea Tovar	Moala Tupou
Daryl Carr	Faavae Brown
Lourdes Tovar	Chris Salas
Finau Tupou	Noresha Brown
Andre Gomes	Latydra Brown
Jocelyn Padilla	Alexia Segura
Fatu Tupou	Jazmin Cortez
Joaquin Tovar	Noemi Villegas
Mafileo Tupou	Adrian Amaral
Davonnia Willis	Sam Mapa
Nikki Johnson	Jackie Brown
Ashley Washington

	East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring Department of Athletics Stanford University Stanford, CA 9405-6150