When she joined Sentence Center as a fourth grader, Kira was a spirited scribe. Eager and enthusiastic, she always came to class asking, "what will we be writing about today?"

However, there were times when her wealth of ideas would overflow and overwhelm her. She found it challenging to organize her thoughts into a coherent structure. Joy turned into frustration as she struggled to control the perfect flow of words that would gush into a great essay.

“What’s your thesis?” I asked constantly, trying to get to the heart of her writing. We then worked on outlining her main points and supporting them with personal details. She would always apply what she learned in class and gave each of her paragraphs a clear focus. 

“And remember to restate your thesis in your conclusion…” Before she knew it, organized narratives and arguments were flowing from her pen into her laptop. Within no time, she was lining up personal tales and persuasive pieces like items on a fine dining menu.

Thus, it's no wonder that Kira eventually became the editor-in-chief of her high school newspaper, The Piedmont Highlander. Through the years, she has written about various topics such as small businesses, student government, and women's basketball.

Kira is now primed for a new challenge as a student at U.C. Berkeley. We're proud to see that one of our former students is not only an accomplished author but also a Cal Golden Bear.

Read Kira’s articles here.