OAKLAND — A $382,639 state grant recently awarded to the city will be used to tackle gang violence and boost graduation rates on two Oakland high school campuses, Mayor Ron Dellums' office said this week.
The grant, which comes from the California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention Program, is designed to help students on the Fremont and Castlemont campuses by putting them on a path to become teachers or social workers.
"Too many of our young people are dying as a result of gang violence," Dellums said in a statement, adding that the effort "will allow us to wrap our arms around youth" by providing support and career opportunities and creating a caring environment at the two campuses.
Specifically, the money will be used to create 70 part-time jobs for Oakland youths who will be placed in jobs in after-school programs or social service agencies as a possible first step toward becoming teachers or social workers, Dellums' office said.
It also will establish facilities at the Fremont and Castlemont campuses to offer career advice to students and adults. And it will provide participating students the opportunity to enroll in a Summer Bridge program aimed at building math and literacy skills.
Officials hope to reduce gang involvement by 75 percent among participating students and increase graduation rates so that 85 percent of those taking part go onto higher education.
Paul Seave, director of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's
Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy, said in a statement: "This project has the refreshingly high but reasonable
