Citizen Schools in Edutopia.
Given the deep cuts in funding that threaten to roll back everything we’ve accomplished, we are fortunate to receive generous help from several partners:
The Atlantic Philanthropies funds $15 million grant to Oakland sites
Our site will share $15 million over four years with four other campuses as part of the Integrated Services in Schools Initiative (ISSI) to make lasting change in the lives of disadvantaged youth through preventative programs that keep them healthy, engaged in learning, and connected to key supports. Atlantic Philanthropies dollars require a 1:1 match from local partners (to date $25.7 million has been raised in matching dollars). The lead agencies for implementation are Safe Passages and Youth Ventures JPA. The five sites were selected based on socio-economic need and disparity, health profiles, academic performance, neighborhood crime data, and eligibility for Free & Reduced Lunch averaging 84% (ours is 93%).
1. Extended Day Learning (after-school, Saturdays, summer, mentoring, tutoring).
2. Health (medical, dental, mental)… including construction of a Health Center.
3. Family Supports (tax credits, job referrals, job skills, food stamps, English classes, parenting support).
Citizen Schools comes to United for Success for 2008-09
Citizen Schools is a national organization providing high-quality after-school programs in middle schools. Students enroll for Mon-Fri, with daily academic support, character education, and internships with professionals who volunteer their time. Like our regular day, Citizen Schools showcases student projects several times each year. Citizen Schools will join our other after-school programs such as Techbridge (engineering for girls from Cabot Space & Science Center), Raza Leadership (Spanish Speaking Citizen’s Foundation) and Hacienda Peralta’s Digital Storytelling. Our students will be very well provided for between 3:15-6:00pm every day.
United for Success Academy Receives Grant to high-tech Career Labs
Through OUSD’s office of School to Careers, United for
Success Academy is piloting a career lab which engages students in technology
based projects in 12 areas such as Forensic Science, Flight Technology, Digital
Music Production that introduce students to how math and science are used in
actual careers. The Paxton Action
Lab helps students perceive how challenging coursework in high school can lay
the ground work for pursuit of a rewarding career. Students work in teams of
two or three and develop knowledge and skills through the use of multimedia and
hands-on activities under the supervision of a full-time teacher paid in part
by the grant. Students also research if their interests and aptitudes are
suited for a wide range of technology-based careers.
Life Academy comes to our site
Life Academy, a small Oakland high school with a health-sciences focus, will be moved to our site because of earthquake safety issues in their building. They have 250 students and graduate about half of their students to college (higher than OUSD’s high school graduation rate). We look forward to building bridges between our schools to enhance our own college culture and to engage their students as mentors/tutors for our kids.
Digital Storytelling Grant from HPHP
Our close relationship with Hacienda Peralta Historic Park took another leap as they received a grant for Digital Storytelling and decided to work it from our new iMac lab. One block from school, the Hacienda is the first home of the Peralta’s who were given the original land grant in the early 1800’s that went from Albany all the way to Fremont. It is a very significant site undergoing a major transformation. Their focus is on the cultures that have come through this area, from the Ohlone to the Californio’s to the waves of immigrants that continue to inhabit Fruitvale. Our students will reach out to members of the community to record and edit their compelling stories in video.
New Mentoring Programs to serve our students
Resilience research shows that three factors determine the odds of a student making the connections to complete high school and steer clear of adverse forces: high expectations, meaningful work, a caring adult. We are delighted to begin a partnership with TeamPlay, a foundation started by Baron Davis (point guard for the Golden State Warriors) that seeks to help schools be more effective and to provide supports/mentors for students. We are also just starting to partner with another local group, Be A Mentor, that excels at vetting and training mentors. We expect the programs and others to be up and running by September 2008.