In addition to being a Burl Toler Scholar, Kiara is also the founder of a discussion group at Gateway, which convenes a small group of students to examine issues of race - in education and the community at large. Recently, she hosted a lunch-time speaker series in which her father and a friend came to Gateway High School to share their experiences as members of the Black Panther group. Kiara also leads a five day, four night trip to Walker Creek each year with students from the Claire Lillianthal school, which she loves because it gives her an opportunity to make connections with younger students who look up to her. 

 

As a result of her leadership skills and academic excellence, Kiara received a highly competitive scholarship from Students Rising Above, an organization that provides financial support, mentorship and resources to low-income students. The program will help guide Kiara through the college application process and hopefully to USC, her dream school. 

 

Still, she has a few more months of senior year to go before college, which has made her reflect on her time at Gateway. "It's small and really diverse and family-oriented," she enthused. "You can genuinely see that every single teacher cares about your success in life. I've honestly never seen a school like this before."  

Omar exemplifies Gateway High School's motto to "Step Up. Do Right. Dream Big." His first day at Gateway High School was also his first day of school in the United States, having left El Salvador to pursue the dream of being the first in his family to go to college. He worked hard, immersing himself in his studies despite also having to work over fifteen hours a week to help support himself and his younger siblings, to whom he holds himself accountable as a role model. "It's like being blindfolded," he says of being the first-born. "I have to help my siblings by paving the way."

 

 

 

Omar did more than just pave the way for his younger brother and sister. His sacrifices and hard work led him to excel in AP-level and honors coursework, for which he has a GPA that puts him in the top of his class. Last spring, he was among the 20% of test-takers who received a "4" on the AP US History exam and he has his sights on becoming valedictorian this year. 

 

In October, Omar shared his story as the student speaker for the 10th Anniversary "Matters of the Mind" Gateway Public Schools luncheon, earning him a standing ovation from an audience of six hundred attendees. He credited Gateway with creating a supportive environment in which all students are known and can achieve their fullest potential. His teachers, he says, were always available to ensure that, despite the challenges, he never gave up on his education. To view a recording of his inspiring speech, please click here. 

 

His dreams are pointing him now in the direction of medical school or a degree in communications, hopefully at Georgetown, Vassar or another small, rigorous liberal arts college where the interactions between students and professors can be as dynamic as those at Gateway. To prepare, he spent last summer taking college-level courses at the University of Delaware, which showed him that he is ready to challenge himself even more over the next four years. When asked how he feels about leaving his siblings - who are currently thriving at Gateway Middle School, in part due to Omar's support over the past four years - Omar is proud yet resolute. "It's time for them to start growing for themselves so that, one day, they can go farther even than I did. I know that they can be anything they want to be."

 

 In his second year at Gateway Middle School, Santiago has already made a name for himself. "One of the most important things for us, as educators, is to help students carve out an identity while they're here," Jude Wolf, Director of the Learning Center said. "Santiago has really done that. His peers see him as a leader and teachers love his enthusiasm for leadership roles."

 

One of the leadership roles Santiago has taken on is that of "technology guru" at Gateway Middle School. He's known as an avid computer user and loves to both play and design his own videogames in his spare time. When he grows up, he hopes that he'll be involved "in computers", possibly at one of the local Silicon Valley companies he follows so closely. In what capacity? "As a CEO," Santiago replies, without hesitation. 

 

We have no doubt he'll get there. 

Catch Gateway's stories in real time by bookmarking Gateway Public Schools' "News & Events" page, following us on Twitter, and subscribing to our YouTube channel. Content is posted throughout the week and gives you inside access to the classrooms, students and teachers at our schools, as well as interesting topics in education. 

One of the easiest ways to support our schools is to donate physical resources and/or skills. The following "Wish List" is a sampling of some of the things our teachers and students currently need. 

To contribute, please contact The Development Office at 415.749.3600 x16 or Tina McGovern. 

• Dry erase markers (a variety of colors) and erasers for the GHS Learning Center
• Donations to help the GHS Environmental Science students go on a research trip to Yosemite with NatureBridge. For more information, please visit Mr. Berthiaume's website. 
• Plain white t-shirts for Gateway High School's Gay Straight Alliance student organization, which will be screenprinting an original logo on to them and selling them as a fundraiser. Donations to cover the cost of printing are welcome as well.

      Briana Zelaya

Each month, Gateway Middle School teachers honor a student in their class who exemplifies one of the school's core values: Responsibility,  Excellence, 

Jason B., Alejandro B., Guadalupe C., Kevin C., Jada M., Fiona M., Sophia P., Amari S., Ashli W.

There are many ways that you can support Gateway. We invite you to view the full list on our website by clicking here. 

To make a one-time donation, 

please click here. 

To make a recurring donation,