BULLDOG BYTES December 2014

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Marsha Rhynes– More than a Teacher! Meet the Scribe Sta!

Oakland Technical High SchoolParent Teacher Student Association

Principal Staci Ross-MorrisonOffice (510) 450-5400Fax (510) 450-5428

4351 Broadway Oakland, CA 94611 www.OaklandTech.com

Marsha Rhynes, an English teacher on Tech’s Upper Campus, is on a mission– to help every child in her classroom reach his or her potential. “The essence of who I am as a teacher is that I believe every child has a gift. My job is to bring out those gifts.” There’s no hiding in Ms. Rhynes’ class, not from her and not from yourself! She has very lofty aims– for students to believe in their power to transform themselves and

the world around them through their words, to expect a lot of themselves, to serve their community and to take on leadership roles in the process, and to treat each other with consideration and respect. And her expectations for herself are high as well. She spends countless hours outside of the classroom researching

them to apply to, inviting inspirational people in the community to visit classes, and searching for ways to bring students out into the community to learn from the real world. Even though she has been teaching for 26 years, Ms. Rhynes is constantly searching for new ways to invigorate her teaching because, in her words, “If you don’t change and grow as a teacher, you die on the vine.” Based on observations made on a recent visit to her classroom, both she and her students are succeeding on all fronts!

A product of public schools and a graduate of UC Berkeley, Ms.

world before experiencing a life changing moment the day her sister, a special education teacher, asked her to substitute for her. One of the students had been diagnosed with “selective mutism” (an anxiety disorder in which a child does not speak in certain social situations), but on the day he met Ms. Rhynes, he asked her to go for

Scribe editors from L to R: Trevor Harrison, Nick Pingitore,John Oberholzer, Anna Rosenfeld, Veronica Larkin, Sophia Taylor, Nadia Wohlfarth, and Molly Hetherwick. Not pictured are: E’Niyah Wilson and Isabel Burgos

As we celebrate Tech’s centennial year, we come to realize the important traditions that mark events and preserve them for decades. One such tradition is the student run newspaper the Scribe.

The Editor-in-Chief this year is junior Trevor Harrison. Trevor was born and raised in Oakland. He attended private elementary and middle schools but followed his older brother to Oakland Tech.

Trevor joined the Scribe staff in his sophomore year and was elected by last years editors to his new position because of his dedication and competence. The draw for Trevor to work on the school newspaper was that it was a great opportunity to let his voice be heard. He liked the fact that this is a publication completely run

interesting.

The staff meets weekly to discuss story ideas. The publication comes out monthly and it is available both in hard copy and online on the Tech website. The Scribe has been around a long time and has changed over the years. We asked what his vision was for the newspaper. “A more diverse staff is one thing. Also we hope to write about things that are relevant to the students; things the readers care about.” Finally, Trevor wants to expand their online presence.

I can’t believe that we are nearing the end of 2014! We sure have been busy at Tech!

Looking back at Tech’s rich history as we celebrate our centennial year, we want to bring back some of what made our school a great “TECHNICAL” high

school. We do a wonderful job preparing our students for college, but what about those students who want to choose a different path? I am happy to report that we have recently launched our “Career Series” to address this gap. Through this series, we will be working to connect local businesses with our students to

offer the students exposure to and information about various pathways to success. Whether our students go right on to college

prepared to enter the next stage of their life, whatever it may be. We have just completed a workshop called “Who is Hiring for the Holidays?” which offered students the opportunity to apply for seasonal jobs, participate in mock interviews, and get assistance creating a resume, as well as to receive assistance completing

student was hired by Old Navy through this program. Also one of our counselors, Ms. Johnson, is in the process of creating a career handbook containing detailed information about various career pathways that will be available to all families once it is completed. And Mr. Clayton, one of our COST (Coordination of Services Team) leaders is setting up opportunities for interested students to learn

From the Top DogPrincipal Staci Morrison

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a walk. In that moment, she realized that every child has untapped potential and the seed of her life’s work was planted. She became a teacher. Ms. Rhynes taught for many years at McClymonds and Castlemont, and then two years ago, Ms. Teresa Williams, Assistant Principal on Tech’s Upper Campus (where she oversees over 330 students including the 100 students in FADA, the Fashion, Art, Design Academy), persuaded her to come to Tech.

Ms. Rhynes teaches 10th, 11th and 12th grade English and in all her classes, both Honors and College Prep, she pushes her students to succeed outside, as well as inside, the classroom and to see themselves as writers, critical thinkers, community activists, future college students, and individuals with unique gifts. And she is with them every step of the way, conferencing one-on-one during class, at lunch and after school, individualizing assignments to give one more of a challenge and another more support, and convincing them that they can do the work. She loves teaching at Tech and says that she is amazed at the resources available to the students here and at what the students “bring to the table.” Ms. Rhynes said that her 10th grade class was initially so crowded that kids had

down, they took out their notebooks and started taking notes. They were helping each other too. I felt like I had died and gone to Teacher Heaven. When you have kids like that, you have a sense of obligation to make sure they get everything they deserve.” And in Ms. Rhymes’ view, they deserve a lot!

Students as Readers, Writers, and Published AuthorsMs. Rhynes is a total believer in the power of the written word. As she so eloquently put it, “I believe in reading because even if you had no teacher, you could change your own life by reading. I believe in writing because words have the power to change not only your own life, but the lives of others.” With grants and the support of the Community Relations Manager at Barnes & Noble in Emeryville, the students in Ms. Rhynes’ classes at Castlemont published a book of their writings in 2011 called Write to Live, Telling Our Stories. Maya Angelou wrote the forward and Barnes & Noble hosted a book launch and signing. Together with her Tech students, Ms. Rhynes is currently preparing a second volume for publication, with the working title Right to Live and a forward by Maya Angelou’s son Guy Johnson (an author and motivational speaker who has visited Ms. Rhynes’ classes). The theme of the student writing will be the life lessons the students have learned so far and whose shoulders they have stood on. With the continued support of Barnes and Noble and its partnership with the publisher iUniverse, Inc., she fully anticipates that by the end of the year, her students will be able to say that they are “published authors.”

Field tripsBut before they turn up at Barnes and Noble for their book signing, her students will have visited the store to buy books. As part of her effort to inspire her students to care about what they read, she uses grants from outside donors and Tech’s PTSA to enable her students to purchase new books of their own choosing. She has witnessed the magic that happens when a student “discovers” a book and can’t wait to read it.

Ms. Rhynes recently took her students to visit the Alameda County Courthouse where they met with attorneys and judges and heard

Save the Date and Come See a Great Show!

OakTechRep, our award-winning student theatre company, will present Anthony Clarvoe’s The Living December 11th-13th in the Oakland Tech Auditorium. The playwright himself visited with the student actors in mid-November and wrote afterwards: “Here’s a powerfully moving thing: talking with the cast of your play, none of whom had been born when you wrote the play, all of whom seem to be getting ready to own the hell out of the play. Thanks to Jessa Brie Moreno <https://www.facebook.com/jessabr ie>

and the actors of Oakland Tech for a beautiful afternoon, and looking forward to their production of The Living.”

Set during the Great Plague that tore through London in 1665, Anthony Clarvoe’s The Living explores the motivations and behaviors of a group of Londoners who remained in the city even after

characters ranging from doctors to clergy to average citizens

on living during a catastrophic epidemic. Originally written during the AIDS crisis, The Living remains just as relevant today as communities around the world encounter yet another epidemic. OakTechRep’s production will feature original puppets designed and fabricated by the Tech Techies and manipulated by the ensemble.

The Living will perform December 11th-13th, with three evening performances at 7 pm and one Saturday matinee at

2pm in the Oakland Tech Auditorium, 310 42nd Street, Oakland. General Admission tickets are $10.00 at the door; $8.00 for OUSD Staff and Students. Due to the serious

nature of the play’s content, this event is recommended for middle school age and older. The production will be directed by Jessa Moreno with Technical Direction by Casey Fern and Choreography by Ena Dallas. For more information, contact jessica.moreno@ousd.k12.ca.us or call (510) 450-5400.

Meet the Scribe Sta! continued from page 1

the administration and the district at large. This has allowed him to explore what happens behind the scenes at Tech. Trevor also had the opportunity to interview our new Superintendent Antwan Wilson and found him to be very likable and competent. He made time for the interview and even for questions that came up after the interview. “He really made a good impression.”

In addition to his duties as Editor-in Chief, Trevor also does cross

soccer plus he is in the computer animation academy and paideia. We asked this busy junior where he saw himself in a couple of

with people in a creative environment. Best of luck to you Trevor!

If you would like to get involved with the Scribe, the staff invites you to their weekly meetings on Mondays from 12:45pm - 1:30pm in room 106.

We would like to introduce the editors for the 2014-2015 Scribe. Managing Editor: John OberholzerI went to Tech because I live in this district and I can take the bus here easily. I am now a senior.

I came to the Scribe because I wanted to get into more journalism and I thought it would be cool to do student newspaper. When I

that made the school feel like a real school. I wanted to be a part of that.

The Scribe is the voice of the students. We are student-run and student-controlled; we decide what to publish and how it is written. In addition to getting information about the Tech community to the students, we run stories from the greater community that are relevant to students. As the student voice on campus, we also represent the opinion of the student body. My dream for the Scribe is to see greater readership and greater involvement. I would love to see a bigger, more diverse staff or a 16 page spread. Currently, not all teachers request the Scribe for their classes. I think that we should have the funding and interest to distribute to the entire school. I wrote a piece for the November issue (coming out soon!) about Oakland Tech’s relationship with ABC Portraits. It took a lot of investigation and I’m glad that the Scribe will report on the complaints of the Tech community.

News Editors: Veronica Larkin and Nick Pingitore

Features Editors: Sophia Taylor and Anna RosenfeldMy name is Sophia and I am currently a junior at Oakland Tech. Initially, I was interested in attending Tech because of the engineering and paideia programs. I quickly found, however, that there are a variety of clubs and other student organizations that make Tech an even more interesting and worthwhile school. For me, the Scribe was one of these organizations. I saw it as a unique way for students to have a voice in their community and wanted to be a part of that. I joined the Scribe during my sophomore year as a features writer for a column of my invention, “the Binge Watchers”, which reviews great television shows. Thus far, my favorite article that I have written was a review for the show, “Mad Men”. It is an

amazing show which I believe has been wrongfully overlooked by many teens because they are not aware of how entertaining it truly is. In the future, I hope that the Scribe will continue to be an outlet for students to share their opinions and that more students, as well as teachers and parents, will take a greater interest in what they have to say.

I am a senior at Tech. I was drawn to the school because I really wanted to go to a school in my neighborhood and get closer to my own city and fellow Oaklanders. I had also heard great things about Tech! I

I started working for the Scribe my junior year of high school. Although I had heard of it before, it seemed the new editorial staff were making a big effort to make the Scribe more read and more known! I’ve always liked writing and thought I’d try out writing for my school newspaper. This year, as one of the editors, I get a whole new perspective on the paper because I get to be part of the “behind-the-scenes” work, which has been an interesting experience!

I see the role of the Scribe as a voice for the students of Tech. I feel like it’s important for students to be able to voice their opinions and get to take ownership of something on their own. The Scribe is great for this because it’s student-run, so it really does provide students a way to express themselves. I only wish more students would take the opportunity- we would love more writers!!

I am most proud of writing about Japanese Tech students during World War II who were taken to the internment camps in California and who were supported by the Tech community. I wrote this piece for our Centennial issue this last year, and felt it was cool to write about something historical that happened right here!

Thanks!! Anna Rosenfeld

Assistant Features Editor: E’Niyah Wilson

Head Visuals Editor: Nadia WohlfarthMy name is Nadia Wohlfarth and I am in the 11th grade and my older sister went to Tech and enjoyed her experience there and I decided to go as well. I wanted to work on the Scribe because I liked that there is a student-run newspaper where our voices can be heard and distributed to everyone in the Tech community. This is my second year of involvement with the Scribe at Tech. In my sophomore year I took photos and this year I am on the Scribe staff and am the Head Visuals Editor meaning I take pictures but also assign photos to the photography team and upload them to be printed in the newspaper along with their corresponding articles. My vision for the role of the Scribe in the life of Oakland Tech is that it will be read and students can share ideas through writing and photography. I hope many students will participate in future issues to help the Scribe remain a functional student-run club and supply all the students with their copy of the Scribe to gain insights on events related to Tech and students’ opinions of them.

Illustrations Editor: Isabel BurgosChief Copy Editor: Molly Hetherwick

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Kick off the holidays - 3 easy ways to earn OT $ 1. Use your Safeway Club Card number when you shop for Thanksgiving dinner-- Tech gets up to 4% of your purchase.

2. Tech gets 2%-12% of your purchase when you shop through the eScrip Online Mall and enter Amazon, Target, Gap, Apple, Banana Republic, J. Crew, and thousands more of your favorite sites. Just one easy extra step.

3. Dine out and earn up 5% for Tech, at favorites like Ozumo, Extreme Pizza, Pican, Homespun Fare, Rikyu, Red Sea, Ta-Ke Sushi, Mint Leaf, Giovanni, Ruby Room, La Note, Chop Bar... Use your eScrip-registered credit or debit card to pay. So please register (or update) your Safeway Club Card and credit or debit cards today at eScrip, and get out there and earn money for Tech! Email freemoney@oaklandtech.com with any questions.

Second Annual Oakland Tech Family & Fitness 5k Run/WalkJoin us for the second annual Family Fitness Fun Run/Walk around Lake Merritt, December 7. Meet at 1520 Lakeside Drive. Check-in will begin at 9:00AM at 14th Street, next to the Lake Chalet. The Run/Walk will start at 9:30AM at the Cameron-Stanford House at 1520 Lakeside Drive (between 14th and 18th streets). There is NO registration fee! (Any donations to support the run are greatly appreciated and gladly accepted. Please make them payable to the Oakland Tech PTSA and help support our school.) For more information: http://oaklandtech.com/staff/blog/2014/11/19/ot-runwalk

Sustainability at Oakland TechAre you interested in increasing sustainability at Oakland

Come join the Tech Green School Movement! We are students, teachers, parents, and community members committed to a more sustainable school.The Green Club meets every Wednesday at lunch in Ms. Snyder’s room, 146. The Green Club has three primary committees: energy, recycling, and gardening. We are also working on bringing composting to Tech so that all that food and gardening waste can be turned into compost

The PTSA Green School Committee aims to 1) support the student Green Club, staff, faculty, and administration on sustainability issues; and 2) be a hub for sustainability communication, organization, and funding. Taking our lead from the students, our initial focus is recycling, composting, and energy, but we’re open to new initiatives.

We have had several successes so far, including:• surveys of the student body regarding recycling and energy use• grant-funded recycling containers for every classroom• a partnership with Strategic Energy Innovations, a non-

and the Green Club are working on a Tech energy audit• a 2nd grant to institute cafeteria and garden composting at Tech and fund student internships to facilitate the program.Want to contribute your ideas, skills, and enthusiasm? We have an OT Green Google Group. You can subscribe at otgreen+subscribe@googlegroups.com and visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/otgreen.

PTSA Reminders and Updates

AERIES Browser Interface (ABI)Parents have online access to their student’s grade and attendance information. The OUSD AERIES Browser Interface (ABI) provides secure access to student information using

system administrators, as well as improves the education of students by facilitating the communication of information between school and home.

The ABI Parent Portal allows access to information in the following categories:Student Info - including Demographics, Emergency Contacts, and Class Schedule;Attendance - including daily attendance for each class;Grades - including Gradebook, Current Assignments, Grades, Graduation Status, and Transcripts;Medical - including Immunization, Hearing, and Vision; and Resources - including Online Resource Center, and Reports.

The Gradebook module of ABI gives parents access to their student’s current class assignments and grades. Parents without Internet access can use the computers in the Parent Resource Center in Room 3 and in the Library.

email abi-hotline@oaklandtech.com.

Annual Fund DonationsAs we count our blessings this holiday season, the Oakland Tech PTSA would like to thank everyone who has given to the school this year. Through your generous contributions, we are well on our way towards our Annual Fund goal of $45,000. In our fall cycle of Mini and Maxi grants, we were delighted to be able to fund every qualifying request <http://oaklandtech.com/staff/otptsa/awarded-maxi-and-mini-grants/>, awarding over $30,000 to innovative teachers, staff and students. Another cycle of Mini and Maxi grants takes place in the spring and we hope to continue to support all those who request our help.Through all its efforts, the Oakland Tech PTSA raises nearly $100 per student each year to enrich vital student needs not covered by local, state and federal funding, such as technology, basic classroom supplies, teacher training, out-of-classroom learning, and selected infrastructure needs. If you have not yet given to the Annual Fund, we ask that you make a tax-deductible donation before the end of the year. Contributions in all amounts are deeply appreciated. All donors will be invited to a special thank-you concert produced by the PTSA board on January 17th, 2015.Ways to contribute: • One-time donation: Please consider a Centennial Year gift of $2015 (or any portion thereof ). Send a check to: PTSA Annual Fund Drive, Oakland Technical High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611, check memo: Annual Fund—or donate online. • Monthly Installment: We offer a recurring payment option.• Employer matching donations: Check our website to see if your company participates! Find us online at www.oaklandtech.com/staff/otptsa. Happy Holidays!

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Stay informed! Are you receiving the online Bullhorn? Go to: http://oaklandtech.com/staff/otptsa/the-bullhorn/Are you signed up for the PTSA Yahoo Group? OaklandTechPTSA-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Come to at least one monthly PTSA meeting this year: generally, the 2nd Monday evening of each month, 7-9 PM, in the school library. Upcoming dates: 12/8, 1/12, 2/9, and 3/9. Come learn about programs and issues at our school and hear a monthly update from our principal and from the student leadership of the school.

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Have you ever stood on the front steps of Oakland Tech, facing the street, and looked up between the pillars? On a day when

motion and the timelessness of the school’s architectural beauty. As a lifelong learner, you may be inspired to go and search out the right words for what you are seeing: a colonnade, a portico,

the upholding of great ideas. Tech’s columns reach out in an unusual curve, nurturing arms that embrace the intertwining streams of souls that pass through its doors, year after year after year, to become older and wiser.

In a short time, a student will become an alumnus or an alumna. A parent with several children may pass through the pillars on a longer timeline. A teacher, administrator, or staff person may have a relationship with this school that endures over decades. The pillars are also held up by souls who may or may not ever step foot on campus—education experts, public servants, and citizens who pay taxes and vote for public education.

These are some of the thoughts I shared at the Centennial Book launch party in mid-October. Two weeks later, dozens of alumni gathered under the pillars for the Centennial Kick-off celebration on November 1st—every one of whom has made history and some who have truly changed our world. Even though rain was predicted, it was a beautiful day, and clouds moved unhurriedly overhead, as they have for almost half a hundred thousand million years (according to math and science).

Please join us on the evening of January 17, 2015 at 7:30p.m. to celebrate this moment in time with an inspiring evening of historical piano music by concert pianist Daniel Finnamore. He will be playing a selection of pieces from around the time Tech’s 1917 Steinway Grand Piano was built, music that invokes the spirit of education and inspires us as Tech enters its second century.

Pillars of the Communityby Kristen Caven, PTSA President

The Centennial Oakland Tech Auction 2015Save the date!! Our school auction for Oakland Tech will be held at Uptown Body and Fender on Saturday, March 14, 2015. This is a not only a huge fundraiser for Tech, it is also a wonderful event for our community. Last year, we raised more than $90,000 and had a record number of attendees (over 350)! We hope to top that this year, but we can’t do it without your support.

The auction operates with an “all volunteer” crew, so the money

NOW is the time to think about how you’d like to participate! We need pre-auction volunteers in many areas (like business solicitation) and we need two team leaders: Food and Day of Event Coordinator. All of these volunteer slots are posted on Sign up genius:http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b044fa4ac2ba57-preauction. You can also call or text our volunteer coordinator, Denise Reagan, at 415-370-3123.

There will be plenty of “day of set up” as well as evening volunteer opportunities too, and those slots will be posted about six weeks prior to the actual event.

PLEASE DONATE!Parents - we need your donations to make this event a success! Parties and hosted events generate over a third of our total auction proceeds, while helping build a strong sense of community throughout the year. Please start thinking about ways you can help, or contact Diane Heinze at DHeinze@portoakland.com for ideas on types of parties and she can match you up with co-hosts or businesses who have offered their retail establishments, wine shops. or restaurants to Oakland Tech party host parents.

TICKET SALES and TECH’s ONLINE AUCTION!

ASB Updateby Jay Varhula, ASB Treasurer

Oakland Tech’s second marking period of the 2014-15 school year was quite eventful as students demonstrated extraordinary amounts of school spirit by participating in Spirit Week, the homecoming rally, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This

with class colors and themes. Hand-picked by our very own student council, spirit week themes included tie-dye, athletics, Disney characters, tacky tourist, and class/school colors

students were overjoyed at opportunities to dress as princesses or witness their friends in socks with Tevas.

Rally in the Girls’ Gym provided a deafening conclusion to Spirit Week. Packed together in a huge echoey room, students made more noise than one might have thought possible as they showed off their class pride, with the seniors coming out

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The Parent Emeritus Club, Tech’s After School Peer Tutoring Program called Boost, and a Boost from the February Talent Showcase!By Terry Cullinane

Students have many opportunities to get the extra help and support that they may need to succeed at Oakland Tech. In addition to a host of supportive services through various programs like COST (Coordination of Services Team), Tech teachers offer after-school and lunchtime tutoring in all academic subjects. But for students who may feel more comfortable seeking help from a peer, Tech has Boost, an after-school peer-tutoring program which offers help in core subjects on a rotating schedule (see box for details).

BACKGROUND: Back in 2004, when Oakland Tech’s WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation was in jeopardy because of inadequacies in the library, members of the class of 1954 stepped up and funded needed upgrades and improvements to bring the Oakland Tech library into compliance. Once that effort was accomplished, the members expressed their willingness to support current Tech students and the Peer After School Tutoring Program was born! Alumni from the 1950s have raised over $100,000 to offer stipends to student tutors for helping their fellow Tech students with homework and basic understanding in a number of subjects including biology, English, history, and math.

PEER TUTORING TODAY: Last year the alumni “retired” from their fundraising role and a group of past and present Tech parents (The Parent Emeritus Club) has taken on the task of supporting the tutoring program, now called Boost. Parents from the club will help oversee the program and together with school staff and teachers make adjustments as needed. One recent change has been to locate the peer tutors in classrooms (rather than in the library) and to pair them with a teacher in

are quieter, more focused places for study which supports the learning of the students seeking help and second, by pairing the peer tutors with a teacher, they are receiving guidance and mentoring themselves. The program now focuses on 9th grade subjects and begins shortly after the start of the school year. The transition from middle school to high school is often a time

this close, intensive support, we hope to help make that transition successful. Boost tutor candidates are recommended for the program by their teachers who are looking for students with enough mastery of the subject to be able to tutor with proper coaching.

Currently, Boost operates 4 days a week: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Wednesday mornings. The morning session was added this year and helps address the needs of student athletes who were generally unable attend after school tutoring sessions and also may be missing class time due to travel requirements.

We, the Parent Emeritus Club, are excited about the opportunity to continue to support Tech students and are already planning

Showcase on Feb. 8, 2:00-4:00 in the auditorium. Tech has

always had an amazingly talented student body and the talent showcase (Bulldogs used to be called Technites) will feature Tech alumni from the 1940s to the present. This will be a truly intergenerational event and will boost the spirits of all Bulldogs,

out more about Boost, the Parent Emeritus Club, or the Technite Talent Showcase.

victorious (yay!). Many games took place at this event; among them was a root beer chugging contest where brave volunteers

honor. The rally ended with an outstanding performance from Oakland Tech’s dance team and cheerleaders. Abiding by a Halloween theme, “Thriller” was executed thrillingly as students

Amidst all these events was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which incorporated pink decorations, lunch and after-school activities, bake sales, and a walk around the neighborhood

cancer. All throughout the month, one could see students dressed in pink clothing and ribbons, and on certain days, games such as pink lemonade pong allowed supporters to become champions

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OT Volleyball Wonderwomen Take the OAL!By Helena Starc

Closing out the best Bulldog girls’ volleyball season in over a decade, your very own OT Varsity and Junior Varsity teams won every single match in fall 2014, beating Fremont, McClymonds, Oakland High, Castlemont and Skyline.

The Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team earned Tech a new banner for the girls’ gym – volleyball pennant in 12 years! Each varsity match consisted of competing for 5 games to 25 points: a match is “called” if one team wins 3 out of 5, and that’s just what the varsity team did in every single match except for the super exciting last match with Skyline, where OT won 4 out of 5 games to take the match and the title. The win over Skyline was achieved thanks to impressive kills from Mariale (8) and Gabrielle (6) and top servers Mikaela (7/8), Leah (7/7), Antonia (7/7) and Alexis (6/6). Under Coach Rosemary Whisenton, Varsity team members include (pictured in pink): Seniors #3-Fevralina Kebede, #7-Jayoni Lewis, #10-Mariale Dunbar, #14-Ray’ven, #15-Mikaela Harrington, #19-Keonna Bellot; Juniors #5-Karmari Quinones, #8-Gabrielle Woodland, #9-Alexis Oddi, #16-Savon Bardell; Sophomore #6-Ashley Ngyuen; and Freshmen #2-Antonia Starc, #12-Leah Carrere, and #13-Doran Campbell.

A JV match requires a team to win 2 out of 3 games, which our OT JV team accomplished against every opponent. In fact, both teams closed this season as Champions of the Oakland Athletic League (OAL). Under Coach Christina Burden, the JV team included #1 Obreah Delaney, #3 Isabella Terrazau, #4 Karen Rivas, #5 Sonia Aronson, #6 Susan Ganbadrah, #7 Hannah Dermody, #8 Natalie Estilo, #9 Isis Fields, #10 Lucy Flattey-Vickness, #11 Grace Brekke, #12 Ma Isabel Niegos, #14 Kendall Prime, #15 Tyra Sims, #16 Yahoska Martinez, and #20 Sienna Roy.

The Varsity championship post-season starts with a match against KIPP on Saturday 11/22 at Tech and may even proceed to regional playoffs on 11/25. Please congratulate these super Bulldogs, and see http://oaklandtech.com/staff/g-volleyball/ for scores and more photos. You ladies have done us proud!

advantage of this opportunity will know they can handle college level work because they already started doing it in high school!

Marsha Rhynes is a teacher who inspires and uplifts her students to be the best that they can be by being the best teacher, mentor, and role model that she could possibly be. Thank you, Ms. Williams, for bringing Ms. Rhynes to Tech and for supporting such an amazing group of students and teachers on the Upper Campus, and thank you, Ms. Rhynes, for all you do for Tech students and for our school!

them tell about how they ended in up those careers not because they were “born with a silver spoon in their mouths,” but because of their passion and perseverance. Anything that will inspire her students to reach higher and push harder, Ms. Rhynes seems willing to do.

“Jefferson Students in Action” Ms. Rhynes has served as a reader for UC Berkeley Admissions and currently serves on multiple scholarship committees in the Bay Area. She is a Leadership Advisor and Program Coordinator for the local Jefferson Awards Foundation (a national organization dedicated to activating public service and honoring civic leadership). Ms. Rhynes has brought to Tech its

Students in Action. She wants the students to learn that “you become empowered when you do something in your school or extended community that changes things.” Not only do colleges want to see that students have engaged in community service, but the planning and carrying out of the activities can be life changing for students. At a recent lunchtime gathering of the JSA Club, Myles

prepared with an agenda and some hand-outs, led a discussion of what fundraising and volunteer activities the club could take on (Car wash? Movie night? Helping at an animal shelter? Putting on a talent show at a nursing home?), and prompted by Ms. Rhynes, ended by asking each student to follow up by creating an action plan for one of the ideas they had generated. A few weeks before, at a conference for JSA clubs from all over the Bay Area, Kenneth

hundreds of people. He said he was nervous before, during, and even after, but he also said that he felt proud that he did it. JSA gives its students the chance to develop leadership and volunteer skills that will serve them well in the future and also a way to calculate their “dollar hours” for community service credit. The club has a strong core of about a dozen members including Catory Goodman (President, grade 11), Briana Keys (Vice President, 11), Rico Greer (11), Kenneth Arterberry (11), Vincent Hal (11), Terrell Richardson (11), Myles Jefferson (11), Melissa Arellano (10, and Judy Cordova (10). Recently they put on a “Teaching Tolerance” program at lunch called “Mix It Up at Lunch Day” which involved the JSA students leading their peers (and the Upper Campus teachers!) in a series of activities designed to get everyone to leave their comfort zone and talk with others with whom they normally would have no contact. It was so well received that they may make it a monthly event!

College Credit and ReadinessAnother initiative of Ms. Rhynes has been “concurrent enrollment classes,” which give students the opportunity to earn community college credit with guest teachers from Merritt College who come twice a week to Tech’s Upper Campus. The college teachers partner with Tech English and history teachers to offer courses such as Introduction to Business, Financial Literacy, and African American

are transferable to either UC’s or CSU’s for credit. The students taking

Marsha Rhynes continued from page 27

Members of JSA from L to R, in the front row, Judy Cordova and Melissa Arellano; in the middle row, Catory Goodman, Myles Je!erson, and Briana Keys; and in the back row, Terrell Richardson and Vincent Hal, and Kenneth Arterberry. Not shown in photo: Rico Greer and Marcus Brown.

Oakland Technical High School Parent, Teacher, Student Association4351 BroadwayOakland, CA 94611-4612

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From the Top Dog continued from page 1

more about all kinds of professions and opportunities. Very soon he will be organizing an event showcasing the Merchant Marines and their Anchor program which provides students with hands-on career training and mentorship from experienced mariners, preparing them for a potential future as merchant seamen.

To prepare our students for the future, we must increase the engagement of our families and students now. This is partially accomplished through the various learning supports we offer here at Tech. We are very fortunate to have a number of services available not only to our students, but also to their families. The services focus on academics, culture and climate, health and wellness, family engagement, extended learning, and youth

team members who then work with the individuals or families to make sure that they get the support they need to be productive.

Finally, we are in the midst of our Prospective Student Tours and the library has been jam packed with families interested in Tech. It makes me proud to be the principal of such a wonderful school. Enjoy the upcoming holidays with your family and friends. Our school opened its brand new doors in January of 1915 and I look forward to welcoming you back to school through those same doors in January of 2015!

Save the date!OAKLAND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

Parent Emeritus Club announces

TechnitesPast & Present!Talent Showcase

SaturdayFeb. 8, 2015

2pm

* Proceeds support Boost, The Peer Tutoring Program

Excerpts from the original play 99 Years: a verbatim history of Oakland Tech created in 2013 by OakTechRep drama students who interviewed teachers, alumni, and staff, and used their words to tell the story of the school over the years.

Band Leader & Singer Marv Tripp, Class of 1943Night Club Performer Estelle Jung Kelley, Class of 1949

Ballet Dancer Omar Shabazz, Class of 1989

Featuring

Tap Dancer Michael Grbich, Class of 1950

and manymore! Plus performances by current Tech students and staff!

Tickets$10 for Adults$5 for Students