| SPACE | |
 |  |  |
| Alec in 2009 | Alec and the Torpedoes win a medal in May | Alec relaxes between games during soccer tournament |
| | |
 | Alec
continued playing soccer with the Battle of Monmouth Torpedoes until
June of 2009. Because he was one year ahead of his teammates in
school, Alec was taking exams, applying for and visiting colleges, and
spending time with his college-bound friends when his teammates were
still in 11th grade. Because of this, Alec could not dedicate a much
time to soccer as he had in the past. He stayed with the team
until the end of the spring season and played his last soccer game with the Torpedoes in June.
In November Alec went to see his teammates play for the last time. The team broke up in December. |  |
| Alec playing soccer | Alec waits to enter field |
| |
 |  |
| Alec warming up with the Torpedoes | | Alec at tournament in FortDix, NJ |
| | |
 |  |  |
| Alec and KK hiding from summer sun | Torpedoes ready to start playing | Torpedoes in the shade |
| | |
|  | |
| Alec watches his last Torpedoes game in November | |
| SPACE | |
 |  |  |
| Alec with prom date in pre-prom party | Alec with friends in pre-prom party | |
| | |
 | In May, Alec had his senior prom. |  |
| Alec with prom date in pre-prom party | | Stretch limo Alec took to senior prom |
| | |
|  | |
| Alec in stretch limo | |
| | |
 |  |  |
| Alec prepares culinary arts final class project | Alec studies for AP exam | Alec finished last college application 3 hours before deadline |
| | |
 | Applying
for college in the months of October 2008 through February 2009,
involved a lot of work for Alec. He applied to over 15 colleges
and each application was a long stressful process. Then came the
wait for the big package. At the end of March Alec finally
heard from one of his top choice schools. He was accepted by the
School of Computer Science of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
He
flew to Pittsburgh with Lucia (later joined by Mauricio) to attend an
orientation for accepted student to the school and in late April
accepted their offer to register. | 
|
| Alec with Lucia during computer science orientation at CMU | Alec with Lucia during computer science orientation at CMU |
| |
 |  |
| Carnegie Mellon University | | Alec with new iMac computer |
| | |
 |  |  |
| Alec with Geraldo and Sasha at graduation | Alec with Adam at graduation | Alec with Mauricio at graduation |
| | |
 | In
June, Alec graduated from Holmdel High School. Our family friend,
Geraldo Veiga, who taught Alec lots of math, programming, and music
when Alec was small flew from Brazil to attend Alec's graduation.
Maria (Alec's nanny) and her husband Lewis joined Lucia,
Mauricio, and Sasha for the graduation ceremony in Brookedale Community
College.
On August 3rd, Alec turned 18.
Two weeks later
Mauricio and Lucia (each driving a car) took Alec and his stuff to
Pittsburgh. He moved into his dorm room which he shares with
another computer science student, Alex.
A one week long orientation preceeded the start of classes in late August.
Alec took a while to adjust to his new environment, but by the end of the semester he was well adjusted. |  |
| Alec turns 18 | Alec ready to move to Pittsburgh |
| |
 |  |
| It takes two cars to move Alec to Pittsburgh | Alec's dorm at CMU |
| |
 |  |
| Lucia with Alec at CMU | Alec and Alex share a dorm room at CMU |
| |
 |  |
| Alec with Lucia in front of CMU bookstore | | Alec in dorm room at CMU |
| | |
 |  |  |
| Alec plays guitar in dorm room at CMU | Alec with Lucia at Pittsburgh restaurant |
| | |
 | Alec came home for a long weekend in October, for Thanksgiving in November, and the the winter break in December. |  |
| Alec and Sasha home for Thanksgiving | | Alec with Lucia in Pittsburgh breakfast place |
| | |
 | |  |
| Alec and Sasha with André and Adam having Thanksgiving dinner | | Lucia with Alec, home for a long weekend in October |