Sept. 7, 2021

 

Hello, Everyone:

Although we’re making some progress on “getting our lives back," we find ourselves once again masking up. All our eligible kids and families have stepped up and been vaccinated, but we do have some kids under 12 years of age who are not yet eligible. In order to protect them, we’re wearing masks and being very cautious. But that hasn’t hindered the kids as they resume their active lives.

 

This is what we're protecting

 

Everyone, from kindergarten to college, is back in the classroom and happy to be there.

Diana, a college freshman, started last week at the University of Redlands. She’s crazy about the school, her classes, her professors and everything she’s experienced this first week. She’s a bright, focused young lady and will excel in college, as she did in high school.

 

Arian and Yoselin are high school seniors who will be 2022 graduates. Both are excellent students, great athletes and well-rounded human beings. It will be exciting to help them through the process as they decide what colleges they’ll attend as freshmen.

                            

 

Jeffrey, a 2019 high school graduate, went into the U.S. Marines where he’s thriving. He not only did very well in boot camp, he actually enjoyed it. He has been assigned to Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida where the mission is to support operational and training flights. He’s studying to be an avionics technician, which will make him a key member of the flight team.

 

Since his 2013 graduation from UC San Diego (UCSD), Nik has been very successful in the business side of pediatric orthopedic care. He sells products specifically designed for children to surgical teams. Nik is often right in the operating room consulting on surgeries where the medical team is installing his products.

His sales team was recently recognized for reaching a goal for the introduction of a newly launched implant product – the fifth team out of 200 to meet this goal. And it was accomplished in 2020, a year when surgeries were significantly restricted due to Covid. Good work, Nik!

 

As we have for many years, Exceeding Expectations will be traveling to San Diego in October to participate in the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) triathlon, or, as it’s better known: The Best Day in Triathlon. This is a fundraiser to help folks who are physically challenged get back in the game, whatever that game is for them. It’s a memorable event, participating with tiny kids, seasoned athletes and older folks – all of whom were either born with a disability or have suffered a trauma and are now living with a disability. The Best Day in Triathlon is witnessing the “Yes, I can!” spirit as a challenged athlete crosses the finish line, accomplishing a very tough personal goal.

The CAF event includes able-bodied athletes alongside challenged athletes. Our kids always come home after participating alongside the challenged athletes with a greater appreciation of the human spirit and what it can accomplish. And this year, they'll be racing along with some athletes who took part in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

The Exceeding Expectation team, which qualified in a 10-mile team race last Sunday, will be made up of:

·       Gabby and Yoselin Canseco (sisters 14 and 17)

·       Ahris and Arian Mayorga (brothers 12 and 16)

·       Eduardo Alvarez (15)

 

Arian, Ahris, Eduardo, Coach Cherie, Joselin, Richard (standing in for Gabby; see her below)

 

Gabby had to babysit her younger sister and brother and
couldn't race Sunday, so she did her own 10-miler and qualified!

 

We couldn’t make this trip without volunteers to help with the group. Two dads who have been with us for years, Meli and Salvador, will be helping out for the weekend in San Diego, along with EE alumni Isi and Archi.

Isi, Archi, Salvador, Cherie, Meli

 

As you can see, the EE kids are moving forward both academically and athletically. The Exceeding Expectations program, celebrating its 20th year, is producing results, one kid at a time. And none of it would be possible without the ongoing support you’ve given us over the years. Thank you for being a part of our program and investing in our Exceeding Expectations kids, and we look forward to once again seeing some of you at upcoming events (which you can find here).

Stay well.

-Cherie