A Lot of Helping Hands: Entire CCPA Community Pitching in for College Readiness

Below are longer versions of the two pieces that appear in CCPA's December 2011 Communicator newsletter (downloadable as a PDF here). You can jump to the second story (about our BUILD program) by clicking here.

In her role as Family and College Resource Center (FRC) Director at CCPA, Abby Friedman has toured many schools. She recalls a recent visit to a high school’s college center where she asked about parent involvement in the school’s college-prep work. Her question was met with a blank stare.“I was shocked,” she recalls.“At CCPA, our families are founders of the school and are integrated into everything we do.”

In fact, at CCPA family and college go hand in hand – and room in room. This idea is built right into the name of our dual-purpose center – the Family and College Resource Center – and echoed in the guiding vision posted on the room’s wall: family support services, college access for all, parent leadership. “These are the pillars of what we do,” says Friedman,“and they are all intertwined.”

Family connection to college-going plays out in a range of ways at CCPA. When staff decided to extend the school’s Laney College concurrent enrollment program to 10th- graders, it was family outreach coordinators – including Maria Robles and Deanita Lewis – who set the wheels in motion by calling parents to explain what this opportunity could mean for their 10th-grade children.

Family involvement also strengthened CCPA's connection with the East Bay Consortium's Pre-Collegiate Academy (PCA) mentoring program. "Kids get one chance at the end of 7th grade to enroll in this amazing program," explains Friedman, "but our turnout wasn't where we wanted it to be." After outreach to parents, participation has reached nearly 100 percent among students who qualify for PCA.

While the list of resources in the Center is long – college application help, scholarship support, SAT and ACT workshops, and more – Friedman says it’s sometimes the intangibles that set the Center’s work apart. “It’s often the small, informal conversations you have over time that add up to ultimately make the impact,” she says. “You really start to see the power of building long-term relationships with both students and parents.”

One example involves 12th-grader Antonio, whose Summer Search trip we chronicled in a 2010 Communicator edition. His mother Beatrice, says Friedman, “has been a regular at our meetings and workshops for many years and is one of the founding parents of the school.” Along the way, FRC staff have spoken informally with both Antonio and his mother about the “emotional challenges” of him being away from home -- first in Summer Search  and now, come next fall, off at college. As the November 30 deadline for UC and CSU applications approached last month, Antonio found himself procrastinating. “We were able to sit down with both him and his mom and say, ‘We understand some of the internal struggles you’re going through,’” recalls Friedman.

In the end, Antonio produced a strong personal statement and applied to four CSU and four UC schools.“It was a tough process, but I'm glad I accomplished it," he reflects. "I revised my personal statement several times with the help of different people like Abby and my advisor Laura. Through the years I’ve had so many people helping me – a lot of helping hands. I know that whatever I do next fall, my mom will be proud of me.”

“The FRC has a lot of resources to support parents and help us get involved in the school,” says Sixta Becerra, a long-time parent volunteer in the FRC and elsewhere on campus. “By being involved in the school and the FRC, I have learned how important it is for parents to motivate our kids to go to college. I really appreciate the teachers and Ms. Carozza and Mr. Townsend for creating this school. I'm so happy to be a part of it."

Becerra’s three children are all at CCPA: senior Jorge, 8th-grader Javier, and 6th- grader Jennifer. A testament to the comprehensive nature of the Center, Becerra connects with FRC staff as well as Jorge’s teachers to make sure he is on track as he approaches graduation. She’s also there for other students, a point of pride for her and other parents in the FRC. “Yeah, that’s my mom!” says Jorge. “A lot of students like my mom, the way she is. I’m doing well because of her, because she’s always there for me.”

Like Antonio, Jorge recently applied to college, and he's got an ambitious plan for the future: "I want to go into an RN [resident nurse] program, with a second degree in business management. I want to be an RN because I want to give back to my community, and I would get to take care of the people who are not in good health." 

"To be the first to graduate from this school is pretty cool," reflects Jorge. "We'll be the first to overcome the obstacles, the first to do our senior projects, and we'll be to have accomplished part of the goal in your life." 

“He had some ups and downs academically,” reflects his mother, "but I always had faith in him and knew he could pull through it and graduate. For the first generation of CCPA seniors to be graduating this spring...Just talking about it, I’m getting excited!”

"Reaching that November 30 deadline [for CSU and UC applications] really felt historic," says Friedman. "We've been talking about this – college, college, college --  but until now it was theoretical. Once this first group goes, the impact is only going to extend." 

CCPA 9th-Graders BUILDing Business Skills

When 9th-graders Carlos and Juliana (pictured at left) use the term “SWOT” (strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats) early in the interview for this Communicator article, it is clear their business savvy belies their young age. When they threw out “COGS” a minute later, this reporter was officially lost. 

As they patiently explained, COGS is “cost of goods sold.” These terms – and more importantly, their use in the real world – are becoming second nature to 9th-graders in CCPA’s BUILD program (www.build.org) a skill-building and college-going effort new on campus this year. The kids recently put the business buzzwords to use in their first big BUILD project: a candy-selling competition against other schools. With a start-up cost of $30, the CCPA team turned a $150 profit and beat out the rest of the schools.  

"Our team had problems communicating in the beginning," reflects Carlos, "but during the candy sale we were able to work together and talk to each other. When you work together, everything’s better."

CCPA students work with a mentor during a BUILD workshop

 "BUILD has taught us we need to sacrifice some things to work as a team,” says Juliana. “We’ve had to learn how to be patient and listen to everyone’s ideas.”


The experience – particularly representing CCPA during the off-campus competitions – has also boosted the kids' school pride. "I really feel more attached to the school," says Carlos. "We're making CCPA proud by winning, and we're letting the community know we're here. People know us now."

A big piece of the four-year program involves mentors from the wider community teaming up with the students to help them create a start-up business. “My team’s idea is to make a service for people who don’t have time to babysit children or clean their houses,” says Juliana. “We’ll also provide tutoring services for their kids.” Subsequent years will see the kids developing these business ideas with their mentors, even earning microloans to get them going.

The 9th-graders understand the value these tools will have down the line. “We’re learning teamwork, which we can use in college,” says Carlos, “and SWOT is a good thing to learn. It’s really helpful to know these different strategies in case we want to start our own business after we finish college."

“They’re really learning how to work hard,” says Sarah Moore, Carlos and Juliana’s Biology teacher and CCPA’s BUILD liaison. "In winning the first competition, they're seeing the value and the payoff. It’s been amazing to see how they’re progressing while also staying on top of their regular classes. This kind of juggling is setting them up well for college and the working world.”

Support CCPA!

The BUILD program has connected CCPA with dedicated mentors from a range of business backgrounds including sales, marketing, social work, and computer engineering. But we need more! As Carlos says, “The more help, the better.” If you are interested in becoming a business mentor for a group of our 9th-graders, please contact Sarah Moore at smgr614@gmail.com.

With roughly $200,000 in budget cuts this year, we also seek financial support. Your tax-deductible contribution can help us keep essential college-prep programs running at a high level. To donate, visit www.coliseumcollegeprep.org/donate.html or send a check to “OSF/CCPA,” P.O. Box 20238, Oakland, CA 94620. Thank you!

ASCEND Kindergarteners Take Creative Approach to Fitness

When you think of kindergarten exercise, the classics probably come to mind first: four-square, somersaults, tag. But this semester, ASCEND’s youngest students explored an eclectic three-part fitness program featuring running, yoga, and the Brazilian martial art capoeira.

Kindergarteners Raymundo, Cristal, Christopher, and Nadia quickly took to the different forms. After training for several weeks, the kids participated in the Oakland Running Festival’s 100-yard Fun Run. “I almost won the race!” recalls Nadia. 

“I liked it when I passed people,” says Raymundo. While the Fun Run fostered a positive competitive spirit, the kids took its health benefits most to heart. “Running makes your heart feel good!” says Christopher.

“We’re hoping that by doing these different kinds of exercises they’ll see that exercise can be fun,” says Kindergarten Teacher Lisa De Castro, “and then they will stick with them and choose to do them on a regular basis.”

As a balance to the high-energy running, De Castro and fellow kindergarten teacher Mason Marangella brought in a yoga instructor to lead the kids in basic poses, which they continued to practice throughout the semester. “Yoga was a new kind of exercise and vocabulary for most of the kids, and they really enjoyed it,” says De Castro. “Some would even practice their poses during recess.”

“I like yoga,” says Raymundo, “because there are different kinds of moves, like the cobra. It’s peaceful.”

The kids’ crash course in capoeira featured a trip to a studio in Berkeley, where the kids learned the discipline’s basics. “I like capoeira because I can do some movements I’ve never done,” says Nadia. “My sister, she’s in 5th grade, and she’s teaching me other moves too.”

In keeping with ASCEND’s commitment to cross-subject integration, De Castro and Marangella have worked music, art, culture, and history into all the exercise lessons. At the Berkeley studio, says Marangella, kids learned about the call and response music associated with capoeira, and back in the classroom they connected the exercise to its roots in Brazil. The teachers brought art into the mix as well, with students drawing healthy hearts and tracing different yoga poses.

The immersive units culminated at ASCEND’s year-end Expo, during which the kindergarteners performed a medley of songs that incorporated all three forms of exercise and paid homage to the cultures that inspired them. The students also hosted exercise “stations:” yoga in Marangella’s classroom (with students teaching parents poses); capoeira in De Castro’s room; and track out on the yard.

Based on the kids’ enthusiasm, it’s clear that the fitness focus will have the lasting impact their teachers hoped for. “I think I will do capoeira when I’m a grown-up,” reflects Nadia, “because it keeps us healthy.”

This story originally appeared in the Summer 2011 ASCEND Voice.

Frick's Kings and Queens in the President's Town

Frick 8th-graders get Close Up with our nation's capital

This June, standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his timeless "I Have a Dream" speech, 13 Frick Middle School 8th-graders looked across the reflecting pool to the Washington Monument and let history sink in.

"It's different because we learn about these things in books at school, but once you're there you can feel the historical moments," explains 8th-grader Styliyah. "You get more information than you would from a textbook," adds Yassira. "A book might cut some stuff out, but once you get to D.C. you’ll understand more."
 
Their trip was hosted by the Close Up organization, whose program is "the perfect complement to middle school American history courses, [bringing] locations, lessons, and events from the classroom to life!"

The 8th-graders were awed to visit sites steeped in so much history, including the Vietnam Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and Smithsonian Museum. "The Smithsonian was really cool – we saw the Hope Diamond. I'm surprised Willie doesn't have more things to say," John says, grinning at Willie in the next seat over.

"It was really interesting seeing the Vietnam Memorial,” says Willie, quickly rising to John's goodnatured challenge. "We got to see how many people fought, and there were vets there to honor their brothers in the war. We also saw the historical documents that showed how our rights are being preserved so that we can all know our rights as citizens."

Representing Oakland
 
While the close-up look at American history was clearly unforgettable, Frick's kings and queens wanted to make their own memorable impression as they represented their school, their neighborhood, and the city of Oakland in Washington, D.C.
 
"We felt some pressure," says Styliyah, "to carry ourselves with respect and courtesy."
 
As one Close Up instructor attests, they did not disappoint. “They [did] fantastic. In fact I've never seen a school [in] their very first year at Close Up not have homesickness or schedule issues.” (Watch this video testimonial here.)
 
"We were really proud of them," says 8th-grade teacher Susan Rafert, who chaperoned the trip along with fellow teacher Stacey Berry. "Adults came up to me frequently – from flight attendants to leaders of the Close Up program – and gave our kids so many great compliments."

Frick's 8th-graders also connected with the other students taking part in the Close Up program. "We loved meeting people from other parts of the country," says Willie. "They were all nice and I learned about their towns and what they did for fun out there, and they asked us about Oakland and what we do out here." The kids met students and teachers from Texas, Hawaii, New York, and more. "It was easy making friends with the New York people," recalls Aujahnee. "They were really friendly." Several kids are now Facebook friends with the students they met in D.C.

During the post-trip interviews for this newsletter, Principal Jerome Gourdine pops in to praise Frick’s D.C. 13. Before he can say a word, from the back of the room Cintia exclaims, "Mr. Gourdine, we were the ones [the Close Up staff] respected the most out there!"
 
"I'm really proud of you," says Gourdine. "Hopefully this spurred your appetite to travel around the country. This is one of the highlights of the year for me. When people see and hear what’s really going on in Oakland, they're blown away. You represented yourselves like the kings and queens you are."

“I can’t wait to go here”

EnCompass 5th-graders visit UC Berkeley, Mills College

“It was so big, it was like a city,” says EnCompass Academy 5th-grader Rahjae about his first glimpse of UC Berkeley’s campus during his class’s tour of the university this June.

“The moment they crossed the street onto campus and saw all the college students, you could just sense a change in attitude,” recalls 5th-grade teacher Marisa Villegas. “They were asking so many questions, wanting to know how a university works, what goes on in every building.” Approaching the campus’s main entrance, the kids stopped to take in the banners depicting Berkeley students from all around the world. “The kids got really excited about that, seeing the incredible diversity of students who go there,” says Villegas.

After visiting the Education Psychology Library Children’s Room (run by Villegas’s mother) and seeing the T-Rex in the Valley Life Sciences Building, Villegas introduced them to a less scholastic but equally defining college experience: pizza. “I’d told them again and again about how I ate Blondie’s Pizza when I went to Berkeley,” she explains. “They decided they wanted to taste this amazing pizza for themselves!”

Fueled by their slices, the kids visited Sproul Plaza, where they met Ethnic Studies graduate student Edgar Mojica (a member of OUSD’s new Ethnic Studies Task Force along with Villegas). They then spoke with Admissions Officer Ralph Serrano, who “talked to them just like he’d talk to incoming first-years,” says Villegas. “He answered all their questions about what it takes to get to college. By the time we were heading back to Oakland, every 5th-grader was telling me they want to go to Berkeley or Stanford or UCLA. It was a great day for us!”

“When we went to Cal, it changed me,” says Brian. “Now I feel like going there when I grow up. There are so many things you can learn there.”

“The one thing I was really thinking [on the tour], says Rahjae, “was I can’t wait to go here when I’m 18 or 19.”

The next evening, Villegas took Brian, Rahjae, and three other 5th-grade boys to the College Bound Brotherhood reception at the Oakland Museum. Honoring African-American high school seniors heading to college in the fall, one of the event’s highlights was a spoken-word performance. “The student who read the poem, it was tight,” recalls Rahjae. “It was called ‘Look at My Skin Tone.’”

“Our kids were riveted during that performance,” says Villegas. “They were also observing how the seniors wore button-downs and slacks, but some were wearing hats cocked to the side and sharp tennis shoes. As Brian put it, ‘They still had swag.’ Jarrett told me, ‘He looks like my older brother.’ It was empowering for our kids to make that connection, to see that they too can do this.”

“All these seniors there were going to college,” says Rahjae, “and some to places like Morehouse, Berkeley, and Harvard. It made me feel like even if you face challenges, you can still get good grades and go to college.”

“She’s my shero”

EnCompass 5th-graders also visited Mills College this year, where they witnessed the commencement speech delivered by Dolores Huerta, community activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America.

“When Dolores Huerta came out on the stage, instantly tears started dropping from my eyes,” recalls Arayia. “The words she spoke were powerful,” says Rahjae.

Unbeknownst to the students, Villegas had contacted one of Huerta’s aides, saying, “We’d really be honored if she just came out and waved to the kids. But it wasn’t just a wave.” When Huerta exited the auditorium, says Villegas, “She walked right into the middle of the kids, she was surrounded by our kids on all sides. She was so gracious that she shook every kid’s hand and asked everyone’s name – all 48 kids!”

“When we saw her up close she came and hugged me and I started crying,” remembers Arayia. “She would have given her life for La Causa [the cause], for the workers in the fields. She’s my shero.”

Walden West: Mountains, Wind, and Wintergreen Mints

If UC Berkeley was like visiting “a city,” EnCompass Academy 5th-graders’ four-day experience at Walden West was momentous in a much different way. “A lot of students hadn’t been to the woods before,” says Villegas. “It was very new for them.”

“It felt fresh,” reflects Arayia. “There was no technology. All there is: wind and mountains and trees.”

“When we saw the mountains and all of that,” recalls Rahjae, “I thought that if we don’t save the earth, then there won’t be a lot of places like this left.”

Beyond environmental awareness and hands-on science learning, three nights in the Santa Cruz Mountains was a lesson in independence as well. Case in point: The night hike, with only the moon and their fellow students’ voices as their guide. “They learned how to depend on themselves and each other instead of on [fellow 5th-grade teacher] Mrs. Padilla and I, or their parents,” reflects Villegas. “It also strengthened friendships and created a safe space for them to feel supported by their classmates.”

At the end of the night hike, camp counselors handed out wintergreen mints, telling the kids to chew them up. The cracking mints glowed and sparked in the huge darkness, lighting up the night in a way that looked nothing like the streetlamps and headlights of Oakland.

“I felt different after the trip,” reflects Arayia. “When we came back, I think I was just a little calmer for a while, because we had come from such a calm place.”

They Will Be Change Makers

UFSA leadership team spends unforgettable week in New Orleans

For the ten 7th- and 8th-grade students on United for Success Academy’s Leadership Team, spring break was more like spring breakthrough. “When we had our first circle in New Orleans,” recalls 8th-grader Ameerah, “I told everybody I wanted people to look at Oakland and be amazed. I didn’t want them just to think ‘Oh, Oakland, here comes trouble.’ I said, ‘We’re bringing Oakland with us to New Orleans, and how we act as young ladies and men is how we present Oakland. We’re bringing our home wherever we go.’”

They also brought many months of preparation, having studied social justice and other issues here in Oakland that they knew were also affecting the youth (and other residents) of New Orleans. They arranged to meet with like-minded student leadership groups like Rethinkers, and perform community service like cleaning up around the Lower 9th Ward, as well as helping fix up a damaged library. “We represented well for Oakland,” says Katherine, “because we reacted really passionately about what they told us, and we really wanted to learn to help them make things better.”

They went there to help, something everyone there picked up on quickly. “[All the groups we met] received us with open arms,” says Vanessa, “and with Rethinkers, we created a really good friendship. I felt great about that.”

Rethinkers was just one of the community activist groups the Leadership Team connected with during the trip. They also met with American Civil Liberties Union leaders, and with Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, who shared the story of a school repealing a requirement that students wear clear backpacks. “They educated us about our rights and how we need to speak up and know what’s going on,” says Katherine.

"That’s world-changing right there"

The Leadership Team also witnessed, first-hand, the destruction left behind by Hurricane Katrina. “It’s amazing – not in a good way – but amazing to see how something could just turn over in a couple hours,” says Ameerah. “And now they live in that – that’s their home now. We really wanted to know, after Katrina, how did they make it?” says Ameerah.

“We would drive down the street and actually see all the houses torn apart,” says Esmerelda. “But people like Mack, who lost everything, they keep on going strong.” Perhaps no one made a deeper impression or captured New Orleans’ post-Katrina resilience more than Ward “Mack” McClendon, a resident who lost his home in storm but has turned an abandoned warehouse into a community center complete with library, teen center, community garden, and more.

“I mean, this man is a revolutionary in my opinion,” says Ameerah. “For you to be helping everybody else without having a home of your own to sleep in, that’s world-changing right there.”

The students also absorbed a great deal of “Nola” culture along the way, browsing voodoo stores, strolling down Bourbon Street, and eating gumbo, jambalaya, fried chicken, po’ boys, and beignets. “We also went to the Bayou,” says Esmerelda, “where we saw alligators, lizards, and snakes.” And no trip to New Orleans would be complete without catching some live jazz. “The music was amazing,” says Katherine. “We saw a jazz band in this really little room.”

“In the jazz club,” Vanessa recalls, “it felt like we were in the past. The musicians were all dressed up in suits and tuxes.” The show offered a moment of signature New Orleans spontaneity as well. “At one point, the security guard suddenly took off his jacket and started playing with the band! He played awesome.”

“That’s all a part of me now”

Back in Oakland, it is clear that the experience has deepened the leaders’ community-minded spirit. “The trip was really important to me because, knowing what we’re going through out here in Oakland, I think something needs to change,” says Ameerah. “Rethinkers, they’ve really done a lot for their community, and I feel like we can better our community too. I went on this trip not just to change our city but to change our globe.”

“New Orleans was important to me because it was a change in my life,” reflects Mammaloa. “It was an opportunity to help the people of New Orleans and help restore their schools and community and environment.”

“Some schools in Nola barely have books,” adds Ameerah. “That made me appreciate our school even more. Now, when I see people tearing up books or writing in them, I tell them to respect what we have. My dad and I were saying we should do a book drive, and then ship the books out to different communities that need them.”

“Since we got back, we’ve been emailing with the kids in Rethinkers, and they’re even talking about coming here to see Oakland,” says Mammaloa.

“When we came back to Oakland, we really just wanted to create a group that could help out our community with [some of the same issues],” says Vanessa. Last month, the student leaders did that, founding a group called Change Makers.

“Everything we saw – their schools, the storm’s effects, the food which I loved – it all affected me so much that I feel like no matter where I live, that’s all a part of me now too,” says Ameerah. “When I saw the gardens around New Orleans, I thought, ‘Wow, it’s just like what Mack said: Everything starts as a seed and you have to grow.’” She expands on this thought in her blog entry: New Orleans is not a state or a place. It’s a seed. And that seed, by the minute is is growing and it is going to get bigger ad better. It is the best over here. It is similar to Oakland. Like I said, New Orleans is a seed and I can’t wait to see its full growth.

"[Oakland and New Orleans] were very similar before Katrina. After Katrina, people had to get together to fix the community. We don’t want to wait for a Katrina. We want to be the Change Makers now!" – An entry from Davon and Vanessa’s blog. 

To read more from the students quoted in this article – and from the other student leaders who were on the trip (Davon, Daisy, Hulices, Jenifer, and Vy) – please visit their blogs at http://ufsa.wordpress.com/!

Each One, Teach One: Mentorship at Sankofa

UC Berkeley sophomore Anna Fretz and Sankofa Academy 4th-grader Imani’s high-five echoes in the school’s otherwise quiet second-floor hallway. It’s the sound of success: The duo has worked together weekly since September as part of Berkeley’s Sage Mentorship Project, and Imani just posted a Math score in the 95th percentile. “I’m so proud of you!” Anna tells Imani.

“Anna helps me improve in both English and Math,” Imani says. “What was that problem you helped me with? Oh, I was working on denominators and numerators – we had to make the denominators equal. Anna helped me with that and then I got it.”

“I love doing this,” Anna says. “It’s a really direct form of support, and I get to see how much Imani improves.”

Beyond academic milestones, the Sage Project has built lasting bonds among the college mentors and their 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-grade mentees. “We’ve developed such a close connection that it’s become a genuine friendship,” says Anna. Imani agrees, describing their rapport as “natural. Anna’s nice and we have a good understanding of each other.”

4th-grader Le Asia, who’s been paired with Berkeley’s Andrew Spencley since September 2009, notes the unique dynamic this one-on-one mentoring creates. “Andrew helps me by explaining things in a different type of way. If you’re behind in class, the mentors help you catch up.”

“The coolest thing is seeing the progression,” Andrew reflects. “I’ve worked with her in 3rd grade and now in 4th, and you see the huge impact a couple hours a week can make. I feel like it’s the highlight of both of our weeks!”

“I don’t see Sage as something that’s just beneficial for our kids,” says 5th-grade teacher China Byon. “It’s mutually beneficial for mentor and mentee, and I’ve noticed that the best pairings occur when they both understand that. They’re here forming new bonds, and it’s about making connections and being part of the larger community.”

“I want to go to Cal…”

For Sankofa’s kids, connecting with Berkeley students makes college a relatable, tangible goal. While several mentees’ siblings are in college, “weekly contact with a college student may not be something they have,” says Byon.

“It gives them the idea that they can go to college,” explains sophomore Vachel Samuels, Jr., who mentors 5th-grader Premier. “If we come back and give back, they see they can be successful, that they can have the opportunities that I do.”

Premier has clearly taken the experience to heart. “I want to go to college, I want to go to Cal,” he says.

Berkeley senior Cina wants to take the college connection even further. “You should come on a tour of Cal with me,” he tells 5th-grader Jailynn.

It’s all about the connection,” says Cina. “Whatever she’s doing, I help her with. Sometimes we talk about stuff outside of school. I’ll give her my two cents on whatever’s going on, even if she doesn’t want to hear it…” Jailynn starts to laugh, sensing where this running joke is going. “Like what I think about Justin Bieber!”

“Some people don’t have mentors or people to help them out in life,” reflects Jailynn. “I think having a mentor is a privilege, so you have to think and learn and put a lot into it.”

“I never had anything like this when I was in elementary school,” says Berkeley senior Montoya Mayo, who mentors 5th-grader Amya. “It’s just a great experience, getting to build a new relationship. We talk about any and everything. I know Amya’s favorite food is mac and cheese and ribs, and she really likes Silly Bandz.”

Amya is grateful for the academic boost as well. She recently made the semifinals of Oakland Unified’s Spelling Bee Championship, where she was proud to represent her school. “I felt like everybody wanted me to win, for Sankofa.”

“Montoya gives me extra help in all of [my schoolwork]. One on one, you get more attention than [during regular class time],” she explains. “Montoya says she got a scholarship to Cal. That makes me want to have a scholarship, too. I’m thinking about going to Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, or Stanford!”

Listening to Amya, it seems a safe bet that the mentorship experience will have a lasting impact. Not only has it put a picture of college clearly in her mind, but she also hopes to be a mentor one day herself, “so I can meet new people and help younger kids with their work, like Montoya does with me.”

The Sage Mentorship program is creating lasting relationships between Sankofa scholars and college students, but another organization, Experience Corps, is extending inter-generational connections even further. Our next Sankofa Reflections will chronicle this partnership, which is building bridges across generations. (Experience Corps’ volunteers are all 55 years of age and older.)

Support Bridges Academy at Melrose

Before a recent Oakland Unified School District Board Meeting where Bridges staff hoped to speak out on looming budget cuts, 4th-grade teacher Pat Kaplan waited outside the school to offer rides to Bridges families. When no one showed up, she headed off to the meeting, unsure about what kind of turnout there would be.

But as she approached the steps of the district office, she discovered dozens of Bridges community members were already there, many with signs protesting the cuts. By the time the meeting began, more than 100 Bridges students, families, and staff had turned out to represent the school. During the public comment period, several (including students) spoke out on the impact cuts would have. "It was very powerful for us to feel that support and know our kids can be that articulate," says Kaplan.

"It was really emotional," recalls 4th-grade teacher Stephanie Pool. "It showed that people really care and that this is really important to our community."

Nothing left to cut

Why, specifically, is the budget situation so important? The dollar amount itself is startling: Bridges Academy's budget will be cut by more than $200,000 next year. But more disturbing are the very tangible resources at stake. At risk are several positions, including virtually every member of Bridges' essential support staff: library teacher, interventionist, physical education teacher, counselor, psychologist, and even daytime teachers.

This is especially painful, says 4th-grade teacher Soo Hyun Han, given Bridges' encouraging achievement gains: Our Academic Performance Index (API) score rose 37 points to 767, a milestone highlighted in the media this fall. "How," Han asks, "can we continue making this progress when these cuts are going to completely disrupt our school next year?"

"A lot of people might not understand why support staff is so necessary," says 4th-grade teacher Stephanie Pool. "Our intervention specialists are so important for kids who are struggling with reading, and our [outreach coordinator] does things [like frequent home visits] that are impossible for daytime teachers to do."

The repercussions ripple across the entire campus. To name just a few of the consequences: Fewer teachers mean larger class sizes and possibly split-grade classes. Cuts to after-school programs mean losing partners like Playworks, which runs Bridges' sports teams and overall physical fitness program. Experiential learning may very well take a hit too, as staff figures out which, if any, formative field trips (like Camp Arroyo) the school can afford next year.

Bleak as the outlook seems, the Bridges community's response has been a testament to the school's proactive spirit and unity. "Everyone has been talking about how we're all in this together," says Kaplan. On the March 15 Day of Action, they proved that again – this time by taking a bus all the way to Sacramento. (See our Day of Action banner, left.) Close to 20 parents made the trip, along with half of the school's teaching staff. "Parents were very proud to carry the banner and make a lot of noise," she says. "It was very positive."

"We then followed that up with a rally at Oakland High School," says 4th-grade teacher Rosa Kurshan, "to let even more people in our community know what is happening."

Students also took up the cause, writing four-page letters to the School Board. In one, 5th-grader Sabrina laid out the ramifications of losing the school librarian. "In library we don't just read, we get to learn how to use the Internet in preparation for middle school. We also get to explore new books. If we didn't have a library, we would go to middle school unprepared. We need our library!"

You can help! Contributions of any amount will help us continue offering our young scholars and artists the resources they deserve. Below are just a few of the ways your donation can have an impact.

• $50 helps us pay for art supplies – paints, pastels, paper, and more – that our future Picassos need for their projects
• $100 sends one student on the ever-popular three-day outdoor education trip to Camp Arroyo in Livermore.
• $250 funds one class's bus to Camp Arroyo.
• $500 supports our Playworks after-school fitness and wellness program

You can donate online here
or by check to "OSF/Bridges," PO Box 20238, Oakland, CA 94620.

Thank you for your support!

Environmental Awareness Expands as Composting Comes to Campus

A year ago we reported on Bridges Academy students’ newfound respect for the “Four Rs” upon returning from their three-day outdoor education trip at Camp Arroyo. Hearing reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot all rolling off the kids’ tongues, Bridges staff resolved to build on that environmental enthusiasm in 2010-11.

“This year,” says 4th-grade teacher Soo Hyun Han, “we really wanted a post-trip project that was more far-reaching than projects in the past, one that would definitely affect everyone on campus.”

Conveniently, there was already movement in that direction, from Bridges’ garden program. “Our after-school coordinator Alia, who is in charge of the garden, already wanted to start a composting project here,” says 4th-grade teacher Pat Kaplan. “So it worked out that we were wanting the same thing.”

“One of the great things has been seeing the older kids learn about it and then train the younger kids,” reflects Kaplan, who says student leaders made up the posters pictured here, and went from classroom to classroom presenting the composting process. “They’ve shown a lot of leadership.”

In the cafeteria, the impact is on compelling display. As students finish their lunches, they approach the middle of the room where three receptacles await their garbage, compost, and recycling. With an assist from Bridges Custodian Mr. Robinson and Cafeteria Supervisor Ms. Cross, two students monitor the compost station, helping kids sort their items.

“I’m happy we’re protecting the environment because if we don’t, the landfills get bigger,” explains 4th-grader Yajaira. Her fellow compost crew leader Janelly elaborates, explaining how landfills produce methane, a major culprit in polluting our air.

“They’re known as the experts now,” says Han. “They’re in the cafeteria every day, taking turns monitoring.” The composting bug has caught on school-wide, with all school staff in the mix, plus support from partners at Waste Management and stopwaste.org (which also sponsored the school’s Camp Arroyo scholarships this year). “It’s really been a team effort,” says Kaplan.

4th-grade teachers Stephanie Pool and Rosa Kurshan have seen the spirit extend into their classrooms. “They like to police me a lot,” says Kurshan. “I call them my eco-police, always looking around and asking, ‘Where’s the compost?’”

“They’re very aware in class,” concurs Pool, “saying, ‘Oh, could we compost this?’ It’s something they’re really trying to think about.”

If you would like to support Bridges Academy, you can donate online here (picking “Bridges Academy” in the pull-down) or by check: “OSF/Bridges,” P.O. Box 27148, Oakland, CA 94602. Thank you!

"You Could Make a Masterpiece"

Of Starry Nights, Mona Lisa's Eyes, and the Next Picasso

"Whenever you look at that painting," says Bridges Academy 5th-grader Sabrina, "it seems like her eyes are moving and always watching out."

Sabrina and her classmates Cristian, Joan, and Gemma are deep into a discussion of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Channeling the 16th-century masterpiece, Gemma strikes the subject's enigmatic, enduring gaze. "That's why it's famous!" says Cristian. They all nod.

"I've actually seen her move her eyes," offers Joan.

Bridges Academy's 5th-grade artists Gemma, Joan, Cristian, and Sabrina
with their portrait projects

"Well, it seems like they move because you see her looking at you," muses Gemma, momentarily breaking her Mona Lisa pose. "But that's the thing: It's all in your imagination. [The painting] really gets in your mind."

Art is clearly in the minds of Bridges students, both their own and that of legends like da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Andy Warhol. "We drew a picture that this famous guy Van Gogh painted," says Joan. "Starry Night. It's awesome. Beautiful."

"The wind," says Gemma. "He looked out his window and he painted it, that swirly wind."

Sabrina's rendering of Van Gogh's Starry Night

(Note: You can click on the images to see larger versions.)

"It's cool with all the stars," says Sabrina. "We did hatching with pastels [to recreate Van Gogh's technique]. Making art is important because you can show your feelings and express yourself. If it's your own art, then you're not copying anyone and they're going to think it's cool that you created something all by yourself, just out of your own thoughts."

"Art gives students an outlet for expressing themselves and a chance to be creative in a way they might not normally have during the school day," says the kids' teacher, Jessica Jung.

"It's fun times when you're doing art," says Gemma. "You feel excited about how it's going to turn out, and then when it's done you're proud of it."

"Some kids learn better through art or music, or social studies or science, and these all work together to create a full education," Jung says. In that spirit, she and fellow Bridges teachers connect art to standards in math, English, and other areas whenever they can. When her class studied Van Gogh's Starry Night, she tied it to an astronomy lesson, and building dioramas became an opportunity to explore history as the kids constructed scenes of different colonial regions. "It's all a way to process information in different and more entertaining ways," she explains. "They're not just writing and answering questions, but showing a real understanding by creating this scene."

"Art is important," says Cristian, "because some kids can draw their feelings on a piece of paper, and if they're happy they could draw the world, and their neighborhood, and houses, and they can inspire people."

"Art is a way of exploring the world," reflects Sabrina.

Joan agrees. "If some people see your picture of New York, they might like and want to go to New York."

"It might also make them want to do something creative like us," adds Gemma.

"Art gives students a chance to succeed in their own way," says Jung. "Particularly kids with behavior issues or who aren't as successful academically, other students can say, 'Wow, this student did a really beautiful job.' It's an opportunity for every student to feel successful in one way or another in class, and we see different parts of their character come out when they're doing certain projects."

"When I draw," explains Joan, "I think in my mind that one day I will become an artist. It's so cool. I might create the beautiful sea, a picture of New York, or my face in a self-portrait."

"Like a Picasso," adds Sabrina. "But instead of it being a Picasso, it will be a Joan."

With art, you could do anything you want," says Cristian. "You could make a masterpiece."

A Taste of Spring: Garden Club and Farmers Market Build Health and Wellness Efforts at MCS

A welcome appearance during a rain-soaked month of March, the sun found a rare opening in the clouds on a recent Wednesday, spotlighting a scene of green unfolding on the Manzanita Community School (MCS) campus.

Garden Coordinator Louisa Hartigan and 1st-graders
studying in the garden

Out on the yard, the school garden's plants and flowers were lush after the rains, and nearby the Farmers Market – a weekly fixture every Wednesday – was loaded with fruits and vegetables and drawing a crowd.

(Note: You can click on the photos to see larger versions.)

In the MCS garden, AmeriCorps volunteer and Manzanita Garden Coordinator Louisa Hartigan was teaching 1st-graders in our "outdoor classroom." The class intently drew the garden's plants and flowers and observed the insects hovering around them while discussing pollination, seed dispersal, and other science concepts. (While this lesson featured art and science, the outdoor classroom also integrates math and English whenever possible.)

The hands-on, interactive garden learning "really challenges them to think in a way they're not always used to," says Hartigan. "It's exciting for them to learn about nature and the world around them."

Garden Club 1st-graders studying the parts of a flower

Mariah, a student in Christina Wells' 4th-grade class, has clearly absorbed the science concepts at work in the garden: "We get to learn about plants and fruits. I liked seeing the holes in the lemon leaf that the gases come in and out of -- the carbon dioxide and the oxygen."

The kids are also putting their green thumbs to practical use, in the kitchen. They recently assembled a salad of several lettuce varieties, herbs, spring onions, and edible flowers (nasturtium and calendula) – all straight from the garden. "Salad is not always a food that kids embrace," notes Hartigan, "but because they had grown the food themselves and prepared it together, they were excited about eating it."

Hartigan also introduced them to kale, a vegetable most kids were skeptical about until adding it to cheese quesadillas, a perennial favorite. "Adding an unfamiliar vegetable to a familiar and well-loved food helped de-mystify the kale," she says.

A Greener Garden!

As Hartigan puts, we have seen the garden "pull the school community together and build a sense of pride around the school grounds." In that spirit, we hosted a Comcast Cares Day on Saturday, April 30. Comcast provided breakfast and lunch and t-shirts for all volunteers. Thanks to all who made it out for this community-building event!

"What I like about the garden is that you can plant what you like to eat or see and you can cook what you like for dinner," says Juan, also in Wells' 4th-grade class.


Exposure to new foods from the garden has also led students to be more adventurous in sampling items from the salad bar at lunch. Overall, says Hartigan, the garden has been a springboard for the school's health and wellness initiatives. "By making things more familiar, we're helping them explore what makes up a healthy diet."

Support Manzanita Community School!
State cuts have put many of our wellness programs at risk, including the ever-popular Playworks fitness program (covered in our Fall 2009 newsletter). You can help! You can donate online here (be sure to choose "Manzanita Community School" in the Pick Your School pull-down) or by check to: "OSF/MCS," PO Box 20238, Oakland, CA 94620.

Students line up for fresh produce at the Farmers Market

Over at the Farmers Market, volunteer Haydee Jimenez was busy fielding orders from parents, students, and MCS neighbors. Now in its second year, the mostly-organic Market has become a regular stop for those seeking healthy, reasonably priced produce. "We have a lot of people from the outside community come in," says Jimenez. "They drive by on their way to the grocery store, and end up shopping here because we're organic and the prices are lower. We now have loyal customers who even place their orders ahead of time."

Ultimately, though, it's MCS students who benefit most from this weekly presence of produce. The school has officially become a "no-chip" campus, and Jimenez says the Market is indicative of a school-wide dedication to health and wellness, bolstered by the Garden Club and our Playworks program that promotes positive recess activity among students.

"We hear them say, 'Oh, we're eating organic, this is better than regular fruit!'" Jimenez says. "Many of them never ate organics until the Farmers Market came along. We're doing it to show kids there are healthy choices they can make."

Jimenez, who has two children attending MCS, shops for her own family at the Market. "My kids love it. They really look forward to Wednesdays."

Parents and community members shop at the Farmers Market

Learning Without Limits Drummers Perform at Target's Oakland Grand Opening

To learn more about Learning Without Limits Elementary's rousing drum team, check out the lead story in the school's recent Learning Territory newsletter.

For Frick’s Kings and Queens, College and Character Count

“Every single time I enter the AVID room, I feel like I just passed through time and I am in college.”

These were the words of 7th-grader Jesus when asked about AVID, which stands for “Advancement Via Individual Determination.” AVID is designed to “close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.” It often supports socio-economically disadvantaged kids in the academic “middle” who will be the first in their family to attend college, and it’s only available at two Oakland middle schools. Frick is excited to be one of them.

“Kids here have really taken ownership and bought into the idea that ‘Yes, I’m going to college and I’m making good choices,’” says Frick Teacher Darcel Sanders, who runs the AVID program. “That’s been awesome to see.”

Through AVID, students are doing a year-long project researching different colleges: first a California State University, then the UCs and the Ivy Leagues, and eventually any school of their choice.

“Writing about the college (Fresno State) made me think about what college I want to go to,” reflects 7th-grader Edith.”I have to start thinking about my future and what opportunities are best for me.”

“Writing about Sonoma State,” says 8th-grader Brenda, “helped me focus on college as a future goal because it helped me learn more about my college options.”

Assuming they fulfill its requirements, students stay with AVID through 12th grade. Along the way, says Sanders, “they’re given access to resources and experiences they might not normally get.” Inside the classroom, kids get college tutors and learn specific college-prep practices like the Cornell note-taking system, but the experience extends off-campus as well, with students being connected with community service projects. “Those experiences will make them more competitive in high school,” says Sanders, “since community service is a huge part of college applications.”

College tours are another key piece of the program. “The college field trip experience helped me realize there were more choices besides Cal and Mills because I got to see public and private schools that I didn’t know about before I started AVID,” reflects 8th-grader Rajean.

The tours bring college into clearer focus for the kids. “We get to see classrooms and what college students do in their spare time,” adds 8th-grader Marissa.

Data, too, is backing up AVID’s success. Writing test scores have improved, and last year all but three of 50 8th-graders had a C or better in Algebra. AVID, says Sanders, has been partly responsible for the improvement.

“Participating in AVID makes me always want to participate in all of my classes,” reflects 7th-grader Malia.

“[Because of AVID], now I am more on top of things and I feel that I have matured since the beginning of the school year,” says her classmate Monique.

“I feel that AVID is really helping me prepare for college,” says Sierra. “[Ms. Sanders tells us] that we can do anything, we can succeed, and all these positive things she says make me feel successful. I’ve never experienced a class that is so college-like.”

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Frick Today - Winter 2010