August 20, 2024
On a special June afternoon, our Class of 2024 received their Yu Ming diplomas and turned the tassel, graduating 8th grade bilingual and biliterate in English and Mandarin, and ready to start their next learning chapter at over 14 high schools all across the East Bay.
Graduation season is a time for goodbyes and for celebrations all at once. A few days later, Yu Ming upper school students got to cheer on some of their Class of 2020 schoolmates during a ‘Grad Walk’ celebrating their high school graduations, 100% of Yu Ming alumni seniors so far have made their way onto colleges and universities, from Chabot College to UCLA or Cornell University. Yu Ming dragons are flying the nest in all directions, carrying with them the skills they developed at Yu Ming: critical thinking, compassionate action, and meaningful engagement with the world around them, and we couldn’t be prouder.
Many alumni remain deeply connected to Yu Ming, regularly demonstrating their engaged leadership through efforts like free homework tutoring or volunteering with student recruitment. This summer, a group of alumni volunteered in our Summer program, helping to create a vibrant and supportive environment for younger students. Meanwhile, another alumnus took the initiative to raise funds and coordinate the remodeling of upper school benches with his Eagle Scout troop. “I wanted to give back to Yu Ming, a public school that has such a great mission to provide a bilingual education to students who otherwise might not have access to it,” said high school junior Maddox. Thank you, Maddox for modeling what it means to be a bilingual, global changemaker!
Yu Ming alumni are also making a difference in their communities. Take Alex ’20, who has been actively involved in their city to lower the voting age to 16 for municipal elections. Alex’s commitment to civic engagement exemplifies the active citizenship that Yu Ming cultivates. This fall, Alex is headed to Georgetown, where they will undoubtedly continue to be a force for positive change. Look out for those dragons, world!