In addition to being invited to numerous events by other generous organizations, Zeitgeist Community Learning Center hosts an Annual Open House at the end of January, a Poker Event in July, and an Online Auction between Thanksgiving and Christmas. These events are meant to promote awareness of our center, to give public acknowledgement to those who have helped us succeed, and to increase our level of funding so that we may continue to offer the high quality programming that has come to be expected at ZCLC.

High Expectations

We have a third grader who aspires to be a lawyer.  He wants to go to college but he thinks that teachers aren't teaching correctly which makes it harder for him to see himself making it to the fourth grade.  He's eight years old and he's already experiencing the inevitable widening academic gap.  Without a positive intervention, his dream of becoming a lawyer may never become a reality.  As a result, the High Expectations Program was born.

The High Expectations Program (HEP) connects elementary and middle school students to local colleges and universities, making the transition from grade to grade to college more tangible and attainable early in their development as future success stories.  This keeps the vision alive by starting younger when the academic gap between African American, Latino and Caucasian students is relatively small.

We kicked off HEP with a visit to California State University Los Angeles. Forty-four students wearing their Zeitgeist High Expectations t-shirts was guided by  Nadia Mendoza, Coordinator of the Early Program and the Reading Institute for Academic Preparation.   She spoke to the students about applying for college, financial aid, dorm living and various degrees as they walked the campus and sat in a classroom.

Our next tour was on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu.  Carol Kmiec, ARTSReach Coordinator, showed the students around the ocean side campus.  They loved the  Gregg G. Juarez Gallery where they learned about various contemporary artists and the importance of art in society. They also enjoyed learning about the different degrees, dorm living, seeing the gym, the tennis courts, and  running around the the track. 

These tours give the students the opportunity to see that schools have their own unique environment.  They now understand that they can use this information when considering their post secondary education. When surveyed, all of the students said that they truly wanted to go to college.  The vision of higher education was more tangible.  Next year we will be touring other campuses.

In November we were invited by the Black Business Student Association to see Californa State University Long Beach.  Our students met Alumni and current students, participated in activities, and toured the campus.  Students loved the campus, and a few of them expressed interest in attending CSULB after high school.

Swim-A-Thon

BIG THANKS to the Zeitgeist Committee for raising funds through their annual Swim-A-Thon that took place at Pierce College on April 15, 2007. The committee is comprised of wonderful and committed freshman school students from Viewpoint School in Calabasas who mentor our students throughout the school year. Their hard work and dedication to the children is always present and active.  We appreciate you!

Yoga

In October Zeitgeist yoga students participated in their first yoga performance at the Mind, Body & Beyond Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center, sponsored by Yoga Angels.  Practicing and beginning students showed their stuff in front of an appreciative audience.  Students also participated in a Yoga Angels Teacher Certification Training where new teachers put them through a sequence of yoga positions in preparation for their future as yoga instructors.