826LA’s 11th Annual Great Los Angeles Personal Statement Weekends (GLAPSW) took place virtually over the course of two weekends. On November 7, 8, 14, and 15, students worked one-on-one with trained volunteers to write their personal statements. Over 140 students and volunteers attended. Volunteers served from across the nation, and even the world!
Each GLAPSW day started with a warm welcome from 826LA staff and board members.
826LA staff then paired students with volunteers, separating them into Zoom breakout rooms. While there were challenges posed by the Zoom format, GLAPSW participants rolled with the punches that accompany large virtual events. Room leaders were also assigned to breakout rooms in order to help students and volunteers with questions or technical challenges.
“Tech issues notwithstanding, this was the best-run Zoom event I’ve attended (especially with the amount of people involved); any issues that came up were easily communicated and immediately handled by the staff,” one grateful volunteer noted. Students faced some of the same challenges that have made the virtual school year itself difficult: technical glitches, bad internet connections, and distracting writing spaces.
Volunteer Narbeh remarked,
”I think what makes it a little bit different with the virtual setting is that the student is at home, and it’s a [weekend}, right? And there’s all these things that are going on around them.”
Narbeh, a two-time corporate volunteer from Nickelodeon, went on to praise his students for staying focused in spite of distractions.
Students started GLAPSW at varying stages in the personal statement process. For instance, one student had a long draft, but she needed to scale it down: “Originally, I had drafts and had ideas to share, but I had trouble reducing my PIQ’s to the 350 word limit.” Her volunteer was able to help make the essay more concise.
Angelica Butiu-Coronado, Unofficial 826LA DJ
Other students, like Valeria, arrived with less developed drafts. Valeria admits, “I came in not confident about my drafts and a little lost about what exactly I wanted to write about.” However, Valeria gained confidence as the session went on. “My tutor (Heather L.) helped me flush out my ideas and come up with outlines.”
Students also learned general, useful writing tips. “Working with my tutor helped me learn to ‘show not tell’ and to use the essay prompt to show my story in a more intriguing way,” Isaias noted.
After the morning’s one-on-one writing sessions, GLAPSW participants took a break for a 12pm lunch. Program Coordinator (and unofficial 826LA DJ) Angelica Butiu-Coronado played relaxing tunes for everyone to enjoy with their meal.
Following the lunch break, students returned to their breakout rooms to continue outlining and writing their essays for another hour.
Parting with words of wisdom and writing advice, volunteers and students returned to the main room at 1:45pm, where students received information about following up with their assigned volunteers should they need additional personal statement guidance.
In-Schools Program Manager and GLAPSW organizer LaTesha Knighten led 826LA’s final goodbye to all attendees. Meanwhile, students and volunteers typed their heartfelt thank you’s and goodbyes in the chat(left).
In spite of the limits imposed by the pandemic, Los Angeles students continue to fight for their dreams of higher education. This GLAPSW, the 826LA community proved they will always be there to help persistent students, whether virtually or in person.
Students and volunteers enjoyed the virtual experience of the 11th Annual GLAPSW. Read their personal highlights for the day:
“Just being able to sit down and talk one and one with the amazing tutor I had because now I am more confident on my PIQ’s[Personal Insight Questions].” -Angie, student
“This was a great experience. Editing over Zoom can feel more disconnected than being in person with a student, but your team did as much as possible to overcome that reality and make the most of the circumstances. Thank you!” -Volunteer
“I attended the Nov 8th and Nov 14th Great LA Personal Statement Weekend, and was blessed to work with 3 amazing students at various levels. The 826LA staff are compassionate, knowledgeable, and expressed care and safety for the student and volunteer. Well done, and thank you!” -Volunteer
Post GLAPSW survey results show:
94.7% of students felt more confident about their personal statements
73.7% of students received help from GLAPSW that they otherwise wouldn’t have received
94.7% of students felt that the adults they worked with cared about their success in school
98.2% of students would recommend other students to attend GLAPSW
Thank You
826LA thanks the students, educators, and staff of the following partner high schools and organizations:
College Track – Watts, HOLA, Manual Arts, Roosevelt HS, West Adams HS, Inner-City Arts, Green Dot Public Charter School
826LA thanks all of the amazing volunteers and Corporate Partners who attended.
Thank you to GLAPSW supporter, Trader Joe’s.