Sunny skies and balmy weather once again greeted this year’s AAAYA Summer Picnic at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto, California. The 4th annual event was well attended with more than 70 sign-ups. Within this large turnout were 11 members of the Class of 2016, including one who came with family from as far as Sacramento. A spectrum of undergraduate and graduate alums from 1972 to 2012, as well as current students, was represented. Current students and recent graduates can be seen mingling with prospective freshmen (and their parents) while feasting on the many diverse gastronomic offerings. Overheard questions include how to decide on majors and course selection, the logistics of freshman move-in, orientation, pre-orientation and other questions that each generation at Yale has asked, but now answered by the enthusiastic current students and recent grads from our area.
Thanks should be directed to David Hsiao ’84 TD who set up and organized this year’s picnic. David, together with Harry Chang ’84 SY, contributed much of drinks, water and picnic accessories. Mu-Young Lee ’92 JE, AAAYA NorCal Chapter Vice President and Silicon Valley Yale Club President, manned the hot coals and flipped dozens of hamburgers for the hungry masses. There was no shortage of good food, including pork buns, many varieties of spring rolls, roast duck, sushi, sticky rice exotica, fried chicken, noodle dishes, salads and, of course, hamburgers. Esther de Lory ’77 CC contributed her signature “Y” brownies to the dessert table, already overflowing with homemade goodies. Before herding the pre-frosh and all the alums for group photos, AAAYA NorCal Chapter President Chester Te ’90 TC welcomed and addressed the gathered crowd and thanked the organizers and active members who made the event a huge success.
AAAYA NorCal plans to hold its 5th Annual Picnic next summer and hopes to see the return at that next event many of the previous “pre-Frosh” classes, including the Class of 2013 (our first pre-Frosh picnic group who will become graduates!). Here are photos of the various student classes since we’ve begun this annual gathering in 2009 …
Class of 2013 at AAAYA Picnic, Summer of 2009
Class of 2014 at AAAYA Picnic, Summer of 2010
Class of 2015 at AAAYA Picnic, Summer of 2011
Class of 2016 at AAAYA Picnic, Summer of 2012