Last Monday the top African American students were honored during a ceremony that took place at Acts Full Gospel Church in Oakland. The African-American Education Task Force and the Oakland United School District handed out award to students from grades 8-12, over 1,200 students attended the ceremony.

The event is one of the largest in the entire nation. Representatives from local universities and historically black colleges were on hand to discuss information regarding scholarships and grant opportunities for post-high school education. OUSD representatives also spoke at the ceremony. They were from the offices of College and Career Readiness, Summer Programs and Early Childhood Education and provided information on their programs.

Several high schools in the city had students groups there showcasing their talents. This included Skyline High School’s ROTC Color Guard, Castlemont’s Castleers choral group and the East Oakland School of the Arts dance production class.

This was the 9^th year of the annual event honoring African-American students from Oakland schools. This is sign that even in tough economical times, there are still students who reaching their goals and dreams.

Wandra Boyd, Co-chair of the African American Education Task Force, expressed the pride she and Co-chair Oscar C. Wright feel regarding the ceremony. “This will be our 9th annual event honoring African-American scholars,” Boyd said. “Each year the percentage of African-American students who are honored increases; this demonstrates that more African-American students are achieving. Nevertheless, it’s clear that more work needs to be done to boost overall achievement levels and we hope this ceremony helps promote a greater understanding of and level of engagement in the educational process.”

“At a time when the achievement gap between African-American and Latino students and their peers remains persistent, it’s critical that we celebrate students who present a model of scholastic accomplishment,” explained OUSD Superintendent Tony Smith. “Their academic success, while notable in its own right, can also serve as an inspiration for other students striving to succeed. More than that, it is a reminder of the potential inherent in all our students and our obligation as adults to help them fulfill it.”