January, 2024 As many of you know, Exceeding Expectations was created 23 years ago with 12 kids in San Bernardino, California. Of this group of kids, not a single one had anybody in their family who had graduated from high school. The expectations for these kids certainly did not include getting an education. Because we firmly believe that a good education will provide opportunities to succeed throughout one’s life, the goal of our Exceeding Expectations program is to get every kid graduated from high school and college. We use the sport of triathlon and running as a vehicle to accomplishing that goal. A commitment to athletics requires goal-setting, focus and grit, which are the same characteristics that are required in getting a good education and living a productive life. The commitment I make to every EE member is this: Your job is to do well in school, graduate from
high school, find the college or educational program that best fits you and
graduate with a degree. EE’s job is to support you in any way you need and to
make sure that money is never an issue for you in getting your education. It took some time for the kids and their families to believe that this was possible and that we were committed to them for the long-haul. As some of our early members grew up, graduated from high school and college, their success proved, to all those coming behind them, that it was, indeed, possible – if they were willing to work for it – and that our commitment to them was strong and lasting. We recently gathered for our annual Awards and Scholarship party where we celebrate accomplishments and reward achievement. Today, every EE member and family clearly has expectations that far exceed those of our first 12 members. Enjoy the story these pictures tell of our 2023 celebration.
In the early days when I made my commitment to the
kids, my heart always skipped a few beats when I came to the part about “Money
will never be an issue.” At the time, I wasn’t sure how we were going to
make that happen. But I quickly learned that you generous supporters believe,
as we do: If we can help turn around the life of even one of these kids,
we all win. My commitment to you is that we will always work hard to make certain your investment in Exceeding Expectations provides meaningful, life-changing results. Thank you for believing in us. Happy 2024. -Cherie
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