The Portrait of the Movement report, released in February 2011, reviews charter school performance across California and provides a tool to press for greater accountability for low-performing charter schools.

The most significant finding in the 2011 Portrait of the Movement is that charters are closing the achievement gap between low-income and affluent students at a steady rate. Specifically, charter schools are generating significantly better results than traditional public schools serving the same populations, demonstrating that charters are weakening the link between poverty and underperformance.

Oakland Unity High School is featured as the “low status / high growth” school.   OUHS is featured on page 49 of the full report.  We are proud to represent the many high growth charter schools across California.

Here is a link to the full report.

On Saturday, February 26, five Unity students will be participating in the second annual Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s Black History Bowl Competition. Schools from all around the Bay, including Vallejo, San Francisco, Piedmont, and Oakland are engaging in a friendly competition for pride and an opportunity to receive an all-expenses paid trip to the 100 Black Men’s National Black history competition. Other sponsors for this event include OUSD’s African American Male Task Force. Activities will take place from 11-5 at Frick Middle School (2845 64th Ave.). Said senior De’Quan Alexander, ” this is a great opportunity to learn about our history and contributions to society that benefit us beyond one month.” Good luck to De’Quan, Atiba, Kaisha, Philloria, and LaStacia!

The link to the event.
http://www.kulturefreedom.com/events.html

On Saturday, February 19, five Unity students, Mr. Zarazua, and a parent attended the GENTE (Getting Educated Now To Empower) conference at the University of California-Santa Cruz. The purpose of this bilingual conference was to motivate and inform students and their families about the opportunities in pursuing a higher education. A number of workshops took place, covering topics such as admissions, financial aid, and identity. Participants were provided a free lunch, t-shirts, student performances, and a tour of campus. Unity graduate, and current UCSC junior Amado Rosas helped organized the event and led a workshop. More than 300 students and families were in attendance from all over California.

Thanks to Cassandra Gutierrez, De’Quan Alexander, Estephania Franco, Luis Garcia, Joceyln Sanchez and her mother, and Mr. Zarazua for representing Unity!

Pictures can be found here.

Alliance For Climate Education will visit OUHS on Friday, February 10, 2011.

The ACE Mission:

Our mission is to educate high school students on the science behind climate change and inspire them to take action to curb the causes of global warming.

Educate high school students about climate change science via our free multimedia assemblies

Inspire students to lower your emissions and raise your voice

Take Action through carbon-reducing projects in schools and communities, with grant and scholarship opportunities

Website: http://www.acespace.org/

ACE video: ACE CLIMATE CHANGE VIDEO

**Note: Read the SF Chronicle’s write-up of ACE’s visit to Unity.

Oakland Unity High School 9th grade students are in demand!  Two great programs are on campus this week, talking to and recruiting our students.

Young Entrepreneurs at HAAS:

http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/groups/yeah/

For twenty-one years, the Center for Young Entrepreneurs at Haas (YEAH) has made pursuit of a college education a reality for underserved East Bay and Bay Area Youth. YEAH has also helped business students become business leaders who make a positive impact on society. At what is arguably the best public university in the country, if not the world, the university has served students with and without means, since its inception. This continues to be a priority across campus, throughout schools, and from Chancellor Robert Birgeneau. This priority carries ever more urgency due to the cuts in public education at every level, which disproportionately affect students in under resourced schools and districts.

At the Haas School of Business there has been a commitment to reaching beyond the student body comprised of undergraduates, MBAs, master’s degree program candidates, and PhDs by partnering Haas students with underserved and under resourced middle and high school students in the Bay Area for more than 20 years. The ethic of serving something larger has always been distinctly Berkeley, and at Haas it is no exception. And at what feels like unprecedented times for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, this service to the community is ever more needed.

The Haas School of Business takes this notion even further in newly codified defining principles of Dean Richard Lyon’s vision and strategic plan stating the school will develop, “people who question the status quo, project confidence without attitude, learn as students always, and think beyond themselves. It is this final principle- Beyond Yourself -where the Center for Young Entrepreneurs at Haas fits operationally in the Dean Lyons’ strategic plan. Although the program has always been supported by deans and faculty members, the opportunity it provides for Haas students to work in the community, teach someone else what they’ve learned, and share their passion for education is now a key component of the Haas experience and curriculum.

Youth Law Academy:

http://centrolegal.org/youth-law-academy/

The Youth Law Academy (YLA) supports youth in achieving academic excellence and pursuing educational and professional opportunities in the law. This three-year intensive after-school program for Oakland teens includes leadership development, mentoring with judges and attorneys, college application assistance, financial aid application assistance, SAT preparation and a mock trial.

The first 25 YLA program graduates are all attending college full-time. Centro Legal continues to support these students in college by providing college scholarships, mentoring and case management. Scholarship funds are provided through a generous grant from the College Access Foundation of California.