When I was elected the president of Students’ Union, everybody congratulated me, saying it was one of the best the school had been. And my first task in my political career was to raise money to build a coffeehouse on the campus. I was excited about it.

Having determined my goal, I set up a small group of helpers to do fundraising. One of them was Gary.

He was super active and energetic. You could easily pick him out during the lunch break for he was always enjoying himself by throwing Frisbees (飞盘) to someone just passing by. But meanwhile, he was extremely clever and eloquent (雄辩的). As the leader of the Debating Club, he never had any losses. When I politely asked him to join the fundraising group, he raised his eyebrows. Obviously, he didn’t expect I would invite someone so playful as him. At my insistence, he finally agreed.

Clearly, I was right. Gary persuaded dozens of students into donating. He helped me organize our group meetings. When the team members met difficulties and lost heart on the edge of giving up, he made the best of his humor to cheer everyone up. Gradually, all of us felt like we were part of something much bigger than we were.

However, I didn’t know when my ego (自我) took over and destroyed everything. My arrogance (傲慢) and my pride were out of control. I began speaking down to my group members, demanding they listen to me because I thought I knew what was best. I believe that I could complete this task without any of them and I wanted to take credit for everything (把功劳归自己). Gary tried to remind me that I was abusing (滥用) my position, but I wasn’t listening.

An All-School Reunion was to be held in Barditch High School. Over 450 people came to the event. There were tours of the old school building and a picnic at Confederate Park. Several former teachers were on hand to tell stories about the old days. Ms. Mabel Yates, the English teacher for over fifty years, was wheeled to the Park.

Then Ms. Yates started to speak:

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to be here. I haven’t seen many of you since your graduation, but I have followed your careers and enjoyed your victories as well as crying for your tragedies. I have a large collection of newspaper photographs of my students. Although I haven’t appeared in person, I have attended your college graduations, weddings and even the births of your children, in my imagination.”

Ms. Yates paused and started crying a bit. Then she continued:

“It was my belief that if I pushed you as hard as I could, some of you would succeed to please me and others would succeed to annoy me. Regardless of our motives, I can see that you have all been successful in you chosen path.”

“There is no greater comfort for an educator than to see the end result of his or her years of work. You have all been a great source of pleasure and pride for me and I want you to know I love you all from the bottom of my heart.”

There was a silence over the crowd for a few seconds and then someone started clapping. The clapping turned into cheering, then into a deafening roar (呼喊). Lawyers, truck drivers, bankers and models were rubbing their eyes or crying openly with no shame all because of the words from a long forgotten English teacher from their hometown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between High School Summer College and a summer camp?

Stanford’s High School Summer College is an academically selective program that provides access to college education at one of America’s most respected universities. Summer College is not a camp, but an eight-week college experience that provides academic, social, and intellectual opportunities that cannot be found in a high school classroom.

What kind of student are you looking for?

We are looking for academically motivated high school students who are ready for a college experience. This doesn’t mean an applicant needs the highest test scores in their class, but we do need evidence that a student enjoys learning, understands how to be successful in an academically rigorous (严格的)educational environment, and is prepared to be in a college classroom.

Can I get a job to earn money during my time at Stanford?

High School Summer College students are expected to participate fully in our program. In addition to class time and study time, there are many daily and weekly activities scheduled for the group. To truly benefit from the summer experience, our students should be completely involved in all aspects of the program. High School Summer College students will receive no permission to work during their time on campus.

Can I leave campus while I’m there for the summer?

The Program Handbook details information about the question. High School Summer College students should not miss class for any reason. There is a strict school rule requiring all program participants to be at the dormitory and asleep for the summer by twelve midnight Sunday through Thursday, and half an hour later Fridays and Saturdays. As long as the above rules are followed, students are able to leave campus.