Summer Search Expands Horizons for CCPA Junior

Part of Coliseum College Prep Academy 11th-grader Antonio’s ancestry lies in Italy, but until last summer, he hadn’t much explored those roots. “I never really knew too much about the language or any of that,” he says, “but recently I started thinking a lot about that side of my background and culture.”

This past summer – in Minnesota, uniquely enough – he got his chance to explore it. Thanks to the Summer Search program, Antonio spent an entire month immersed in Italian language instruction while living in cabins with other students from around the country.

“I felt really proud once I got there because it seemed like I was starting to understand more about my family and where they came from,” reflects Antonio. “I always think about my great-grandfather [who loved in Italy], because my mom always told me we have similar characteristics. On this trip I felt like I was giving him back some life.”

Antonio took quickly to the language and the way it was taught. “Their learning strategy is amazing,” he says. “Right away, they only speak to you in Italian. So you just learn by speaking it and speaking it. I was lost at first, but after three weeks I pretty much understood most of what they were saying, and I now know how to read and write in Italian.”

In other words, Antonio, already fluent in Spanish and English, is trilingual at age 16.
The trip’s other benefits were less scholastic, but just as formative. “I didn’t know anybody, so it was a new world to me,” Antonio reflects. “Oakland is very city-like, but there it was all peace and quiet, with two lakes surrounding us.”

Of all the Summer Searchers, Antonio had traveled the farthest, and for him the experience was filled with firsts. “This was my first time on a plane, my first time leaving the state, my first time being away from my family for that long.”

All of this led to another first: an emotional bout of homesickness that peaked when he received a letter from his younger brother. “He sent me a picture of me and him and it said, ‘I love you, Brother,’” recalls Antonio. “I felt really sad because it was really hard for me to be without him. I love my little brother so much and I’m going to look out for him for the rest of my life.”

The month also offered Antonio the unique experience of making fast friends in a short period of time. “When you get there you’re all strangers, but then on the last day everyone’s crying about leaving each other.” He says he keeps up with the other kids on Facebook, and hopes to visit a few of them up in Seattle.

Antonio thanks the CCPA staff for connecting him with the memorable opportunity. “They’ve helped me a lot,” he says. “I’m really learning a lot of leadership at the school, and I was on the design team when CCPA was first founded. They see me doing hard work and participating a lot, which is why they recommended me for Summer Search. They see that I’m trying to be somebody.”

The Summer Search program is three years long, so Antonio is already plotting his next adventure. “Next summer, I’m thinking about going to another country,” he says. “I think I want to use what I learned last summer, and go to Italy to do community service around my ancestors’ town, because there’s a lot of poverty over there. My mentor and I are planning that all out now.”
Last summer’s experience also has Antonio thinking about college. “It was a great life skill for me to start to learn to be independent,” says Antonio. “Like I told my mom before I left, this is just a little warm-up for when I go to college.”

Point Reyes Trip Immortalized in New Mural

Those of you who read our Spring 2009 newsletter know how unforgettable the five-day Point Reyes field trip is for our 6th-graders. Thanks to a new mural outside Miranda Spang and Amy Stauffer’s classrooms, if the students ever want to bring that memory back into colorful and sharp focus, they need only walk down the hall and watch the whole trip unfold before their eyes.

“They all knew a mural was going to be a goal that we’d complete for Expo to tell the story of the trip,” says Spang. To that end, the kids had art classes at Point Reyes, doing observational drawing, foreground and background study, and more.

Back on campus, bringing the trip to life in mural form – complete with a key that elaborates on each individual painted scene – was a labor of love for Art Teacher Miranda Bergman and the 6th-graders.

“We saw a lot of cool plants and animals in Point Reyes, and we drew them from close-up,” says Jose, now in 7th grade. “We drew a lot every day, so when we came back we had it in our heads what things should look like. The hard thing was making everything the exact color to make it look real.”

In the ASCEND spirit of arts integration, all of the mural work was aligned with state science curriculum standards. Math got in the mix, too, when the kids used proportions to transfer their small drawings to the long wall.

“Everything was small and then we had to enlarge it,” says Sergio, explaining how the kids transferred their drawings to the mural. “We drew squares in the wall and measured every little square.”

7th-graders Selena and Emonee explain the care it took to render everything faithfully. “If you look at the mural,” says Selena, “you can see the horse looks to scale. Of course in real life the horse is giant. Ms. Bergman really helped us do this right.”

“They also learned the difference between individual and collaborative art,” says Stauffer. “They were creating something that would belong to everybody.”

“When we finished the mural the principal cut the ribbon and we had a ceremony,” says Cesar. “I felt joyful because we persevered through the work, and we were so grateful that we had the chance to go to Point Reyes and also have the experience of making the mural. It was a great opportunity.”

EnCompass Drill Team Steps Up Spirit

When it’s time to perform, EnCompass Academy’s “Steppin’ Into Success” After-School Drill Team is all business.

First, the uniform: Each member in a matching embroidered “Drill Team” sweater vest. Next, the lineup: Kids in perfect rows, hands flush at their sides, eyes focused straight ahead.

Then, the performance: Drill Team Instructor Rowena Tatmon (known to students as Ms. Papoose) cues the kids, and in perfect sync they perform their step moves while belting out these words, in a call and response:

“Everywhere we go / People want to know
Who we are / Who we are
So we tell them / So we tell them
We are EnCompass! The mighty, mighty EnCompass!
Deep in my heart / I love EnCompass!”

This impromptu performance was on campus, but Ms. Papoose and her steppers are intent on spreading the EnCompass message all over Oakland. In keeping with a key piece of the school’s motto – “engaged in community” – already this year they have marched and performed in three parades and placed 1st in the Oakland Black Cowboy parade.

Ms. Papoose lives in the neighborhood, and formed a Drill Team in east Oakland to provide a space for youth to develop pride, self-esteem, and self-discipline within the arms of the community. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and really enjoy doing what I can do for these kids. It’s a part of me,” she says.

Principal Nguyen was inspired by Ms. Papoose’s many gifts, perseverance, and incredibly positive impact on generations in east Oakland. She wanted to support this community leader in her vision for children and families. Soon after, “Steppin’ Into Success” was born and continues to inspire and motivate students. In keeping with the EnCompass Academy After-School Scholars Program’s commitment to community service, Steppin’ Into Success has brought food and clothing to homeless people at East Oakland’s True Fellowship Church.

“We know we need to be kind to people who need help,” says 3rd-grader Daja.

“Some people don’t get to have stuff,” concurs 4th-grader Ashley, “so we want to help them.”

They also visit the nearby Allen Temple Senior Center, where the team performs and spends time getting to know the seniors. “It feels great because the seniors are older than us and we can perform for them,” reflects 3rd-grader Lilia. “We’re not shy with them.”

Bridging the generations in this way, the kids offer further stepping proof that EnCompass is “engaged in community.” If there was any doubt, the team makes its presence known as they walk to the Senior Center, doing their chants and bringing positive vibrations to the neighborhood.

“We’re learning how to be respectful to everybody, and be good listeners and help each other out,” says 3rd-grader Kimberly. “Thank you, Ms. Papoose!”

Meet an Oakland Graduate

Stanford, by way of East Oakland
For Michelle Gómez, last spring was filled with days of waiting and wondering. It was acceptance letter season, and Michelle, then a senior at Life Academy of Health and Bioscience, had yet to hear from Stanford University. March 26 figured to be yet another day of waiting.

“I expected to hear on April 1, but the news came a week early,” she recalls. “I was in Life Academy’s College and Career Information Center (CCIC), happened to have my email open, and realized I had a message from Stanford. I didn’t want to tell anyone, because I was prepared for rejection.” Bracing for the worst, she quietly clicked open the email. “I scrolled down, and as soon I read Congratulations!, I just started crying.”

She wasn’t the only one. “Everyone in the room started crying too, and everyone in the hallway started screaming. Even some of our teachers were crying.”

But the most rewarding moment was yet to come. “When I got home I told my parents, and they were so proud,” reflects Michelle as she relives the day. “That night I was so excited I couldn’t really sleep, and from my room I could hear my parents talking. They come from a very humble small town in Mexico, and I could hear them saying they couldn’t believe their daughter could be going to one of the best universities in the country. I would be the first person in my family to go to college. I felt so proud for paying back all the sacrifices they made for me.”

What’s more, thanks to support from Life Academy’s CCIC, Michelle had applied for and earned a partial scholarship. But over the next few days, Michelle stepped back from the emotions to weigh her decision. After all, she had acceptances from seven other schools. “I didn’t want to go just because of the name,” she explains. “I wanted to go because it was the right place for me.”
She had concerns about Stanford’s diversity, but on a visit to the campus Michelle was heartened to discover El Centro Chicano, the university’s Latino Community Center. There she met the Center’s president, who was also from East Oakland.

“I really connected with her and felt that people like me can be successful at Stanford,” says Michelle. “I decided Stanford would ultimately be the best school for me. They have strong programs in all fields, and I’m going in as pre-med.”

She credits Life Academy, where she was co-valedictorian of her class, with helping her reach that point. “At Life Academy, I was pushed to become a leader. Prior to high school, I was very, very shy and would not speak in front of a crowd or raise my hand in class. At Life I was pushed beyond my comfort zone so that I could be better than I was.”

“I know my first year is going to be really, really hard,” she continues. “But Life Academy has prepared me for that and I’m not going to give up, ever. Not at all.”

Moving forward, and giving back
Fast-forward to this November, and Michelle’s first semester at Stanford. “It’s only my second month in,” she says, “but I’m really trying to be resourceful and take advantage of every opportunity.”

As with her decision to attend Stanford, Michelle is approaching the college experience with an open mind.

“I’m just trying to be conscious of everything going on. There’s just so much, so many things happening on this campus,” she explains. “Like kickboxing – I never realized you could take that as a class! And I’m taking a Humanities course called ‘Journeys,’ which explores different philosophies and journeys that people take. It’s difficult, but very enlightening.”

While she still intends to pursue a health-related career – “I want to be one of the people who reforms healthcare” – Michelle is also considering other community-based lines of work.

“I think my heart will always be in social service and Latino issues, which relates back to my experiences in Oakland,” she reflects. “Right now I’m helping out in East Palo Alto, through a Stanford program called MEChA.” (A student group “dedicated to progressive changes for the Chicano/Latino community at Stanford and beyond.”) She’s also volunteering at SPOON, the Stanford Project on Hunger, collecting food around campus and delivering it to homeless shelters.

This desire to give back is firmly rooted in Michelle’s commitment to Oakland. The first weeks on Stanford’s campus have “made me reflect a lot about high school and Oakland and living in a low-income neighborhood,” she says. “Here at Stanford you have people coming from all over, and from very rich areas. I’m really grateful to have this opportunity, and it saddens me that a lot of my peers haven’t had it.”

“I feel empowered to be in this position, to get an education from a school like Stanford, and to have a voice. I want people back home to have the same opportunities. I feel that no one should have an excuse to turn away from education.”

With her East Oakland home and current Life Academy students in mind, she is encouraging her sister, cousin, and others to join extracurricular programs and do all they can to create their own opportunities, whether their future plans include college or not. “I’ve been so happy to hear that a lot of people in Life’s senior class are so motivated,” she says. “They’re getting involved in a lot of groups and applying to a lot more colleges – some to Stanford.”

“Colleges are in desperate need of more diversity,” she says. “I’m proud to tell people here at Stanford that I’m from East Oakland. I think it gives me so much more perspective, and I think it’s important for people to stand up for issues in the community where they grew up. I love that Life Academy is here in East Oakland. Oakland has a lot to give, and I’m always going to give back to Oakland, because it’s my roots.”

An earlier version of Michelle’s story appears in Life Academy’s Lifeline newsletter.

Washington, D.C. Trip Presents Monuments, Cherry Blossoms, and One Daunting Challenge

For the eleven 7th- and 8th-graders who represented Urban Promise Academy in Washington, D.C. this spring, the application process was so rigorous that it resembled applying for college. Not only did students need to carry at least a 3.0 grade-point average and write an essay, they also had to secure recommendations from their teachers and go through an interview.

“It was their first experience formally interviewing for something,” says UPA Assistant Principal and trip organizer Dennis Guikema, “and they were awesome. They came very prepared and I found out things I would have never expected. 7th-grader Maria, for example, recited from memory the entire preamble to the Constitution.”

The trip itself was monumental for the kids – and their families. “All the families took a leap of faith,” says Guikema. “This was the first time they’d been separated from their kids for that long and that distance.”

They were also incredibly excited for them, and lived vicariously through the students. “In D.C.,” recalls 8th-grader Alejandra, “my mom called me every five minutes to say, ‘Send me some pictures, I want to see what you’re doing!’”

What they did, thanks to the well-organized Close Up program, was a what’s-what of Washington, D.C.: Visits to the Arlington Cemetery, Vietnam Memorial, Holocaust Museum, Lincoln Memorial, the seasonal cherry blossoms, and more.

“Maybe I wasn’t alive while they fought,” says Alejandra of the soldiers buried in Arlington Cemetery, “but it felt like you lived through their stories and you lived through what they lived through.”

While these experiences made the students feel at home in the nation’s capital, they soon encountered a situation the typical tourist would never face.

Taking part in a mock Congress session, UPA’s exercise involved reviewing the Dream Act and deciding whether or not to amend it. “After we said we believed all immigrants who want to go to college should have the right to gain residence or citizenship,” says Alejandra, “a student from another school stood up and said that all immigrants should go back to their country because they’re stealing our jobs.”

"We were so emotional about that," recalls 7th-grader Jennifer. "One of us was crying.” After briefly venting their frustrations back in the hotel room, the kids calmly planned a measured, mature response.

“We started talking amongst each other about how it was not really fair, how they don’t know us or where we come from,” says Alejandra. “We wondered what we should do, and how we should face it.”

What ensued, says Guikema, “was really powerful. That conversation was so intense,” he recalls. “It was one of the most memorable experiences of my UPA history so far.”

“We talked as a group and told each other how we felt,” says 7th-grader Maria. “We expressed our feelings to each other.”

“We decided we wanted to talk to the coordinator of the program and let them know our experiences,” says Alejandra. “We also wrote letters to Senator John Kerry and we went to his office where we met with his senior aide. We told him that inside and outside the community these things just happen, and we don’t want these things to repeatedly happen.”

“In an unsafe situation, they didn’t act inappropriately in the moment,” Guikema says. “They came together as a group, calling in support and figuring out what to do next.”

“In all my years of working in schools,” says Guikema, “I’ve never seen students have the opportunity to speak to power so directly.”

To drive this point home, Guikema shifts his attention from the Promise reporter to address the D.C. students directly. “You had a chance to present letters to a senior-ranking senator on a really timely policy issue. A group of kids from an Oakland school who historically are marginalized in the political process, you went into the belly of the beast and made your voices heard. I’m so proud of you guys.”

In the heat of the moment, says Guikema, “I was really questioning whether we could do this trip again. But then I realized that the way they handled it just made them that much stronger.”
“You should go again,” asserts Alejandra. “And next year when you select the students, you should tell them this might happen.”

“You can help me interview them if you want!” replies Guikema. “You can explain the right way to handle a challenge like that.”

“[This experience] helped me believe that what I want to do is possible,” reflects Claudia. “[It taught us] how to be leaders, how we can be responsible and represent our school and how other kids can look up to us.”

“I’m going to miss being an UPA Warrior,” says Alejandra, “but you kind of carry that around wherever you go. The experiences you have [at UPA and in places like D.C.], no one can take that away from you and you remember them forever. We learn things you don’t see on TV or in newspapers. When younger kids ask you about D.C., you have stories to share. You have the honor to say, ‘I went there and stood in that spot.’”

"College for All" Campus Tour Tradition Continues

Urban Promise Academy added another inspiring chapter to its College for All program this winter, with 80 8th-graders visiting Cal Poly, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz on a three-day, two-night trip.

The tours and panels offered UPA students a wide-ranging impression of the college experience. At Santa Cruz, they got an inside look at daily student life, seeing dorm rooms and eating in the dining hall. At Santa Barbara, they took an “activist tour,” which covered different movements on the campus throughout its history, and the efforts to build diversity at the university. The kids were surprised, says Johnson, to hear so little talk about coursework. Then at Cal Poly, where most of the panelists discussed academics, the 8th-graders told Johnson, “They don’t even care about race here!”

The kids also picked up on the schools’ quirks: “They thought all the bikes at Santa Barbara were hysterical,” recalls Johnson. “Bikers just have the right-of-way everywhere.”

The kids still laugh about the preponderance of bikes. “My favorite was Santa Barbara,” recalls 8th-grader Susanna. “They have a lot of [extracurricular] clubs and I like that. But the bikes were kind of creepy.”

“A lot of the kids just felt relaxed and free,” says Johnson, “ready to have fun and see everything, just breathing everything in. They were fabulous – no drama, no issues.”

“At first I didn’t think I wanted to go to college because I thought it was too much hard work,” says Susanna. “But during our visits the college students told us it is hard, but at the same time you have fun doing it.”

“I thought they really changed their outlook,” says Johnson, “to be more like ‘Yes, I’m going to college and this is what I’m going to do.’”

“My favorite part was Santa Cruz,” says 8th-grader Denise, “because I want to go there. I don’t want to be too far from home – or too close. They showed me they want to get more diversity on campus. The students there told us, ‘We thought we couldn’t do it but we’re here,’ so I think I can do it too.”

Meet One of Our Teachers: EnCompass Academy's Mario García

During Mario García’s second year as a teacher, he had “one of those moments.”

“I taught this 3rd-grader, Salvador, I remember him to this day,” reflects García. “He started the year with no literacy skills – didn’t even know the alphabet. By June, I had taught him how to read. He was reading entire books, and I’ll never forget how that made me feel.

“I just saw a whole new world open up to him. That’s when I realized: As public school teachers, this kind of moment is our greatest payment. I catch myself saying corny things, but I have to say it: It’s priceless. That breakthrough with Salvador set the tone for the rest of my career.”

Now in his 14th year of teaching in Oakland (and sixth at EnCompass Academy), García has a wealth of inspiring moments to draw on. But his commitment to Oakland students has roots that run deeper than his teaching career. His grandfather was a teacher and administrator in the Bay Area, and his father was a Chicano Studies professor at UC Berkeley (García’s alma mater). His mother recently retired after teaching for 40 years in the Oakland Unified School District, and his brother and sister also teach. “We’re a family of teachers,” says García. “That’s a powerful foundation for me.”

So too was his parents’ dedication to social justice and equity for all of Oakland’s students. “My parents were very driven to make sure I was aware of the issues around equity and civil rights.” Along with other parents, García’s mother and father advocated for one of the Bay Area’s first bilingual preschools, Centro Infantil de la Raza – and García became one of its first students. “It was rooted in celebrating language and culture and giving everyone equal access to curriculum,” he says.

García remained immersed in this equity-minded atmosphere during elementary school at La Escuelita, the only bilingual Oakland elementary school at the time. “Looking back on it, it was just a beautiful experience,” he recalls. “Every student’s identity was very valid and celebrated. As I got older, I realized that was a pretty unique experience, and it’s very much a part of who I am to this day.”

But García was becoming aware that what “seemed so right and normal” to him was not, in fact, the norm. García started teaching largely because he “felt a deep responsibility to make sure the identity of every child is honored, and to never underestimate the power of that. As adults we tend to forget how important it is to be validated in that way at that young age. That’s something I’m very passionate about, coming from the family I come from.”

It’s no surprise that García wound up teaching at EnCompass Academy, an elementary school that embraces the “whole-child” approach he benefited from throughout his own childhood. In fact, the school’s motto perfectly echoes his upbringing: Starts with self, guided by family, engaged in community, rooted in ancestors.

“There’s a real satisfaction I get when I see students’ eyes open up about learning their own history and gaining a deeper understanding of the impact they can have in their own community and in the world.

“When I teach about African-American inventors, the pride I see in my Black students is extremely powerful,” he says. “That knowledge becomes a badge of honor that connects them to something and motivates them. It’s also empowering for my other students to have that knowledge. The key to me is connecting it all. It's an all-encompassing thing of making it relevant.

"As proud as I am of the gains my students have made academically [García's classes routinely show growth on California Standards Tests], deep inside I always want to do more in terms of cultural and historical teaching."

EnCompass is in the heart of East Oakland, where García grew up and still lives. (His house is around the corner from his parents’ first home.) “I’m from Oakland, I’m Latino, I’m bilingual. I understand what they are going through,” he explains. “That’s the power of working in the community where you grew up, and I feel like I’m fulfilling a need here. You know the saying Get in where you fit in — that's exactly what I'm doing. I feel I am right where I should be at this moment in time.”

He also feels this is the time to tackle another critical issue facing East Oakland. “We need to have a powerful focus on bringing the African-American and Latino communities together,” says García. To this end, he and an African-American childhood friend, also a teacher, have developed a project unofficially named “The Black and Brown Connection.” Their hope is to build a curriculum around it and host workshops to bring communities together. “Once we can create those connections,” says García, “so many positive things will flow out of that.”

Always teaching, always reaching, García is clearly extending his family’s legacy of community-building and social-justice education. “I feel strongly that you should inject your passion in what you teach,” he says. “The kids know I care about what I'm teaching them and they know I care about them. My kids are excited when they know Mr. García met Jesse Jackson when he was young, or that I had dinner with Dolores Huerta, or that I attended Cesar Chavez’s funeral. That’s real-life stuff I bring to the students.”

And they don't forget it. Recently, while out buying a Raiders jersey for his son, García bumped into someone he'd taught 10 years ago. "'Mr. García? she said. You were like the greatest teacher in the world!' That felt really good," he says. He also has old students frequently drop by his classroom, and every year he is invited to former students' quinceanera (15th birthday) parties.

When you hear him speak about his commitment to Oakland kids, it’s not hard to picture him teaching here as long as his mother did. “Oakland has a lot of beauty, a rich and beautiful history that not enough people know about,” says García. “I’m going to do whatever I can for these kids. They have just as much potential as anyone. As a teacher, I know that every day, the words I say have such an impact. It’s a pretty powerful burden, but also a profound gift. It’s both, and you have to be careful with it.”

Futures Poet Spreads the Love

Futures Elementary School 5th-grader Charles Mack has a message of love, and he wants to share it far and wide. After his poem, the aptly-titled “Love,” won the America SCORES Bay Area poetry slam, he got that chance. First, Charles recited the poem on ABC7 News, and then took his message on a plane ride – his first – to New York City!

There, 11-year-old Charles brought a little poetic love to an unlikely place: Wall Street. One of just two poets representing Oakland on behalf of the SCORES after-school program, Charles delivered his poem on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, leaving his stanzas’ optimistic imprint on an institution used to numbers, not couplets.

An excerpt:
Love is the feeling that you can’t forget,
and when you find love, you can’t regret.
Love is sweet, love is kind, like sugar and honey, and everything fine…

“When I found out I was going to New York, I was like jumping all over the place,” recalls Charles. “When I told my mom and grandma, they were like, ‘Oh my gosh!’”

“It was really cool to be at [the New York Stock Exchange] reading my poem,” he continues. “People were clapping and making me feel happy. I want to go other places, too, and read my poems.”

“I love to write about love,” Charles tells us, “because when I think about love, it makes me feel good about my family and friends. And I like to rhyme; I think it sounds really good.”

He also felt proud to represent Futures and Oakland so far away from home. “It made me feel good because it felt like, out of everyone at my school, it was me. So I wanted to do well for my school.”

Charles credits his SCORES coaches Arturo and Lauren: “I like the SCORES program because it helped me to start writing poems, and because I like soccer,” says Charles. SCORES’ mission is to “empower students in urban communities using soccer, writing, creative expression, and service-learning.”

Charles enjoys the liberating feeling that comes with writing a poem. “When you express your feelings writing poems, it makes you want to say things that you really don’t say often.”

He’s also an appreciator of other poets: Among his favorites is Snowy White. “When I read his poems,” says Charles, “they rhyme and it makes me feel really good because he talks about nature, and I love to read about nature.”

Headed for middle school next year, Futures’ young poet laureate will be missed, but we hope to keep up with him as continues to hone his craft. In 6th grade he hopes to start writing more about nature himself.

For 1st-Graders, the Future Is Wide Open

As our Bay Area SCORES after-school program suggests, Futures Elementary School prides itself on offering students the widest-ranging education possible, all day and every day: from our regular academic classes to our eclectic after-school program. Another essential piece of this horizon-expanding vision is field trips, particularly in the great outdoors.

In what staff hopes will become an annual tradition, Futures 1st-graders and their families visited San Francisco’s new Crissy Field Center twice this year. Not only were the trips a chance to travel outside Oakland, they also helped kids and parents reflect on the environment and our role in protecting it.

The Center’s program weaves eco-friendly themes throughout its nature hike and other outdoor activities. Kids made a nature book out of recycled materials, and there was a tutorial on sorting recycling and compost. Along the way, 1st-grade teacher Anna Blake heard parents telling their kids, “We need to start recycling more!”

The experiences were also great bonding opportunities for students and their parents. “The trip allowed my daughter and I to spend time together,” reflects Luana Talton, 1st-grader Iyana’s mother. “It was a great learning experience for both of us. I also brought my sons on the trip and we got to enjoy all of the activities as a family.”
1st-graders Aimee, Bernice, Yenny, Jalil, and Nzinga all came back with plenty of memories. “I ate some marshmallows on a stick at our campfire, and we set up a tent,” says Aimee.

“We reported smoking vehicles,” says Jalil, “which is important because that’s bad for the environment. I’m excited to go back so I can see more animals and learn more about nature.”

Not to be underestimated: how the natural world opens up for students on these trips. “Even crossing the Bay Bridge is a huge thing for some kids,” says Blake. “On the bus ride over, I was trying to talk to Jalil, and he said, ‘Sorry, Ms. Blake, but I’m looking at the ocean.’”

Blake hopes the kids will also go back to Rob Hill and Crissy Field with their parents. “A lot of families said they would try to get back there,” notes Blake. The recently opened Rob Hill has the distinction of being San Francisco’s only public campground, and it offers a discounted program for new campers, which includes bus transportation, equipment, and cookware.

In the coming years, Blake hopes Futures can take advantage of this program, with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades doing an overnight at Rob Hill.

“If we don’t educate kids about recycling, conservation, and outdoor activities, it’s a missed opportunity,” says Blake. “I know it’s something we can connect to curriculum and establish as a school and educate our students that way. We want to create more of a connection between our students and the outdoors, and this national park is an amazing resource, a powerful educational place where they can learn in a hands-on way.”

“[At Crissy Field] we learned about composting and recycling,” recalls 1st-grader Nzinga. “It’s important because if you know where to put the trash, recycling, and composting, we can have a cleaner environment. I want to learn to save people’s lives.”

The Crissy Field Center is a partnership between the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Presidio Trust, and the National Park Service. To learn more, visit www.crissyfield.org.

Greenleaf Scholars Glimpse the Future During Career Day

The strides made by students like Alexis and Alejandra (in the previous article), combined with Greenleaf Elementary’s rising Academic Performance Index (API) score (777 this year!), reflect the school’s focus on high achievement. Our 1st Annual Career Day gave them a chance to see where their continued hard work might lead, years down the road.

To host the most comprehensive Career Day, Greenleaf staff appealed to people they knew in several fields. Among the presenters were a doctor, a public speaker, a landscape designer, and a firefighter. These professionals rotated to different classrooms so that students were exposed to a range of careers. In Maureen Weiner’s class, 1st-grader Tyreke was brimming with questions for computer game designer and animator Mitchell Weiner, who shared a short animated video he’d created. “I want to make games when I grow up,” Tyreke said after the presentation.

Weiner also brought along a working model of one of the characters, which the class clamored to see up-close. In their follow-up questions, they were piecing together what it takes to wind up in a career like this. “Did you go to college for this?” one student asked.

A key part of Career Day was making connections drawn between the outside world and the classroom. Ms. Weiner helped the kids draw parallels between the model of the character and their work in class, comparing its creation to the clay sculptures they’d recently done in class.
All of the visiting professionals took pains to, as Greenleaf’s flyer urged, “make their job come alive for our students.” Laura Cusak, a chef, demonstrated cutting safe cutting techniques with her collection of cook’s knives. After answering students’ questions about her path to becoming a chef, she left them with a message that echoed across all of the Career Day participants’ presentations:

“If you ask people, and study, and be really open, you can discover your passion and pursue it. And then you’ll be inspired and fulfilled by what you do.”

It's in the Books: Community Groups Committed to Literacy at Greenleaf

From its first days as a school in 2007, Greenleaf Elementary set out to build a culture of literacy and strong English Language Arts (ELA) achievement, and when Outreach Coordinator Rodolfo Perez connected with Judy Zollman and Oakland’s Temple Sinai, he found the perfect community partner to support that effort.

Since Temple Sinai’s People of the Book volunteers began visiting Greenleaf, the school’s library has been transformed: They cleaned the library, retired old and damaged books, and most importantly, replaced them with scores of new books on a range of subjects and reading levels.

In its devotion to supporting not just reading aptitude but a love of books, the organization is careful to connect Greenleaf scholars with suitable texts. “We really want to find books that fit the interest and reading level of the kids,” explains Temple Sinai’s Judy Zollman. “Watching students get excited when they find something that fits them, to see kids so enthusiastic about books – that’s just a wonderful thing to see happen.” To continue the momentum that started in the library, Temple Sinai has staged two book giveaways a year, for three years running.

“Judy Zollman and Temple Sinai have been terrific in organizing [Greenleaf’s] school library and related activities,” says Judy Pam-Bycel, outreach manager for the Jewish Coalition for Literacy (JCL), another key community partner. Completing another piece of the literacy puzzle, JCL has teamed up with Greenleaf to match students with volunteer reading tutors.

In keeping with Greenleaf’s focus on individual student improvement, JCL tutors have been matched with kids needing “that extra boost,” says volunteer Joan Diengott. Along with fellow JCL volunteer Deborah Sosebee, Diengott has been working one-on-one with 3rd-graders in Amy Young’s class.

“They’re great kids,” says Sosebee. “It’s been really rewarding for us and feels very positive. It’s great to see them get excited about reading and improving.”

I was in orange and yellow and when Joan helped me, I went to green because I tried really hard.,” reflects 3rd-grader Alejandra. “I enjoyed it because it was fun.” 3rd-grader Alexis, who worked with Deborah, speaks excitedly of moving from yellow to blue.

Both partnerships have also turned into “wraparound” community efforts. Zollman says Temple Sinai has brought teachers to the temple to educate members on the needs at Greenleaf. As the result of a meeting about student nutrition, Sinai organized a produce drive for the campus. “Our temple is very generous and socially active,” says Zollman. “When we see the needs, we want to fill them.”

For its part, JCL has brought the experience full-circle by relaying the stories of Passover and other Jewish holidays. All of the different connections have established a real foundation, and Diengott and Deborah feel energized after every visit. “The kids are always happy to see us and work with us, and there’s a lot of civic pride and classroom pride here,” reflects Diengott. “I always leave feeling like this was the best part of my week!”

CCPA 9th-Graders Come Together in the Great Outdoors

While CCPA’s 10th-graders were bonding around a common college-minded vision, our 9th-graders were coming together at one of California’s natural wonders: Yosemite National Park.

“It was fun even though I’m normally not a nature type of person,” says Michelle of her class’s three-day adventure at Yosemite. “It really brought the 9th grade together. [Out of our element] we had to stick together and make sure everybody else was okay. Some people weren’t people I would normally hang out with, so I made new friends.”

They also learned what they were capable of, fortitude-wise, particularly during their 5-mile group hike up to Vernal Falls. “I don’t give up that easily, even though it was hard going up the mountain,” says Michelle’s classmate Ericka. Not only did they face a daunting incline, they also got soaked by the falls, which cascaded dramatically thanks to recent downpours. “We thought it would just be mist,” says Michelle, “but we wound up having to wear rain jackets and everything.”

Ericka says the kids later used the grueling hike as motivation for future schoolwork. “We applied it to a test we had to take, and realized the test was going to be much easier!”

At UCLA and Pepperdine, a Glimpse of the Future

If you want to give high school students a vivid impression of university life, try dropping them into the middle of finals week on a campus of more than 50,000 students. This is where 30 Coliseum College Prep Academy 10th-graders found themselves this past spring, on a tour of the University of California, Los Angeles and Pepperdine University.

“It was finals week,” recalls 10th-grader Alberto, “so everyone was walking around with their blue books and running [to their exams]. During finals you can go to the library any time, it’s open 24 hours a day.”

Alberto and his classmates were impressed by the collegiate sense of purpose on display all around them. “Seeing everybody carrying books, heading to class, ready to study — it looks cool,” says fellow 10th-grader Elier.

“Before these tours,” he reflects, “I wasn’t really sure about college, but this trip kind of convinced me.”

CCPA staff chose these two campuses for their differences as much as their similarities: Pepperdine, with just 5,000 students, offered a look at a much smaller campus. While that smaller feel – perhaps a little closer to CCPA’s small-school environment – appealed to some, both Alberto and Elier preferred UCLA for its bustling energy and range of extracurricular activities.

“I really liked UCLA,” says Alberto. “I liked seeing the bookstore, all the athletic fields, the student clubs they have – just the whole world there. We got to see that whole view of college life.”

Like the Class of 2012 leaders profiled in our last Communicator, Alberto and Elier are aware of their unique place in CCPA history. “It’s cool we were the first [CCPA students] to experience [these southern California college tours],” says Elier.

They both speak of how tight their class has become. “We’ve all known each other since 6th grade, it’s all the same people.”

Science Teacher Elli Jenkins saw this on display at the year-end assembly in June. When Alberto, Elier, and the rest of the sophomores were announced as “CCPA’s first graduating class, the Class of 2012,” “All of the 10th-graders went ballistic! You guys are in this together,” she tells them. “You’re this really strong group. You show such spirit, and every one of you is helping each other to ensure you all graduate.”

With their ideas of college coming into clearer view, the kids are eager to get a look at more potential destinations, locally and elsewhere: There is talk of touring a few East Coast colleges in the coming year. For now, UCLA and Pepperdine loom large in their sights as they continue their march toward graduation in 2012. They’ve been there now. And they can picture being there again, in the fall of 2013, as college students in the throes of finals week themselves.

Student Speakers Take 2nd in Oratorical Contest

Oakland’s annual Martin Luther King Oratorical Fest features hundreds of students from schools across the city taking the stage for a fiery (but friendly) spoken-word competition.

The atmosphere — heightened by a full crowd of classmates, families, teachers, and community members — would test anyone’s nerves, and PLACE @ Prescott’s 4th-grade competitors faced an even tougher challenge. Their preparations had gotten off to a late start, so with less than two weeks to get ready they put in overtime to master their chosen material: PLACE's “morning affirmation” that students and staff recite before the first bell each day.

With the help of Librarian Asase Omowale, the group of five took it further, ambitiously adding a new section to the piece. When they took the stage and gazed out at the rows of filled seats in Acts Full Gospel Church, the young speakers rose to the occasion with a rousing rendition, taking home the second place medal! Not to be outdone, a group of our bilingual kindergarten and 1st-grade students took home 3rd place in their age group.

“It was fun!” reflects Xavier. “I had stage fright, but Ms. Omowale told me to take deep breaths and just say the words and that took my fears away from me. We did good, we got second place, and it felt great.” The experience has motivated him to be a more outspoken student leader on and off campus. “I plan to do more speaking for Prescott, for my school,” says Xavier.

Below, watch some of PLACE's inspiring orators speak from the heart.

Barack Obama Academy Students Pedal Past Challenges

On a recent Friday morning, 8th-grader Kevnisha found herself a long way from the campus of Barack Obama Academy – and getting farther away by the second. She was hurtling down a steep hill in the Tennessee Valley in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, on a bike she’d never ridden before. The faster she rode, the louder she screamed

“I had never been mountain biking before and I didn’t think I could make it down the big hill,” she recalls. “But I did it! It made me feel like I could overcome something hard, that I had never done before."

As part of a joint venture with the national outdoor organization Trips for Kids, founding Barack Obama Academy teacher David Hicks is leading a bike trip a month, with the excursions open to students who’ve excelled academically and behaviorally. A typical journey sees the Trips for Kids vans take Hicks and his students up to the Tennessee Valley, where they go over safety guidelines and gear up for the ride. (Depending on the experience level of the group going, the kids may design a more challenging route.) The valley trail ends at the beach, where they stop to eat lunch and relax.

For many students, says Hicks, it’s also their first time on a beach. “It’s just been incredibly amazing to see kids who might act tough and older than their age here on campus, then they get out on the beach and they’re running back and forth in the waves, grinning ear to ear riding their bikes fast downhill.”

Or, as in the case of Kevnisha, hollering. “For the students who are not that comfortable on bikes, we coach them and teach them how to shift and make it down a big hill in control, even if they’re screaming the whole way down.”

When the inexperienced bikers make it to the end of the trail, says Hicks, “They feel like they did something and overcame a challenge.” Being out in nature also lends a tangible context to the school’s outdoor education focus. “We do some environmental learning on the rides, studying resource use in the area and observing the animals,” says Hicks. “We also talk about health and nutrition."

“We’re trying to serve as a place for students who’ve experienced challenges in the past to really get to know themselves better so they can overcome difficult things,” reflects Hicks. “By experiencing new challenges outdoors, and having time to just be a kid, ask questions, and think about life, they have this opportunity to see something new. It’s an amazing opportunity for kids to reinvent themselves and build on strengths they already have."

“Man, that bloody hill was hard,” recalls 8th-grader James. “I went down so fast, but the way up was the most challenging. We all did it, though.”

“If you never thought you could go up or down a hill on a mountain bike, and then you do it, then maybe another challenge – writing a history paper, for example – won’t seem so difficult,” Hicks explains. “We talk with students, asking them, ‘Remember when we were out mountain biking, remember when you thought you couldn’t do that? That’s like this, and I think you can do it, if you work hard enough.’”

Getting the kids outdoors and breathing fresh air in nature is really positive,” says Hicks. He says the staff sees a shift in those kids when they return to school. “When we come back to campus,” says Hicks, “we have students not say one negative thing the entire day, and we see them be positive and encouraging even toward students they’ve had conflicts with.”

Stay tuned for more outdoor education recaps in future newsletters!

ASCEND Bids Bittersweet Farewell to Departing 8th-Graders

The end of this school year feels a bit more momentous than past Junes at ASCEND. 2010 marks the end of an historic journey – and the beginning of a new one – for the school’s departing 8th-graders, the first class to include students who attended ASCEND from kindergarten through 8th grade!

The ASCEND Voice recently sat down with Alex, Jacky, Maribel, and Tyrone, four soon-to-be high schoolers who have been at ASCEND since its earliest days.

“It’s kind of sad to think about leaving here,” says Maribel, an “original” ASCENDer who started here in kindergarten. “I’ve been here for so long and I know all these students and teachers so well.”

Maribel and Tyrone reminisce over the dragon bench they built and painted as kinders at ASCEND’s original location — “Everybody pitched in,” recalls Maribel ­— and the excitement of the first day of the first year in our current building.

Fellow classmate Jacky captures the bittersweet nature of their departure perfectly. “It’s one of those things,” she muses, “where you can’t wait [to take the next step], but at the same time you don’t want to leave.”

"This is the place where I really started to like dance,” she recalls, speaking to the impact of ASCEND’s arts integration focus. “It’s great they offered it here. This is the place where I could carry on my dreams.”

“I’ve been here nine years,” says Alex. “It’s the only school I’ve ever been to, so it’s going to be hard. I feel excited about leaving, but then again there are so many memories here. You know, it was fun times.”

Yet they are all eager for what’s next, and feel well-prepared for it. “I’m excited about high school because it’s a new opportunity,” says Tyrone, “and our teachers here have gotten us ready for that environment. I’m excited about what’s going to happen in the future.”

“[The staff] here has given us a lot of guidance,” reflects Jacky, “like when we did the High School Information Night, which showed you which schools were a good choice for you.”

“The teachers here, they push you, and that helps us know we can always do better than we might think,” says Maribel.

Jacky also credits ASCEND’s diversity and expansive community feel. “This school’s very welcoming,” she says. “We were exposed to different cultures and people, so when we get to high school, it’s not going to be this big shock.”
The ASCEND family will miss its departing class of 8th-graders, but the good news is they all expect to keep in touch.

“My mom is one of the parent leaders,” says Jacky, “and my little sister is in 4th grade here, so I will definitely be coming back. I will never get away from ASCEND,” she laughs. “It’s kind of impossible.”

I just want to thank all the teachers because they’ve been with us for so long and know us so well,” reflects Jacky. “To be able to have those relationships with teachers is really good, they communicate with us so well. I like how everyone knows each other – it’s so intimate.”

Alex adds a word on behalf of the rest of the ASCEND family. “I’d like to thank the people who aren’t teachers: the office staff, our parents. Our families, they help us through a lot of emotional things we might be going through, and they push us to stay in school.”

“Life in the Garden” Comes Full Circle for ASCEND 2nd-Graders

As covered in past ASCEND Voice newsletters, cross-subject integration has been a hallmark of the school’s approach to teaching. Building on that tradition, this year 2nd-grade teachers Melissa Larson and Brett Wilson designed a science experience that drew on ASCEND’s FOSS science kits, art teacher Natasha McCray’s lessons, and the hands-on learning opportunities available in the bountiful school garden.

To illustrate, in a hands-on way, the life cycle of a plant – and to put the scientific method into action – the students grew bean plants and chose one variable to change, then compared that to a control plant. They also studied the life cycles of insects, while learning about the importance of insects to plants.

“We’ve been doing experiments,” says 2nd-grader Jesus, “and comparing the plants in the garden to the ones inside the classroom. In the garden, [ASCEND Art Teacher] Ms. Natasha helped us zoom in on some plants so we could draw and paint them.” The months-long project culminated in the school’s year-end Expo, where the students unveiled their artwork, writings, and scientific drawings in the 2nd grade’s “Life in the Garden” display.

Larson says the “hands-on, integrated curriculum” (aided by materials from the FOSS kits) really brought the project alive for the kids. “Students have told me that Science is now their favorite subject!” she says.

The 2nd-graders now speak with authority on the different aspects of the scientific method, knowledge that should be a great foundation for the science work they will do in later grades. “We’ve done hypotheses and analysis, and made conclusions,” says Genesis.

Speaking of the future, the kids have become excited about the possibilities of science. “I might want to be a scientist in the future,” says Nathalie, “so I could dig up fossils and find dinosaurs.”

They’ve also grown sensitive to the future of the planet. “The environment and nature are very important for plants,” explains 2nd-grader Genesis. “If we throw trash where the plants and the soil are, the plants could die. If the plants and trees die, we won’t get any air.”

Congratulations to ASCEND’s young scientists!

Cal Shakes Trip Offers Dynamic Introduction to Shakespeare

The California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda is well aware that the plays of William Shakespeare, if staged in an old-fashioned way, could be a tough sell for middle school students. However, thanks to the innovative Cal Shakes Student Discovery Matinee program, a group of Alliance Academy 6th-graders have been introduced to the legendary bard’s way with words, knack for creating memorable characters, and to their surprise, his playful sense of humor.

When teacher Robin Green told a group of 6th-grade students she was taking them to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream, most of the 20 kids had heard of Romeo and Juliet, but that was as far as their knowledge of Shakespeare knowledge had gone. Green was “a little worried” that the language would be tough for 6th-graders to penetrate, “but Cal Shakes does a wonderful job of making it accessible and discussing the plot [with the kids] beforehand.” She had a hunch this play might be the perfect entry point for the middle school students.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream is probably the best play [for this age group],” she says. “It’s so accessible, fantastical and humorous.” There is some flair to the production, too. “There are so many amazing feats and effects,” says Green. The directors, actors, and other staffers at the California Shakespeare Theater go to great lengths to engage young viewers.

“At first I thought it would be boring but it was exciting,” says 6th-grader Steven. “I thought it would be different, but the play was funny, and had singing and dancing. I was impressed. It makes me want to see other plays he wrote, like Romeo and Juliet. I also think it will prepare me for high school.”

“It was cool because I’d never seen a real play of Shakespeare with my own eyes,” says fellow 6th-grader Diana. “It was a great experience because I’ve always wanted to see a play by him.”
Green has seen a lasting literary spark in the kids since their trip. “It really inspires a love of language,” she says. “We’ve been studying a lot of figurative language, and being able to see it come to life, acted out, [it helps them] experience how language can really take you to other places.”

“It’s also good to expose them to the plays at an early age because when they get to 9th and 10th grade and start reading Shakespeare, they’ll have a background in it.” As the master himself wrote it in A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes.

For this group of 6th-graders, Shakespeare is no longer a shadowy name on a dusty tome, but something with dramatic shape, form, and imagination.


Young Gardeners Break Ground at Alliance


Shakespeare had a few things to say about the natural world, too, including this oft-quoted line: “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” With their new garden, Coordinator James Tinker and his after-school students are making this quote ring true on Alliance Academy’s campus.

8th-grader Rogelio leads us on a tour, explaining what the group has done to get the garden going this fall. “These are some roses a lady donated to us,” he says. “She gave us them in bad condition, but we tried our best to fix them up…Over here’s our vegetable box, where we’re growing chard, cilantro, parsley, radishes. Over here we have our smaller vegetables, and the ones that can’t survive yet.” Around him, other students hustle to water the newly sprouting crops.

Another student walks up to Tinker with a handful of wildflower seeds, which he brought from home to plant at Alliance. Meanwhile, Rogelio runs down some of the concepts the kids have learned in Tinker’s class and through their hands-on work in the garden. “We’ve learned about how to make our own fertilized soil, with worms,” he says, “and we’re also learning [all about] planting. It’s really cool here. I like the planting, I like getting dirty in the earth. We’re gonna eat the stuff when enough of them grow.”

They’re also gaining a wider ecological perspective. “You know more about the environment and how to keep it safe,” Rogelio explains.

Tinker’s expansive vision includes creating a little haven from the urban surroundings. “The dream is to get the cement ripped up along the side of the basketball courts and plant trees, so the kids have shade and we don’t even see 98th Avenue,” he says. “My main hope is that the students will develop a sense of pride in their community and benefit from feeling they have made positive and long lasting contributions.”

“Family to Family” Dinner Extends AWE’s Parent Outreach

Since before ACORN Woodland even opened, the school has put great emphasis on involving families in their children’s learning. While staff and parent leaders are proud of the AWE Family Resource Center’s successes over the years, they are always searching for new ways to deepen family engagement on campus. To that end, the English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC), the School Site Council (SSC), parents, and school staff recently organized the 1st Annual Family to Family Dinner.

AWE Family Coordinators Esperanza Aguilar and Izola Haynes say the event was designed to gather families together and share ideas “from one parent to another,” with a focus on helping parents support AWE students on the cusp of scoring “Proficient” on the California Standards Test (CST).

During the dinner, parent leaders collaborated with the parents of 15 students approaching Proficient, and those kids received certificates for being poised to reach Proficient by the end of this year.

”It was a great turnout for our community,” says Haynes, “and a great way to support the children who are [almost] Proficient.”

“I felt great because my mom was there to support me when they gave me the certificate,” recalls 4th-grader Jennifer.

“I felt proud to be there because I got to give my testimony,” says 4th-grader Eddy, “and my mom gave a testimony about me, about me doing my homework and reading, and that made me feel great!”

Since the dinner, and throughout this year, “Parents’ involvement has been increasing a lot,” says Luz Navarro, ELAC member and parent of AWE students Ronaldo and Jose. Both she and fellow ELAC member Araceli Romero (parent of AWE students Jose and Yuneth) say student achievement has “absolutely, definitely” grown in step with family engagement.

“[Both Romero and Navarro] are here every day,” says Aguilar, “and that’s very powerful for the kids.”
These parent leaders have plenty of praise for AWE’s staff, culture, OUSD Superintendent and programs. Romero (pictured above with Navarro, Aguilar, and Haynes) commends ACORN Woodland’s ambitious academic intervention program for improving students’ achievement. (All of Romero and Navarro’s kids are Proficient or Advanced.) She also appreciates the diversity of students and staff, and the fact that Principal Kimi Kean and several teachers are bilingual.

“We’re very thankful that the school is so small,” adds Navarro. “This way, we know all the teachers, and everyone knows all the students by name. This makes ACORN Woodland feel like a family.”

Reading Buddies Boost Learning, Build Bonds

When you hear about “cross-grade collaboration” in schools, you might assume it refers to teachers. At ACORN Woodland Elementary (AWE), it also applies to kids: Every Friday, Ashley Martin’s 5th-graders visit Pam Adair’s 2nd-grade classroom for their weekly Buddy Reading session.

“We help teach the 2nd-graders how to read and write,” explains 5th-grader Storm. “We read with them because we want the little buddies to learn and have fun and be very smart.”

2nd-grader Luis, Storm’s reading buddy, elaborates on the collaboration. “Storm does high-frequency words with me, so I can practice them,” he says. “We also write some sentences and do partner spelling and play Hangman.”

Their teachers have watched the program evolve beyond reading, as well. “Buddy Reading started out as just that: reading together,” reflects Adair. “But now, it’s so much more. If a 2nd-grader has a hard day with behavior, he or she is sent upstairs to spend a little time with a 5th-grade buddy, who helps support, advise, and calm [the student]…The older buddies [also] took a lot of responsibility recently for our big Career Day, helping the younger ones come up with and write down appropriate questions for the speakers.”

“What I like about Buddy Reading,” says 2nd-grader Ana, “is you get to spend time with your buddy and improve your reading.”

Her buddy, 5th-grader Dalia, concurs. “During Buddy Reading, you get to hang out with the little kids and show them new stuff. You know, I feel good about it because I know I’m doing something for the younger kids, like the older kids did for me when I was in 2nd grade,” she says. “I really like helping the 2nd-graders learn and get their grades higher on the benchmark tests.” (Spoken like a future 5th-grade teacher!)

“Buddy Reading has been a huge support to the school culture we’ve developed at AWE,” says Martin, Dalia’s teacher. “It gives the 5th-graders the opportunity to authentically demonstrate our core values, especially leadership. It encourages them to behave at all times and demands that they persevere academically because their little buddy is always watching. I love seeing the students become such strong support systems for one another. This is, by far, my favorite time of the week!”

Cesar Chavez Day Celebrates Legacy, Inspires Community Spirit

If you set foot on Melrose Leadership Academy’s campus on March 29, you would not have known that all California schools were closed in observance of Cesar Chavez Day. That Monday, dozens of students, staff, families, and community partners from both Melrose and Bridges Academies gathered for an inspiring celebration of Cesar Chavez’s legacy.

AmeriCorps volunteers kicked off the day by working with students and school staff to weed and plant the campus garden, while also building more planter boxes and constructing trellises. Meanwhile, community partners such as the Oakland Farm to Schools program set up information tables for families. There was also support for parents of 5th-graders heading on to middle school (some of whom will attend Melrose, a K-8).

“One of the reasons this event is exciting: We do it collaboratively with Melrose Leadership Academy [an East Oakland K-8 school],” says Bridges Academy Garden Coordinator Anne Louise Burdett. “It’s a great way to bring both school communities together and share resources and know that this is bigger than just one school site.” Students also collaborated on a new mural celebrating Chavez, drum troupes from both schools performed in the courtyard, and kids read aloud from Chavez’s writings and speeches.

Laying a foundation for the event, Bridges classrooms spent the previous month studying Cesar Chavez and integrating that learning into the after-school program, art lessons, garden class, and more. By the day of the event, says Burdett, “Students had a great idea of what he represented and why the event features him as a symbol of why we’re all there together as a community. The event is a really nice culmination of what he stood for: social justice.”

Camp Arroyo Expands Students’ Horizons, Increases Environmental Awareness

At Bridges Academy, the traditional “Three Rs” – reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic – are just the beginning. Through field trips like the three-day, two-night adventure at Camp Arroyo in Livermore, they are becoming experts in “The Four Rs” as well. Fourth-grader Leslie explains:

“I had a good time at Camp Arroyo because we learned about nature and ‘The Four Rs’: reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink,” she reflects.

Learning about the camp’s green architecture, use of solar power, and organic garden, students got a hands-on look at conservation, composting, and other forward-thinking environmental practices. Using field guides, binoculars, and magnifying glasses, the students got up close with the 138-acre camp’s flora, fauna, and animal life. “My favorite part was when we hiked to Cresta Blanca [a demanding three-mile hike overlooking Lake Del Valle]” says Leslie.

“It was a great opportunity for students… to thrive and learn in the manner that they best learn, which is through experiences, dialogue, observation, and fun,” says 4th-grade teacher Candice Camp.

“Camp Arroyo is a good experience because you can learn more about the wild,” says 4th-grader Erika. “[It was] also good because you go on a bunch of trips. I felt amazed to know there are a bunch of things we can do to help the environment like recycling all the plastic bottles and glass. I especially liked the solo hike because we got to walk in the woods alone.”

“It is always an enriching life experience to be away from home for the first time in a setting where you need to depend on yourself and your friends to take care of the everyday tasks of living,” Camp adds. “I always see a great development of independence and trust [on these trips].”

And the learning doesn’t end in the woods. Back on campus, 4th-grade classes connect the experiential lessons to grade-level science standards.

“We did a lot of fun activities like go hiking, gardening, and go see animals from the forest,” says 4th-grader Jorge. “We saw wild turkeys in a big group of about 13 of them. The people there were really nice and you get to make a nametag out of wood and take it home.”

“[If you go], one thing you will absolutely enjoy is the breakfast, lunch, and dinner because they make good stuff like fruit,” says Leslie. “One thing I liked was when we went to the garden and tried new fruits and vegetables.”

Fourth-grader Joshua also has a message for next year’s Camp Arroyo attendees: “You should go to Camp Arroyo because you will go on adventures to the mountains, learn about ‘The Four Rs,’ plants, trees, how to save our world, and try new vegetables. You can eat, drink, and sleep for two days in cabins that have names like Walnut, Pine, Willow, and Madrone.”

On a 100-Million Word Mission

A new reading challenge has also helped fuel the bookish energy on campus this year. Last year, Think College Now students for the first time failed to win a reading challenge, falling short in their quest to read 100 million words. This fall they returned with renewed determination (see graph below for progress). The reward: If they reach 100 million by the end of the school year, Principal David Silver will shave his head (and, if the kids have their way, leave the letters “TCN” in the back).

As part of the agreement, Silver promised not to cut his hair all year. At press time, his hair had already become unmanageable. “It is out of control,” he says. “But, like I said when I spent the day on the roof: Whatever it takes!” His unruly head of hair has the attention of TCN students, too. When Silver walks the halls, he’s met with playful taunts (“I’ve been reading a lot, Mr. Silver…”) and scissor-like hand motions.

TCN’s 20-member Student Council has shown great leadership in rallying kids to read. “This year, more than any year [before], the Student Council members are taking on the responsibility of the students meeting the reading goal,” says Student Council Advisor and TCN Science Teacher Brenda Tuohy.

Using a giant thermometer-style banner (it stretches across nearly the entire gym and requires all 20 members to hold it up), the Student Council updates the school every Friday on TCN’s readers’ progress toward 100 million. Depending on the news, their announcement is met with a school-wide “Sweet!” or “Bummer.”

The culture of reading on campus has inspired some unexpected projects, as well. After learning about creative reuse and recycling during TCN’s trip to Vida Verde, 4th-grader Kevin organized a school-wide book swap, with kids bringing in old books to trade for other students’ already-read books. And 5th-graders Hoai and Daniela have founded a recess club called “Run to Read.” For every six laps (one mile) a student jogs at recess, the runner gets a new book. As the girls explained, “This club will get people excited about reading, and fight childhood obesity.”

Most importantly, when TCN students speak of books they’ve read, it’s not about the number of words, but about sinking themselves into the stories and developing a life-long love for reading. As 5th-grader Ameerat says of her favorite book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, “It takes me to this other magical world.”

Sankofa Student Leaders Embody School’s Vision

When you walk through its doors, Sankofa Academy has a different feel – even before you meet a student or staff member. That feel is in what you hear – and don’t hear. First, you’re met by the sound of a small fountain just inside the entrance, encouraging you to take a “mindful breath.” Next, you notice what isn’t there: any sound of disorder. No shouting, no squeak of running sneakers, even in a hall full of students. Then, as happened to this Sankofa Reflections reporter, a 1st-grader politely approaches, unprompted, to stick out his hand and introduce himself.

This is Sankofa, and it’s just a start. When you sit down and talk with students, the motto at right resonates again and again. They epitomize the words “respectful, responsible, and reflective.” “These students represent the beauty and range of Sankofa,” says Principal Monique Brinson of Curtavia, Maceo, Noah, and Sharde, four 5th-grade “elders” who took time out of their day to sit down and share their experiences. “Sankofa feels alive!” “When I first got here in 2nd grade, I felt very welcomed right away,” says Curtavia. “Every time somebody new comes to Sankofa, they feel like they’ve already been here.”

Before Sankofa, Curtavia says, “I was really shy [at my old school]. I didn’t used to talk like this at all. But here I saw how the kids were kind and joyful, and that brought me out of my shell.”

“They see things that adults don’t see or notice,” explains Brinson. “They know they are making this world a better place, and they help me to become my best and be at my best. Our big goal is always to create a community where there’s care and learning.”

“I invite visitors to drop by unannounced,” she continues. “That’s how open and comfortable and transparent I want to be with our community. As Superintendent Tony Smith stated when he visited, ‘Sankofa feels alive!’”

This atmosphere of community echoes in 5th-grader Maceo’s reflections on his “buddy work” with younger Sankofa students. “We’re all nice and understanding and helpful with the younger kids.” “They depend on us older kids to help them be as good as us or even better,” chimes in 5th-grader Noah, who relies on some teaching tips his mother used when he was a child. “It has been a learning process. As I read with them, they start to understand. If I ask them the right questions [like my mom used to ask me], sometime it’s just like snap! -- and they get it.”

The students also pay tribute to the tireless work of their teachers. “In math, at first I was okay but now I’m really good,” says 5th-grader Sharde. “My teacher Ms. Byon really helped me. She takes the time to make sure we really understand. Also, I was kind of low in Science and now I’m getting it. It’s exciting, we’re learning all about solar systems, organisms, things like that.”

The “all for one” atmosphere on campus creates an environment where everyone is learning from everyone else at all times. “Every teacher has taught me, even those not in my own grade,” explains Noah. “They all teach us things to prepare us for middle school and college. The learning here is incredible, rich, and fun.”

As their words suggest, “Our 5th-graders are my examples and my leaders,” says Brinson. “They set the tone for the school.”

“This is my school!”

“Being a responsible leader means being responsible for others and yourself and Sankofa as a school,” reflects Noah. “Ms. Brinson, for example: She’s a responsible leader for taking care of every single child here. Even when she’s in a meeting, she will spend her time to help and go around the whole school -- in class, outside, anywhere -- to see how we’re all doing.”

“Sankofa feels like a family to me and I feel the students and family feel that way too,” says 1st-grade founding teacher Teresa Hart. “I’ve worked in different schools in Oakland and Los Angeles, and I’ve never seen a group of teachers who love their students as much as the teachers here.”

”We do everything we can to make sure we’re reaching the whole child; it goes way beyond academics,” Hart says. “I’m not just a teacher, I’m their counselor, I’m everything that kid needs during the school day.”

Hart speaks highly of Sankofa teachers’ frequent home visits as well. “It just gives us a different outlook on who the children are and where they’re coming from,” she says. “It really builds a sense of partnership, where [the staff] and family can feel like, ‘This is our child’ and we’re partners in giving them the best we can.”

When students have moved away from Sankofa and switched schools, Hart says staff often sees them come back. “They realize the community at Sankofa really cares about their kids,” says Hart,” that we don’t ever give up on our kids.”

“Our young people deserve a place of beauty,” says Principal Brinson. “We have plants, original paintings, not a pot is broken and not a leaf is ripped. They deserve this beauty, and it becomes ingrained in them, and they can proudly say, ‘This is my school!’”

Count Noah among the proud. “I’m glad to know that Ms. Brinson and the teachers have noticed something: that there is poison outside of Sankofa, there is violence, and they are sending the 4th- and 5th-graders to Camp Mosaic to learn how to stop this violence and spread peace. I want to see no violence – that’s how the world should be. I’m hoping Sankofa students can learn this and show peace to the whole world.”

Ever the reflective observer, after these hopeful words Noah turns to Principal Brinson. “You’re holding in your tears,” he tells her.

“I love you guys,” replies Brinson. “Look, you’re going to make me cry again!”

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