EDDERIC: SEEDS SCHOLARS PROGRAM ’05 | THE CATE SCHOOL ’09 | UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND ’13
EDDISON: SEEDS YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM ’08 | NEWARK ACADEMY ’14 | LEHIGH UNIVERSITY ’18
On their educational experiences prior to SEEDS:
Edderic: Prior to SEEDS, my brother Eddison and I had a mix of private and public-school education. When we lived in the Philippines, we attended Catholic school for a short time. When we emigrated to the United States, we attended a predominantly white school in the suburbs prior to moving to Hillside, a predominantly Black/Latinx neighborhood. There, we attended a private Catholic school for one year and then switched back to public school because my parents could no longer afford the tuition.
Eddison: Looking back, I suppose public school largely focused on preparing us for standardized exams. When I went through the two or three summers of YSP, the program challenged us through an advanced curriculum for our ages. More than prepping us for test-taking, YSP prepared us for the rigors of private school, in addition to teaching us practical life skills.
On how they learned about SEEDS:
Edderic: My parents have always placed a high value on education. Growing up, they were also quite strict, which explains why my sisters were high achievers in school. Having this environment of strict parents who highly valued education coupled with high achieving siblings made me a perfectionist, especially in math – a subject I had grown to like. In 7th grade, I recall getting a 99 out of 100 on a math test. I asked my teacher at the time, Mr. Smith if I could retake the test. He was so impressed by my mathematics skills as well as the high standards that he recommended I apply to a program called SEEDS.
On why it was important to apply to SEEDS:
Eddison: Our parents have always reinforced the importance of education. Knowledge is empowering, and it is the one thing that cannot be taken away. SEEDS was an opportunity to cultivate our potential. It was also our parents’ desire of leaving us a legacy that they prioritized education so much. Immigrating from the Philippines exhausted any savings we had at the time, and it was a rude awakening when our family faced the reality that many jobs in the US held a minimum requirement of a US Bachelor’s Degree. Tight on money and with limited means for providing for our future college education, our parents felt compelled to seek out any opportunities that could enrich our education.
On why they wanted to attend an independent school:
Edderic: I wanted to attend Cate School because it was in California – nice and sunny. Also, as someone coming from a low socioeconomic background, I was curious to see what it was like in a school that charged a lot of money to enroll a student.
Eddison: Honestly, I’m not sure I had any real decision in this matter! I think during my time in YSP and leading up to my attendance at Newark Academy in 7th grade, I was just following the path laid out in front of me.
On their independent school experience vs. their public-school experience:
Edderic: There were several differences between my prior public-school experience and that of my private, independent school experience:
1.) In public school, I graduated as valedictorian of my 8th-grade class, and I thought I was the best. But then I went to my boarding school and met really smart kids, some of which had gotten scholarships through foreign governments to study there. I met people who were better than me, took down my big ego, and instilled some humility in me. I learned not to rest on my laurels and to keep working hard. 2.) Once each season, the school hosted a hiking trip. Coming from a more urban area, I became more appreciative of nature. One of my favorite moments in high school was camping on top of Yosemite and looking at the stars. The atmosphere was so clear that the millions and billions of stars were so crisp! 3.) Cate School also had smaller class sizes and teachers were able to give more individualized attention to each student. We also had a lot more accessibility to the teachers and faculty since we lived in dormitories that were close to faculty housing. Many times, students would eat meals with faculty so there were a lot of opportunities to connect. In my previous school experience, I sometimes found myself stuck with understanding an idea from class and desired more tutoring. Having teachers live closer to us helped me get unstuck with whatever I was trying to learn. 4.) At Cate School, some of my peers were the children of celebrities or from wealthy families. In contrast, my 7th and 8th-grade peers were poorer and not as privileged. 5.) The number of fights and behavior incidents were drastically different between my four years in boarding school vs. my 7th and 8th-grade public school experience. In my public school, fistfights were common. In contrast, there were zero physical fights that I can recall at Cate School. In that sense, I felt safer. 6.) The food at Cate was comparable to the dining hall food I had at the University of Richmond. We had more choices, and a salad bar, unlike my experience from 7th to 8th grade. I remember thinking the food was quite fresh and high quality in my boarding school.
Eddison: Independent schooling at Newark Academy was such a game-changer, in contrast with my local public education. School as I’d seen it up to that point was tests and quizzes and preparing me and my peers for the next grade level. Newark Academy very much expanded my horizons by demanding more of me in terms of involvement with sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities, all the while providing the resources to flourish, whether that was an excellent dining service, well-equipped sports facilities, accommodating spaces for studying or hanging out with friends, and very importantly teachers who were invested in the intellectual and personal growth of their students.
On the most important lessons that being a part of SEEDS taught them:
Edderic: Going through SEEDS taught me what education could be. Education with lots of money generally means better learning outcomes, more resources, more time learning, safer environments, and more respect for the educators.
Eddison: SEEDS has taught me the importance of gratitude and generosity. I would not be where I am today without the help of dozens or hundreds of people over the years – friends, family, teachers, professors, mentors, and benefactors (thank you to the DeRosas). I truly believe that to achieve our highest potential, it takes a village.
On how their lives might have been different without SEEDS:
Edderic: While I believe that I would still have become quite successful without SEEDS, I wouldn’t have some of the connections that I now have if I hadn’t gone through SEEDS and to an elite boarding school.
Eddison: In an alternate reality, I’d like to think I would have managed just fine. But life without SEEDS would surely have put me on a different trajectory. Without SEEDS and my benefactors along the way, perhaps I would not have gotten the equivalent well-rounded education that I did at Newark Academy.
Advice they would give to those who follow in their footsteps:
Edderic: Go through the SEEDS program and learn as much as you can. Think about the privileges that you and your classmates experience. Then use your skills, talents, and network to improve public education so that everyone, including those who might not qualify for SEEDS, can receive a good education.
Eddison: I have one piece of advice, and that is to take ownership of your education. Be inquisitive; ask questions whenever something doesn’t make sense. Seek out answers even after class, either during office hours or on your own time. At the end of the day, you will get as much out of school as you put into it.