SMART MOVES IVY LEAGUE-BOUND PRODIGIES THRIVED AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES.Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer At age 12, Aaron Yamagata graduated from high school. Today, at the tender age of 14, the Encino resident has graduated from Los Angeles Valley College LAVC redirects here. For the software library, see libavcodec. The university is adjacent to Grant High School. Often called "Valley College" or simply "Valley" by those who frequent the campus, it opened its doors to the public on September 12, 1949, at which time the campus was and will head to Cornell University Cornell University, mainly at Ithaca, N.Y.; with land-grant, state, and private support; coeducational; chartered 1865, opened 1868. It was named for Ezra Cornell, who donated $500,000 and a tract of land. With the help of state senator Andrew D. in the fall. Daniele Sebastian Cano-Besquet, 17, started taking community college courses when he was 14, and has been accepted at Yale University Yale University, at New Haven, Conn.; coeducational. Chartered as a collegiate school for men in 1701 largely as a result of the efforts of James Pierpont, it opened at Killingworth (now Clinton) in 1702, moved (1707) to Saybrook (now Old Saybrook), and in 1716 was , having earned his associate's degree as·so·ci·ate's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a two-year college after the prescribed course of study has been successfully completed. in liberal studies from Pierce College In 2006 the Library won a national Excellence award. Academics Pierce College offers associate's degrees, mainly in the arts and sciences. There are also certificate programs in early childhood education, social services, dental hygienist, and others. . College officials say students like Yamagata and Cano-Besquet illustrate a little-known role of community colleges: helping academically advanced youngsters bridge the gap between high school and college. ``There are many high school students who should be taking advantage of advanced courses and getting a sense early on in life of what it means to be a college student,'' said Kelly Candaele, president of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Community College Board of Trustees board of trustees Politics The posse of thugs who oversee an institution's administration. See Board of directors. . ``Mature, motivated, intelligent students shouldn't be held back. They should be encouraged to do as much advanced coursework as possible.'' The district's nine colleges had about 6,000 concurrent high school students in 2003, about 5 percent of the total student body. Some just take a few classes; others, like Yamagata and Cano-Besquet, complete their degrees. Didi DIDI Digital Image Design Incorporated (New York) Anthony, Yamagata's mother, said she didn't feel comfortable sending her son to an Ivy League school at the age of 12. ``Valley is a very supportive environment, and the community colleges offer a very nice bridge to students who are caught in between,'' Anthony said. ``Without Valley, I don't think he would be as successful as he is - he has a solid foundation he will carry with him to an Ivy League school.'' Yamagata said he loved the academic freedom as well as the ``compassionate'' faculty and classmates Classmates can refer to either:
``I think it was a wonderful experience in my life,'' he said. ``Community colleges - that's the place you can cultivate your own development and spirit.'' He plans to major in English at Cornell, but he also wants to pursue his interest in music and art. Cano-Besquet also could have graduated from high school earlier, but he opted to take classes from Oak Park High School and the Oak Park Independent Studies program, as well as Pierce College, so he could participate in activities like choir. At Pierce, ``I blended in fairly well; I would reveal my age at the appropriate time, usually for comic relief,'' Cano-Besquet said. He particularly relished the intellectual discussions with other Pierce students, who varied widely in age. A true Renaissance man who refuses to limit his interests, Cano-Besquet is just as happy reading ``Harry Potter'' as he is studying Machiavelli and the Medicis. A black belt in Hapkido, he also is a red/black belt in tae kwon do tae kwon do Korean martial art resembling karate. It is characterized by the use of high standing and jump kicks as well as punches and is practiced for sport, self-defense, and spiritual development. In sparring, blows are stopped just short of contact. , and has taught the martial art for four years. He also writes, composes music and likes to fence. He plans to double-major in literature and music at Yale, but he also wants to study physics and Romance languages. Lisa M. Sodders, (818) 713-3663 lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Aaron Yamagata, 14, a graduate of Valley College who will attend Cornell University in the fall, says community college is where ``you can cultivate your own development and spirit.'' Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer (2) Sebastian Cano-Besquet, 17, has a degree from Pierce College, which he began attending at 14, and is headed to Yale University, where he plans to major in literature and music. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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