Great to See You!!!

Welcome back 2010! It's so great to see you again. It's amazing to see your growth over this past year. I can't wait to make more memories with you this week.

WELCOME BACK!

The first-ever C2C class is back on the Saint Mary's University Campus in Winona, MN. They arrived this afternoon to a welcome from the second class. The next two weeks will be packed with classwork and activities. Please send your comments to the students. Photos and new posts will come.

Attention C2C Participants!!!!

I hope you have finally caught up on your sleep! Before the school year gets going too fast, I hope you will sign up for the C2C Google Group. If you aren't sure how to do it, send me an email at donohueka2@gmail.com and I can help you get started.

PLEASE BE SIGNED UP BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER!!!!

Best of luck with your freshman year!

lots of love,
Ms Donohue

How far we've come...-By Manny from Milwaukee

"How Far We've Come"

This video is no normal video. It should mean something very special to us all. This video isn't talking about the end of the world, but it's about being proud of what we've done so far and not to waste the time you've got. We, the scholars in C2C, are the first in our families to, hopefully, go to and graduate from college. We all are going the extra mile by applying to and attending Countdown to College. This shows that we care, that we want to be successful, and that we don't want blue collar jobs. "The sky is the limit." We all are shooting for the stars. Just think that because we had the motivation to do this that we get the opportunity to experience a college life. We know what to expect, we know what it will be like. This makes us far more experienced than those who don't prepare for college. We are the lucky 25, the first to be apart of this amazing first-generation initiative.

I, for one, am truly grateful for this opportunity, and

I am certain that the other 24 are just as grateful. This, truly, is a blessing.

Honors Banquet

CHECK OUT THE BANQUET SLIDE SHOW---->
We celebrated our camp and campers tonight with a dinner and awards ceremony. Mari was elected by her classmates to deliver the student address. It was beautiful.

Many, many, MANY THANKS to Saint Mary's, the professors, the staff, and most especially Mr. & Mrs. Remick for making this all possible. Really, Mari says it best!

Dorm-mates, friends, classmates, family. There are so many names I could use. I’d like to start off by thanking you for choosing me to represent us tonight. I stand here with pride. So, we’re at the end of our first 2 weeks…time really flew by, didn’t it? It’s a funny concept: in one way, it feels like we have been here FOREVER. This morning, as I was talking to Juanita & Kenia I said, “Wow, I’ve matured so much this year….” Then it dawned on me that we really have only been here for 2 weeks!

On the contrary, it feels like just yesterday that Javi & I were waiting or your arrival. I was nervous; I didn’t know what to expect, then you all arrived. Bright-smiling faces, but I think on that day we all had that scared look in our eyes. That night at the icebreaker, we began to loosen up a bit, and day-to-day that barrier was breaking. When the barrier is down, we can see each other & communicate. But what it really takes is for each one of us to bind together as one. This is what we needed for support being so far from home.

Last Wednesday, we took a trip to the lake. It is probably going to be one of my most favorite memories. WE laughed, we screamed & to top it off, we got ice cream! I feel that it was really a day of transition. After that we had ghost-hunting, water balloon fights, swimming, eagle center, and pranks. (Which the girls pull sooooo much better than the guys!) We’ve just reached a point of closeness that will be with us forever.

We ARE the Chosen 25. We have worked so hard & strived to be our very best & these are the moments where it all pays off. Among us are National Leaders, Lawyers, Doctors, Psychologists, Professors, Writers, and the list goes on and on. So let's go to high school this year & show our world what C2C is all about!

I’d really like to thank all of you. Being here we learned not only what was taught in classes, but also differences in culture, each other’s lives, and sides of each other that would otherwise never have been discovered. We were there for each other in times of sadness & grief, & really, that’s what strengthened our bond.

Now I can’t finish without mentioning those who were there for us along the way. I’ll start with Mrs. Greer, considering the fact that as I write this, you are next to me tying Manny’s tie. You’re here for us as a mother, whenever we needed you; there you were, sharing your wisdom.

Ms. Donohue, thank you for always taking pictures & updating blogs so that we can document our memories forever.

Ms. Hill, thank you for all your patience with us in Math class. I’ve learned more than I ever thought possible. And your public speaking lessons are really paying off now!

Mr. DB! Yeah, there will be a dead fish in your bed!
Marisol (Snooki!) I really give you props! It must be so difficult for you to put up with us but you did it and with all the patience possible.

Dr. Anderson, you are so intelligent & really broadened our writing skills.

Dr. Tadie, honestly, I consider myself so fortunate to say I had you as a professor. You are so involved with us and always kept things so interesting.

Thank you, Dr. Kerr, as we discussed earlier, your class really made me think and understand the deeper message. I enjoyed every moment of it.

Mr. Hanson, I honestly didn’t know some words existed until learning them in your class.

Student mentors thank you so much for dealing with us these last weeks, being with & hanging out with you really made us feel welcomed to Saint Mary’s.

Br. Ed, you care about us, and that makes the difference.

Mr. & Mrs. Remick, I cannot put into words how grateful we all are for everything you have done. We will make you proud!

Finally, Edith! Really, you are amazing. You put all of this together and always kept calm. You are by far one of the coolest people I have ever met & know that we look up to you.

So here’s to sleepness nights, mosquito bites, trips & falls, yelling out the window, chichos, chitlins, chancletas, most of all, us as a family. I love you guys!

Final Thoughts...

The time has FLOWN BY! I can't believe it has been 2 weeks already. I am so proud of all 25 of these students. They have worked hard. They have overcome fear and homesickness. They have come together into a very supportive community. I've enjoyed my time with them so much. And even though I am ready for a solid night's sleep...it will be difficult to say goodbye. I am excited about keeping in touch throughout the school year and I am looking forward to seeing them all again next summer.

Thanks!
Ms. Donohue

C2C's Got Talent

It was a night of a thousand talents...well about 30 talents. Students and teachers shared their skills and talents in a show that included singing, dancing, joke telling, tennis, pitching, skateboarding, arts & crafts, a puppet show, and amazing twists of double-jointed fingers!. Everyone got up there to share our skills. There are more photos in the slide show, but here is our MC and skateboarder-- Ozzie!

Soccer Match

Several students were out on the soccer pitch to play with Dr. Tadie & his guys. Check out the slide show for some outstanding moves & goals!

Look Who Was the Lead on Last Night's NEWS!!!

The local FOX affliate from LaCrosse/Eau Claire came by to do a story about our program. It was the LEAD STORY on Monday night's newscast! Outstanding job to Ozzie, Mari, and Br. Ed! Whoop Whoop! You represented us very well!

Check it out! http://www.fox2548.com/

Dodgeball for The Ages!

It was down to one kid. Sergio was the only one from his team still in the dodgeball game. The other team had about ten students left. One student said, "It looks like it's over. Well, but if he wins this, he will be the Dodgeball Champion of All Time!" Sergio went to work, dodging the water-soaked balls whipped at him and rifling two and three balls at a time to pick off his opponents, one-by-one. The crowd went crazy. We couldn't believe he could do it! It was finally down to just Mari & Sergio. She dodged his tosses and threw with all her might, but in the end, Sergio was victorious.