12 January 31, 2017 - Volume 1, Issue 6

When Charisse Griffin, a construction worker on the Center, tells the story of her life, it begins with Oakland schools.

Born and raised in East Oakland, the construction equipment operator for Bay Cities Paving and Grading first attended E. Morris Cox Elementary School. Her academic performance then earned her a spot at Claremont Middle School. “It was all positive,” she says of her Oakland education which kept her challenged and busy. “We had really good teachers.”

Charisse’s family moved to Stockton when she was in ninth grade and with the change she “lost her way a little bit.” Although she had always been interested in building - even as a little girl - she didn’t know how to break into the field. Fortunately, a “career day” encounter changed all that.

“I became an apprentice,” says Charisse. “I feel a sense of pride. And I am able to give something back to the schools for all the help that I got when I was young. It’s cool to work on projects (like this one) in Oakland; projects that need attention.”

The 28-year-old, who likes fishing, camping and dirt biking in her spare time, wants to go back to college to study construction management. “This has changed my life for sure.”

K2C Lead Spotlight on Camila Barbour, REACH Academy Community School Manager

I champion the Oakland Promise when I’m in the community, talking with parents at school and others to promote higher education for Oakland students. I believe that every student deserves an equitable education and if we as a community believe that, so will our students.

Our school, REACH Academy, has adopted the mindset that every student deserves to be college bound. Teachers have re-named their rooms as universities, college swag is displayed in classrooms, and planning for the K2C launch is in progress!

Do you believe that every Oakland Student should have the opportunity to pursue their dream? If so, become an Oakland Promise Champion today! Contact Caheri Gutierrez at cgutierrez@oaklandnet.com.

The challenge – and opportunityToday in Oakland, one in four children does not have access to a�ordable, nutritious food. Within the Oakland Uni�ed School District (OUSD), this issue is even more glaring, with 72 percent of students coming from lower-income homes.

By creating The Center, OUSD has the unique opportunity to establish a hub for its Rethinking School Lunch Oakland initiative, whose vision is to dramatically improve the meals served in our schools. In so doing, we hope to boost student achievement and support mental, emotional, and physical health – all of which are closely tied to nutrition and healthy eating.

What is The Center?Through a state-of-the-art Central Kitchen, Instructional Farm, and Education Center, The Center in West Oakland aims to give Oakland kids the healthy food they deserve. Among other features, The Center will have:

• Roughly 30,000 square feet of spacehousing a new OUSD Central Kitchen

• A teaching kitchen and instructionalspace to support Linked Learning careerpathways in agriculture, culinary arts,botany, and related �elds

• A one-acre instructional urban farm,greenhouse, and produce market

Central Kitchen,Instructional Farm,and Education Center

How did OUSD choosethis location?We visited and considered more than 50 potential sites before settling on the former site of Marcus Foster School at 2850 West Street. Along with meeting a long list of technical requirements (square footage, green space, elevators, truck access, proximity to freeway), the West Oakland location was also ideal because of the neighborhood’s rich history of urban farming and dedication to food justice.

Through a state -of-the -art Central Kitchen, Instructional Farm and Education Center, The Center in West Oakland aims to give kids the healthy food they deserve. Among other features, The Center will provide:• Roughly 30,000 square feet of space

housing a new OUSD Central Kitchen• A teaching kitchen and instructional

space to support Linked Learning career pathways in agriculture, culinary arts, botany and related fields

• A one acre instructional urban farm, greenhouse and produce market

For more information, visit www.ousdthecenter.org

What is the Center?

BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATIONOF AN OUSD EDUCATION

The Oakland Promise is a cradle-to-career initiative that aims to triple the number of college graduates from OUSD within the next decade. Oakland Promise

programs support our students financially and provide college guidance in our schools.

Kindergarten to College (K2C) creates universal college savings so that by 2020 every kindergarten student in our district will have a college savings account.

Future Centers are specialized locations at several of our middle and high schools where staff work with students to develop career and college plans and apply for financial aid, scholarships and internships.

For more information about the Oakand Promise, visit: www.oaklandpromise.org

Oakland Promise: Kindergarten to College (K2C)