Eastside College Preparatory School

For the school in Kirkland, Washington, see Eastside Preparatory School.

School in East Palo Alto, CA, United States

Eastside College Preparatory School

Address

1041 Myrtle Street

East Palo Alto

94303

United States

Coordinates| 37°27′49″N 122°07′56″W﻿ / ﻿37.463626°N 122.132178°W﻿ / 37.463626; -122.132178
Information
Established| 1996
Principal| Chris Bischof
Grades| 9th–12th
Gender| coeducational
Campus type| suburban

Eastside College Preparatory School is a private high school in East Palo Alto, California, with a focus on readying first-generation students from low-income families to attend and succeed in 4-year colleges. It includes boarding facilities.

## School

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Eastside College Preparatory School is independent and private, supported entirely by donations and grants; as of June 2009[update] it had approximately $80 million in property and cash endowments.[1] Students are on full scholarships.[2] The principal is Chris Bischof.[3]

The school has a year-round calendar. Classes include several offerings in partnership with Foothill College, for which students can earn college credits.[4] Teachers oversee a "Friday Night Homework" session for all students with unfinished assignments.[3] Seniors complete a 25-page research thesis along with a 30-minute presentation.[3] Starting in sophomore year, students take a college prep class and junior year students may tour colleges both on the East Coast and in Southern California.[4] Many internships are available to graduates.[5] An alumni team supports students' progress in college and as they transition to professional careers.[4] The campus is open until 10:00 pm and on weekends.[1][4]

Enrollment is currently 265.[6][not specific enough to verify] The school maintains a 99% college acceptance rate and 69% college completion rate, which is six times higher than the national average for first-generation college students.[7]

## History

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The school was founded in 1996 by Bischof and Helen Kim, the vice principal, who met while students at Stanford University.[3] It began with eight students who were taught at a picnic table in an East Palo Alto park,[1][3] moving the next year to a house,[1] then to offices, and finally to 1.6 acres of donated land where it was first housed in temporary buildings.[3] The first class of eight all graduated in 2000, at which time enrollment was 70.[8] The campus has grown to almost 6 acres.[1]

Mathematics teacher Marianne Chowning-Dray received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2015.[9]

## Student activities

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Eastside College Preparatory School has athletics programs in basketball,[8][10] soccer, volleyball, cross country, and track and field.[11] The school newspaper is The Eastside Panther.[12] The National Association for Urban Debate Leagues launched its Silicon Valley league in 2014 at Eastside and at Overfelt High School in East San Jose.[13]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e Jill Tucker (June 11, 2009). "Eastside succeeds by focusing on the students". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
2. ^ K.F.G. (July 6, 2005). "A safe place for at-risk kids". Princeton Alumni Weekly.
3. ^ a b c d e f Chris Kenrick (December 6, 2013). "Eastside Prep aims to close opportunity gap with personal touch". Palo Alto Online. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2019. Palo Alto Weekly.
4. ^ a b c d "Eastside College Preparatory School, Programs and Best Practices 2017-2018" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
5. ^ Sharon Noguchi (June 2, 2019). "Mentoring at Eastside College Preparatory paying dividends". San Jose Mercury News. pp. B1, B5.
6. ^ "At a Glance". Eastside College Preparatory School. Archived from the original on February 24, 2025.
7. ^ "Eastside College Preparatory School, Mission". Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
8. ^ a b Charlie Breitrose (June 9, 2000). "Dreams come true at Eastside Prep". Palo Alto Online. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2019. Palo Alto Weekly.
9. ^ Elena Kadvany (July 9, 2015). "Eastside Prep teacher honored by president". Palo Alto Online. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2019. Palo Alto Weekly.
10. ^ "Last One Standing: Destiny Graham expects Arizona's Senior Day to be 'really emotional'". Eastside College Preparatory School. March 2, 2019. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
11. ^ ""Student Life: Athletics"". Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
12. ^ report, Daily Journal staff (May 27, 2014). "Gunn takes top high school journalism honors". San Mateo Daily Journal. Archived from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
13. ^ Kadvany, Elena (November 21, 2014). "Palo Alto debate nonprofit empowers students to have a voice". www.paloaltoonline.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

## External links

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* Official website