It was an honor to participate in a two-day conference to discuss Assessments for Learning at Jack London Square Waterfront in Oakland, CA. The 75+ participants discussed assessment models to bring back to their schools across the U.S., and observed ARISE High School and Envision Academy’s graduate profiles and capstone projects. I have always admired these.
As the current Inclusive Community Engagement Officer at the City Oakland, I support the entire City at implementing a policy to promote effective community engagement practices. I came with a lens of learning how educational assessments can provide solutions for municipal government performance, and how local government can be more accessible to students. Educators, at the heart of schools, are frontline community engagement specialists by helping students become their best versions. By following standards, assessments, and creating a safe learning culture, educators can help students carry the torch as community engagement specialists who are willing to take charge. In his Back to School speech in September 5, 1973, former Oakland Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Marcus Foster, stated to school staff: “I want all of you to be aware of your personal potency; you are powerful people, you who are teachers, you who are secretaries or whatever your role may be. You’re powerful in the lives of children, at least potentially you are. Whether you exercise that power or not is up to you. Your attitude and the atmosphere you develop around you are tied up with your self-concept and the concept of those children sitting in front of you.” School leaders, educators, and staff, he charged, were “the next most important person in helping to shape his self-concept is the teacher.” Foster went on to state that school staff can assign the label for students that show they are “further reduced in value, discarded, or priceless.”
In reading this, I wondered, if a teacher can give hope to students, what can a government do to achieve its quality of life goals? Could youth graduates see their role as agents of change beyond classroom walls, and the tangible benefits of their dedication for years on end?
As a youth, I participated in non-profit programs funded by the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY). OFCY, founded by Measure K, is an earmarked fund from the Oakland General Fund. As Oakland Public Schools slashed funding arts programming and crime rose in the 1990s, Measure K provided a logical solution to continue maintaining resources for K-12 students, such as afterschool tutoring and enrichment. Youth Together and AYPAL, two organizations that taught me activism and civic engagement, led me to engage in national movement building during collegeand bring my skills back to Oakland in my current work. OFCY continues to be one of many funding sources for a myriad of after-school programs. Often, a built-in leadership development component, whether volunteer-based or paid experience, teaches how to improve communities. More often than not, these opportunities provide a path to making their voices heard and seeing the direct impact they have on their communities.
When I read the Envision Academy graduate profile and sat for a senior defense, I was amazed how social justice flowed throughout her presentation and how much embodied leadership mattered to her. It was clear that the community of educators and artists influenced her to move towards a path of social change. With Envision being a block from City Hall, where the Youth Commission and OFCY’s offices are headquartered, I wondered whether the City of Oakland’s many programs, services, and policies already shaped her experience. And I wondered whether she felt the city would respect her, be open and fair, and be committed to listening to her when she had opinions.
As the city’s lead community engagement practitioner, I plan to diversify strategies to improve and increase community engagement, particularly for young people graduating from Oakland schools. For instance, this year, I launched a capstone project in partnership with a Goldman School of Policy graduate student to revive the “City Academy,” a public educational program that offers a curriculum designed to prepare residents for civic engagement, leadership, and community service. As one of many ways to engage residents, City Academy would host a series of workshops and introduce to residents how its many programs and services function. The capstone would determine how City Academy can be fiscally sustainable and made accessible to people of various socioeconomic backgrounds, linguistic needs, and ages. City Academy could also serve as a bridge for listening to community members.
After seeing the presentation from Michael’s 8th Grade defense and Cynthia’s senior defense (or after seeing both 8th grade and senor defenses), I wondered if high school students would shape city government through these courses or if there are other ways to engage. How might forging a relationship shape post-secondary school paths? It is my hope that as I develop programs like this that I keep students and the graduate profiles in mind. I hope assessment systems designed to enhance student thinking and 21st-century skills development one day would include enhanced multi-disciplinary interactions with local industries, especially with city government, whether as speakers, project partners, panelists, and/or externship hosts.
Storyteller
Carina Lieu
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