December 2011
2 posts
ESM Leadership Camp for 2012 will be in...?
We are happy to announce details of our much-anticipated ESM Leadership Camp for Summer 2012. World famous Lake Tahoe will serve as a beautiful, breathtaking backdrop for the camp and we know you’ll enjoy our new venue. All campers will be housed at Granlibakken Resort which is located in Tahoe City, California, just a short walking distance from Lake Tahoe. Dates of the camp are July 31-...
WatchESM’s Billy Downing talking about college admissions and the challenges faced by students and how to navigate the right path.
November 2011
6 posts
ESM's Billy Downing on TV once again!
ESM’s Billy Downing will be on the air Friday morning. This live interview will air on KCRA 3 News at approximately 7:45am on My58 Network. Just an FYI-it is not on Channel 3, it is Ch 58. Refer to provider’s channel guide for My 58. Downing will be discussing recent tuition hikes at CSU schools and what parents and families can do to face these new realities!
WatchCSU approves tuition increase. ESM’s Billy Downing reacts on KFI-AM640 News Radio in Los Angeles.
CSU approves fee hike
CSU Asks State to Restore $471 Million in 2012-2013 Budget
(Nov. 16, 2011) — The California State University Board of Trustees today unanimously approved its 2012-2013 budget, which requests that the governor and legislature provide an additional $471 million in state funding for the upcoming fiscal year. The board also approved an increase in tuition of $498 a year that will go into effect for...
CSU Fee Hike?
CSU proposes 9 percent fee increase
By Lisa M. Krieger San Jose Mercury News
Updated: 11/15/2011 06:45:59 AM PST
In a move that would almost quadruple the cost of attending college in just over a decade, California State University trustees will decide Wednesday whether to hike next fall’s undergraduate tuition by 9 percent unless the state gives the system more money.
It would...
More hikes at CSU's?
Nov 15 From Capitol Public Radio:
Lawmakers gave the university quite the budget cut this year - $650 million. That led to an extra tuition increase. So in lobbying for next year’s budget, Chancellor Charlie Reed is taking a “carrot-and-stick” approach. The stick comes this week, when trustees vote on a nine percent tuition increase for next fall. But Reed’s also...
September 2011
2 posts
Aberration or Trend?
SAT reading scores for the high school class of 2011 were the lowest on record, and combined reading and math scores fell to their lowest point since 1995.
The College Board, which released the scores Wednesday, said the results reflect the record size and diversity of the pool of test-takers. As more students aim for college and take the exam, it tends to drag down average scores.
Meanwhile,...
ESM's Harry Kisker to speak in SF Bay Area
I am excited to share with you that Harry Kisker, ESM’s Director of College Counseling from San Francisco will be speaking at Larkspur Landing Marriott Hotel on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00PM. Harry has been in college counseling for 40 years and is one of the region’s most sought after experts in admissions counseling. This will be his only speaking engagement in the North...
August 2011
42 posts
WatchMeet ESM’s Director of College Counseling, Harry Kisker!
WatchThanks to those who attended last night’s presentation by ESM’s Director of College Counseling, Harry Kisker, in El Dorado Hills. “The College Quest” presentation brings home all you need to know about the college admissions process and how to prepare for it.
Tonight is the night (in Northern California)
Tonight at 7pm at Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills, Director of College Counseling for The ESM Group, Harry Kisker, offers his free presentation, “The College Quest.”
Harry Kisker has been an educator since 1967. He has held a variety of admissions and student-afairs positions at Cornell University, Lawrence University, Washington University in St. Louis and The Collegiate...
"The College Quest" presentation in NorCal!
College Counseling Expert Harry Kisker coming to Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills, CA
Dear Friends of ESM:
I am excited to share with you that Harry Kisker, ESM’s Director of College Counseling from San Francisco will be speaking at Serrano Country Club this Wednesday evening (8/24) at 7:00PM. Harry has been in college counseling for 40 years and is one of the region’s most sought...
WatchDay 5 of the Kings Leadership Academy!
Group presentations the order of the day and the students nailed it! A great experience today and throughout the week. They actually got advice from one of the Kings’ Owners! We genuinely hated to see it all end but the students came away with smiles on their faces and the knowledge that they left knowing more about the business world than when they...
WatchDay 4 recap from ESM’s Kings Leadership Academy:
Students got to see and hear from Jeff David VP of Sales from the Kings on how to get a job in the NBA, Mayor Kevin Johnson, who was speaking to kids at the Kings Practice Facility, and made an impression. Then, the students broke off into their groups and got visits from various department heads from the Kings in preparation for the grande...
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WatchStudents got to listen to Jeff David, Senior VP of Sales and Service. Jeff was specific in explaining how to get a job with the Kings, any NBA Team or the NBA itself. Jeff’s talk was one of the more popular at the academy. He answered many questions from the curious campers. Jeff comes from a standpoint of experience. He works for the Kings now but also worked alongside NBA Commissioner...
WatchAdd KCRA-TV as another media outlet to come out to cover ESM’s Kings Leadership Academy. We appreciate them covering such a worthwhile and community-related story!
WatchThanks to News10 for covering ESM’s Kings Leadership Academy. Check out their story!
WatchDay 3 was a busy day at ESM’s Kings Leadership Academy. Longtime TV Sportscaster Ron Hyde addressed the students about having big dreams, networking with people who can help you get jobs and to have many interests to make yourself more marketable.
Ticket Sales guru, Phil Horn of the Sacramento Kings chimed in on how the team sells tickets to groups. He says it’s important that they...
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WatchKings’ Great Bobby Jackson talks about ESM and how he wishes he had something like it when he was in high school.
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Watch
Day 2 of ESM’s Kings Leadership Academy included visits from Kings’ Great Bobby Jackson, Media Relations VP Troy Hansen, Equipment Manager Rob Pimental and sessions with other department heads. Also, the folks from KAPLAN engaged in another round of SAT/ACT tutoring and the students were given homework in the form of group projects.
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WatchDay 1 recap of the Kings Leadership Academy sponsored by the Sacramento Kings and The ESM Group
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Jay Lowden - CEO of YMCA - discusses the...
Jay Lowden, CEO of YMCA, talks with ESM Campers about how volunteering has personally inspired him. Shown here, he discusses what parts of volunteering mean the most to him. Mr. Lowden also asked students to share volunteer activities in which they’ve participated as well.
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Harvard Alumnus Bryan McKrell on the College...
ESM Campers sat down for a panel on the college interview process with Harvard Interview and Alumnus, Bryan McKrell. McKrell challenged students to figure out what about themselves would reflect most positively in a college interview by speaking about activities and experiences in which the students find their true passion. Students answered practice interview questions and received feedback...
Break time is upon us and then more work!
Many of the students are taking a break in the early afternoon and will be back to hear 2 more guest speakers. Bryan McKrell, a Harvard graduate, will teach an interactive session on how to apply proper strategies when it comes to the college interview.
Jay Lowden, the CEO of the YMCA of California will follow Bryan and talk about leadership qualities and the merits of volunteerism in order to...
WatchU.S. as well as International Students are taking part in the ESM Leadership Camp. The students are very focused on what they need to do to “elevate their game” academically and in other areas in order to be competitive in the college admissions process.
This year’s group of students is a joy with which to work and their attitude and commitment is top shelf!
WatchOne-on-one with Dave Kovar and what he hoped would be the lesson for the students~
WatchA look at Dave Kovar’s session today teaching self-defense, awareness and confidence
WatchMaster Teacher Dave Kovar of Kovar’s Satori Academy opened his first martial arts facility in 1978. He has opened several since over the past 30+ years teaching not only martial arts, but life lessons as well. Today in front of the ESM Students, Dave is teaching them about awareness on campus and methods they can employ in their daily lives to protect themselves and to be comfortable with...
WatchLate day sessions featured ESM CEO Billy Downing talking about the college app and then SAT/ACT and Personal Statement sessions by the pool at Lions Gate Hotel.
WatchTom Kandris is the Co-Founder and CEO of American River Packaging, Inc. He is an entrepreneur who has succeeded in high-tech, low-tech and no tech and points in between. He was named the Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010 and his sage words of advice about how to succeed and how to lead really resonated with the ESM Camp Students.
WatchTom Kandris is the Co-Founder and CEO of American River Packaging, Inc. He is an entrepreneur who has succeeded in high-tech, low-tech and no tech and points in between. He was named the Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010 and his sage words of advice about how to succeed and how to lead really resonated with the ESM Camp Students.
WatchKimberly Foss, Network TV Business Analyst, takes time to talk to us about students who get those credit cards in the mail the moment they walk into their dorm rooms freshman year. Listen to what she has to say.
WatchFinancial Analyst Kimberly Foss of Fox and CNBC discusses how students need to start managing their money smartly and how to avoid the pitfalls of credit card abuse in college.
WatchPeter Bear talks one-on-one about the critical nature of essay writing and how it can make or break your application/admission to the college of your choice.
Kimberly Foss, Network TV Business Reporter is up...
Our afternoon guest speaker after our lunch break will be Kimberly Foss, President of Empyrion Wealth Management of Granite Bay, CA. Kimberly is a notable national TV business analyst and has been seen on local TV as well as networks like CNBC and Fox. Kimberly will be talking to the students about managing their money and how to avoid the pitfalls of credit card abusein college. We anxiously...
WatchPeter Bear talking to the students about college essays and essay writing and how it can be the make or break for students in terms of getting into their right-fit school. Not many out there as qualified as the Princeton/Yale-educated Peter to impart his nuggets of wisdom to these attentive students. Peter has been there, done that and still does it. His knowledge in the area of essay writing will...
WatchSimon Sheppard, Camp Director for the ESM Leadership Camp, talks about what students should come away with after these 4 days. With a spectrum of college-prep and life coaching sessions, Simon says the students will feel a sense of clarity and purpose as they embark on or near the next chapters of their life both in and out of the classroom.
WatchDay 2 of ESM Camp promises to be a busy one. Students got up early, many worked out, had a good breakfast here at the beautiful lions gate hotel and then got right to it. The folks from KAPLAN kicked it off this morning with some valuable SAT coaching sessions. Today promises to be busy with several guest speakers and a lot of hard work. Stay tuned to our blog for updates throughout the day. ...