Oakland Kids First

Oakland Kids First Oakland Kids First amplifies youth voice, leadership, and power to create engaging and equitable public schools where all students learn and achieve.

Founded in 1996 by a group of youth service agencies, OKF ensures that Oakland public high schools are places where students are empowered and supported to use their civic and cultural leadership skills through student organizing, academic peer mentoring and other meaningful leadership roles to create a culture of peer support, mutual accountability, and improved learning and achievement for all students.

🌟 We’re Hiring! Join Our Team at Castlemont High School!We have three exciting opportunities to make a real difference i...
08/28/2026

🌟 We’re Hiring! Join Our Team at Castlemont High School!
We have three exciting opportunities to make a real difference in the lives of Oakland youth!

🏫 Castlemont Community Initiatives Senior Manager (Full-Time)
This senior leadership role is responsible for planning, overseeing, and implementing comprehensive programming for students at Castlemont High School, including our Knight Time, Castle Cares, and Castle Farm and Garden programs.

🏫 After School Program Assistant
Are you organized and detail-oriented with a passion for helping youth? Support the daily operations of our after-school program at Castlemont High School through a part time 20 hour per week administrative role and help create a positive environment for students.

📚 Academic Mentor
We’re looking for a dedicated and knowledgeable tutor to provide academic support in core subjects on a part-time basis (Mon, Tue & Thu 3:30–6PM, Wed 2–5PM).

All positions are based at Castlemont High School, 8601 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94605. To apply, email resume and cover letters to [email protected].

Ready to invest in Oakland’s future? Visit the link in below and apply today!

https://www.oaklandkidsfirst.org/join-our-team/

08/24/2026

🌱 This past Saturday we hosted a lovely multigenerational community workday at the at the Castlemont High School Farm & Garden. Kids, elders, and everyone in between came out to w**d, seed, transplant, harvest, and build community.

Some of our volunteers even left with fresh eggs, vegetables and bouquets — well-deserved rewards for all their hard work! It was a great reminder of what we can accomplish when people come together with a shared purpose. A huge thank you to everyone who showed up and made the day so special. 💚

Interested in hosting a work day for your organization? Sign up using the link in bio and we’ll confirm your date via email!

🌱 Attention community organizations! The Castlemont Farm & Garden is entering its fourth year of monthly community work ...
08/20/2026

🌱 Attention community organizations! The Castlemont Farm & Garden is entering its fourth year of monthly community work days — and we’re looking for organizations or groups like yours host one!

This is a wonderful opportunity for organizations, companies, fraternities/sororities, foundations, and other community groups to make a meaningful contribution to an urban farm in an East Oakland food desert. As a host organization, you’ll bring your people together for a hands-on day at the farm — and everyone is welcome to join in!

Hosting involves recruiting a team of volunteers and feeding them. That’s it! Oakland Kids First will oversee and manage all projects.

📅 Work days run one weekend per month, from 9:00am to 1:00pm
🌻 Activities include w**ding, seeding, harvesting, transplanting, composting, and more!

Interested in hosting a work day for your organization? Sign up using the link below and we’ll confirm your date via email!
👇 https://bit.ly/4wwvEaL

08/19/2026

Shout out to our longtime Lead Organizer Roxy Franco for helping Oakland Kids First celebrate our 30th Anniversary! 🎉

Roxy first joined our team in 2014, and made a lasting and meaningful impact on Oakland Kids First and hundreds of youth organizers. She led the establishment of our Youth Organizing Council, helped run the successful Free Supper for Hungry Minds campaign, supported our youth in developing our first ever Student Justice Platform, and played a critical role supporting landmark youth-led wins like the historic passage of Oakland Youth Vote - Measure QQ!

Now a Senior Powerbuilding Director with Yo Cali, she is still contributing to the field of youth organizing and took the time to reflect on the legacy of Oakland Kids First. Thanks for everything Roxy! 💜

Join Oakland Kids First at Castlemont High School next weekend to help us kick-off another school year at our amazing st...
08/14/2026

Join Oakland Kids First at Castlemont High School next weekend to help us kick-off another school year at our amazing student-run farm. Deep East Oakland is a food desert and grocery prices are at an all time high, which makes urban farming projects critical community resources for working class people. Please roll up your sleeves with us for the morning, pitch in on some projects, meet folks in your community, and connect with the land in the process.

Event Details:
🗓️ Date: Saturday, August 22nd, 2026
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Location: Castlemont Farm, 8601 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94605 (Pull into the driveway to the left of the main building and drive to the back of the campus)

We’ll spend the day transplanting, seeding and w**ding.

Please wear clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. Remember to bring water and a pair of gloves if you have them.

Come ready to lend a hand and connect with our growing community. Let’s make a difference together. We can’t wait to see you there!

🌟 We're Hiring! Join Our Team at Castlemont High School! 🌟We have two exciting opportunities to make a real difference i...
07/31/2026

🌟 We're Hiring! Join Our Team at Castlemont High School! 🌟
We have two exciting opportunities to make a real difference in the lives of Oakland's youth!

📚 Academic Mentor
We're looking for a passionate tutor to provide academic support in core subjects on a part-time basis (Mon, Tue & Thu 3:30–6PM, Wed 2–5PM).

🏫 After School Program Assistant
Are you an organized, creative community builder with a passion for youth development? Support the daily operations of our after-school program through a part time 20 hour per week administrative role, and help create a positive, engaging environment for students.

Both positions are based at Castlemont High School, 8601 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94605. To apply, email resume and cover letters to [email protected] by Wed, Aug 5th.

Ready to invest in Oakland's future? Visit the link below to learn more and apply today! 👇
https://www.oaklandkidsfirst.org/join-our-team/

Are you a young person who wants to make a difference?Join REAL HARD a youth-led program where you can take action on th...
07/31/2026

Are you a young person who wants to make a difference?
Join REAL HARD a youth-led program where you can take action on the issues that matter most to you, your school, and your community. Together, we can create real change. Sign up today!

- Castlemont: Contact Hadiyah ([email protected])
- Oakland Tech: Contact Maya ([email protected])
- Fremont: Contact Janet ([email protected])
- Oakland High: Contact Senayt ([email protected])
- Skyline: Contact Justine ([email protected])

07/30/2026

Meet Emily, a senior who just graduated from Fremont who was an active member of REAL HARD all four years of high school. Thank you, Emily, for sharing your insightful reflections on your time with Oakland Kids First! Congratulations on your graduation. We are so proud of you and everything you have achieved. You will always be a part of our family, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do next. 💜

If you have a memory, story, or wish you would like to share about Oakland Kids First in celebration of our 30th anniversary, please message us!

Did you know Castlemont High School has lots of amazing afterschool programs tailored to students with a variety of inte...
07/25/2026

Did you know Castlemont High School has lots of amazing afterschool programs tailored to students with a variety of interests?

Please register through the Enrollwise system today to be eligible for Knight Time after school programming this year.
Attend our official program launch on August 18th at 2pm to learn more about all our offerings!

07/22/2026

As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we are putting together a series of videos reflecting on the evolution of Oakland Kids First. Watch this heartfelt video from Paul Brekke-Miesner, Co-founder of the Kids First! Coalition, as he shares his perspective on the origins of Kids First.

Thank you, Paul, for taking the time to share your thoughts and memories with us. We are deeply grateful for you – and the dedication and tireless organizing efforts of all the members of the original Kids First Coalition – for helping bring OKF to life 30 years ago. Without your vision and contributions, the City of Oakland wouldn’t have dedicated millions of dollars for children and youth each year and OKF wouldn’t exist as an instrument of youth voice and power.

If you have a memory, story, or wish you would like to share about Oakland Kids First in celebration of our 30th anniversary, please message us!

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3700 E 12th Street, Unit 3
Oakland, CA
94601

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