Student Voices

There’s no better way to understand the importance of improving our public schools than listening to the students themselves. If you have a story to tell, or know someone who does, hit us up on our Contact Page.

Real Talk for Teachers: Be Authentic, Teach Life Skills, Don’t Be Corny

(A guest post from Kareem Garcia, an Oakland public school student and Energy Convertor) “During those long years in the Oakland Public Schools, I did not have one teacher who taught me anything relevant to my own life or experience.”-Huey Newton 1973 -Revolutionary Suicide At school, I want to learn the things that will help…

Being Arab and Female in These Hallways

(A Guest post from Shfah Saleh an Oakland public school student and Energy Convertor) As an Arab, especially a female, you experience differently. It’s kind of rare if you feel safe in the community and sometimes they don’t feel like they belong or fit in anywhere because they look different than others. For me, I’m…

Growing Up Kareem; Wanting People to See Me

(Guest Post form Karim Garcia, an Oakland public school student and Energy Convertors) Growing up was hard, tough. I was born at Kaiser in downtown Oakland. I lived in a duplex with my parents and my brothers. My extended family lived in the same duplex. Well, that didn’t last long. We eventually left that place…

Creating A Culture Of College Success Through Mentorship In Richmond

(A guest post from Daniela Felix on our sister blog La Comadre, would love to hear some Oakland stories as well) Any first generation college student can attest to the importance of mentorship in supporting them through the college years. For first generation college students in particular, the first year of college can be an…