Ricardo Romero, 17, mathematician

See Why Diana is a Drip Bag at http://wwwcitywatchla.com; And Here is a Re-post of Yesterday's When Kids Can Write Stories; Having Glitches With My Google Blog -- Apologies, apologies and apologies

Dear Readers: As usual, life often becomes a technological mess. Yesterday, I posted a story about two writer's and community events. As one reader told me, it looked like alphabet soup and even worse -- was not readable! The font colors, sizes and headlines came in a mess of all shapes and sizes. I am trying to re-post to see if this time it works.

Hopefully, I'll figure a way out of the mess as even my good friend, Lisa, Ms. Techy Queen, is having a bit of trouble fixing it.....Thanks for notifying me! -- Diana

Stories: When Kid's Can Write -- a 10-year-old Writes Sonnets at the Corner Store and Boys and Girls Club Math Whiz, Using Essay, Test Scores, High Grades Makes the Grade and Lands a Full Scholarship to Notre Dame


Corner Store Sonnet Writer, Kathleen "Katie" Roarke Haase, was troubled when it came to writing. She couldn't stand boundaries and rules! So she began writing sonnets at the Corner Store; Her Favorite author -- Shakespeare

Three Rooms of Justice: Rainbow Bridge
Part One By Kathleen Roarke Haase

Follow me o'er the
Rainbow Bridge
Sorrow, Sorrow, Sorrow
Fly way 'cross Great
Cliff's Ridge,
Meet me tomorrow, tomorrow.
Three Rooms of Justice,
your good is debated.
In Moon's cavity, for
hate are you hated.
Follow me toward the
glowing sun
Sorrow, sorrow, sorrow.
I'm sorry but that can't
Be done,
But meet me tomorrow, tomorrow

____________A Boys and Girls Club Member Uses Essay and Help from the Club's College Bound Program to Land a Full Scholarship to Notre Dame


Ricardo Romero: 17, San Pedro High School Soccer player and on cross country and track teams
Career Desire: Architecture
Accepted to: UC Riverside, UC Davis, UC Irvine, CSU San Jose and San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Pomona, Marymount College, UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Notre Dame and Johnd Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins has offered full financial aid.)
Will Attend: University of Notre Dame

Essay for College Applications:

“When I was four years old, my father left my mom, sister, and me in Mexico to go to the United States. His absence affected me greatly because I had no guidance from a father when I needed him the most. Even though he would send money to us, it was nothing compared to what his presence would have meant to me.

We moved in with my grandparents because of my father’s absence. Soon after, my aunts and their children also moved in to my grandparent’s house. After living with my grandparents two years, we took a chance and decided to join my father in the United States.

The moment when I finally saw him again was very emotional. A new life for my family full of obstacles such as learning the English language, having no friends and also adapting to a different form of teaching.

I entered school in the first grade and by the time that I was in second grade, I had learned English. Because I was advanced mathematically, I was being sent to the fourth grade class to take math with them. From then on, my math skills continued to develop and in fourth grade I attended the Math Fair with my school.

In fifth grade, I had an opportunity to attend Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth and did so for five summers, which were paid by a scholarship foundation. In the classes we designed and built rockets, bridges, gear cars, cantilevers and mouse trap cars.

Opportunities like this continued to appear during middle school and high school. I was unable to attend most of them because of the high cost and for being undocumented. I felt that my dream of becoming an architect was over. Then, one day, after waiting for six years, I received legal residency.

My dream was reborn and the fact that I had maintained a high GPA gave me hope of becoming the first in my family to attend college. The perseverance that has helped me overcome these obstacles will keep me going to become an architect. I plan to accomplish this goal by attending a school that has a good architecture program such as Cal Poly San Luis Obispo or University of Notre Dame, both of which I was accepted to.

Math has been my favorite subject and my best. I use this to my advantage. I took difficult courses in Math subject such as AP Calculus and earned a 5/5 on the AP test. I also take science classes that involve the use of math greatly. For example AP Physics, where I earned an A in the first semester. My physics teacher recommended me to take the Calculus based Physics course on my own because that a class is not offered at San Pedro High School. I agreed and my physics teacher is currently helping me pass the AP test. I decided to take it because I like to be distinguished from everyone else and this is a good way to use my mathematical ability.

Apart from the educational goals, I will to attend college and play soccer there. I have played soccer for approximately 11 years of my life. I was taught to play by my father at a very young age and I have not stopped ever since. I played this sport for four years in high school. I was also a member of the Cross Country and Track team for two years. I often use running as a discipline to relieve stress.

I hope that this will inspire younger students to follow the same footsteps so that in the near future there will be many students at the same university.”