4 weeks.
120 hours.
Infinite memories.
My name is Amaris Gilbert. I am a 16 year old girl. I am one of 25 students to partake in USC’s Annenberg Youth Academy, out of over 80 applicants. If a single person who sat with me within the last four weeks was different, my entire experience would have been changed.
Starting with the first day, I was nervous. I was so incredibly nervous. I roamed campus for almost 20 minutes before making the difficult decision to walk into our lecture room. I saw no available seats, and as I looked around the room I only saw young adults and their kind-eyed families. By chance, I was directed to sit with Luke Yellen. Luke Yellen, a 16 year old boy, one of 25 students chosen to partake in USC’s Annenberg Youth Academy. Luke Yellen, who officially became some strange fusion between a scapegoat and a friend, and my number one matcha buddy. Will a walk to Starbucks for a grande iced matcha latte with caramel pumps ever really be the same? Or will discussions of what we did in communications, laughs about the sometimes peculiar USC campus, or talk of the unknown future forever haunt me as I ask for more caramel?
Following the departure of the parents, a group of young students approached both Luke Yellen and I.
“Can we sit here?”
And the rest was history. Well, not quite.
Evelyn Tsoi. 16 year old girl. One of 25 students chosen to partake in USC’s Annenberg Youth Academy. Evelyn Tsoi is a 16 year old girl on a mission, Evelyn Tsoi is unstoppable. Evelen Tsoi quickly became a friend, someone to exchange knowing glances with when someone says something more than politically incorrect, someone to support my choice to prioritize my future and proved to me that I am allowed to take up space. Will I ever watch an interview without seeing a little bit of Evelyn Tsoi reflected in the reporter?
Pedro, Zoilo, Clementine, Jaime, Astha, the list could go on and on (for 25 people in total). The discussions that we had in class were almost always being packed in my backpack, dragged home, and continued on at the dinner table. Amazing teachers such as Professor Rogelio, Professor Turner. Will USC ever be viewed the same?
This is a love letter. A love letter to each of my peers, a love letter to the program, a love letter to the pursuit of knowledge.
Thank you all for the memories. Thank you for convincing me that knowledge must be shared, and that we must lift each other up rather than compete. Thank you for laughing with me while I try to hide my embarrassment, thank you for dealing with my accidentally rude remarks– I promise I never meant any harm.
Thank you all for having the courage to attend AYA and to share. To share civic media, to share your projects, to share your real life experience and stories. As I read through these final journals, my heart attempts to prepare. To brace itself for the rest of the summer, the rest of my high school career, college, life, without the ability to come and just speak honestly with a large group of supporters.
Above all, thank you for 4 weeks, 120 hours, and infinite memories. Thank you for a college experience before I leave the comfort of high school. We’re all just high schoolers, at the end of the day– high schoolers in love with knowledge.
Love,
Amaris
Communicating Change 