The Ed Fund periodically features people from the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and Oakland communities whose work positively impacts education for our public school students every day.

What is your name and title?

José Carlos Arriaga. I work as a Dual Language teacher for OUSD and also coach the robotics program at Lockwood STEAM Academy.

What is your background?

I grew up in San Jose and live in West Oakland.

How are you connected to the Ed Fund?

The Oakland Ed Fund has enabled our robotics program to obtain funding from community members. It has also allowed us to build unique partnerships that help us continue to provide authentic learning opportunities for Oakland’s youth.

What is your hope for the future of Oakland students and public education in our community?

I want our Oakland students to be better equipped to tackle the challenges of the 21st century through gaining experience and confidence in computer science through robotics, coding and digital art. I hope that through developing students’ love and interest in creating technology and learning how it can be used to improve our lives and our communities, we can help break cycles of poverty and trauma. Thus, we’re ensuring that public education can become a catalyst for student and societal improvement.

Do you know someone who makes a positive impact on students in our Oakland Public Schools? Nominate them as an Oakland Class Act, and they may be featured in a future newsletter!

NOMINATION FORM