East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC) is a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization in
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It opened in 1978.
[ EOYDC works to develop the social and leadership capacities of youth and young adults (ages 5 to 24) to prepare them for ]employment
Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any othe ...
, higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
, and leadership
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...
. EOYDC describes itself as a community-based solution for solving social injustice and inequality, and a national model for youth development.
History
EOYDC was founded in 1973 and opened its doors in 1978 by Robert B. Shetterly, then-CEO of Clorox
The Clorox Company (formerly Clorox Chemical Company) is an American global manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products. As of 2020 the Oakland, California based company had approximately 8,800 employees worldwide. Net sales ...
. Although Shetterly was a prominent businessman and a long-time resident of Orinda,[ Clorox helped fund EOYDC in its early years and later on. Since it opened, it began providing free programs five days a week for people in the Elmhurst District of ]East Oakland
East Oakland is a geographical region of Oakland, California, United States, that stretches between Lake Merritt in the northwest and San Leandro in the southeast. As the southeastern portion of the city, East Oakland takes up the largest portio ...
.[ Since 1994, EOYDC has been under the leadership of Regina Jackson.][
]
Mission
The mission of EOYDC is to develop the social and leadership capacities of youth so that they succeed in education, career, and service to their communities.
Programs
The four core programs of EOYDC are art
Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas.
There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...
, education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
, job
Work or labor (or labour in British English) is intentional activity people perform to support the needs and wants of themselves, others, or a wider community. In the context of economics, work can be viewed as the human activity that contr ...
s, and wellness. These departments are structured to encourage self-sufficiency and responsibility. Of primary concern at the EOYDC is teaching youth to embrace their cultures and to live and work responsibly and cooperatively with other communities. EOYDC offers three education programs: ''After School Leadership Academy'', ''Pathway to College and Career'', and ''Education Empowerment''.
The ''After School Leadership Academy'' is an after school program for students in kindergarten to 8th grade. The program provides homework help, tutoring, and enrichment activities.
''Pathway to College and Career'' is a readiness program to prepare students in 9th to 12th grade for post-secondary life, with an emphasis on college persistence and completion. The program has workshops, SAT
The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...
prep, and discussion forums. From 2010 to 2016, the program had a 96% college graduation rate among alumni.
''Education Empowerment'' is for students ages 17.5 and up who have not completed high school. The program prepares students to take the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET, previously known as the GED
The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a group of four subject tests which, when passed, provide certification that the test taker has United States or Canadian high school-level academic skills. It is an alternative to the US high ...
).
Funding and sponsors
EOYDC receives some government funding, while most funding comes from private grants and donors, and some from corporate grants and individuals. The largest donors include: U.S. Bank
U.S. Bancorp (stylized as us bancorp) is an American bank holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and incorporated in Delaware. It is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, and is the fifth largest banking institution i ...
, Clorox Company Foundation, Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation, SD Bechtel Jr. Foundation, Northern California Community Loan Fund, Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese ...
, SouthWest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co., typically referred to as Southwest, is one of the major airlines of the United States and the world's largest low-cost carrier. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has scheduled service to 121 destinations in the U ...
, Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
, the musician Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
, the San Francisco Foundation San Francisco Foundation is a San Francisco Bay Area philanthropy organization. It is one of the largest community foundations
Community foundations (CFs) are instruments of civil society designed to pool donations into a coordinated investment and ...
,
Notable alumni
*Jabari Brown
Jabari Akil Brown (born December 18, 1992) is an American professional basketball player, who last played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Missouri Tigers where as a junior he led the SE ...
, former NBA player
*Keyshia Cole
Keyshia Myeshia Cole Johnson; born October 15, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Cole began her career as a backing vocalist for MC Hammer. After signing with A&M Records ...
, singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality
* Mark Curry, actor and comedian
*Antonio Davis
Antonio Lee Davis (born October 31, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played ...
, former NBA player
* Keyondrei “Kiwi” Gardner, former Saudi Premier League basketball player
* Drew Gooden, NBA player
* Aaron Goodwin, sports agent
* Greg Foster, former NBA player, NBA assistant coach
*Damian Lillard
Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats and earned ...
, NBA player
*Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Regarded as one of the greatest point guards ...
, former NBA player, NBA head coach
*Kirk Morrison
Kirk David Morrison (born February 19, 1982) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft and also played for the Jacksonville Jagu ...
, former NFL player
*Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who played the point guard position. Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best known for his 13-year tenure with t ...
, former NBA player
*Leon Powe
Leon Powe Jr. (; born January 22, 1984) is an American former professional basketball power forward. Drafted in 2006 by the Denver Nuggets, Powe grew up in Oakland, California, and played college basketball at the University of California, Berkele ...
, former NBA player
*Brian Shaw
Brian Keith Shaw (born March 22, 1966) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He could play both guard positions, but wa ...
, former NBA player, former NBA head coach
*D'Wayne Wiggins
D'wayne Patrice Wiggins (born February 14, 1961) is an American singer, guitarist, and record producer best known as the founding member of the 1990s soul/R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!
Early life
Wiggins was born in Oakland, California; speci ...
, musician, producer, and composer
*J.R. Reid
Herman "J. R." Reid Jr. (born March 31, 1968) is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is an assistant coach for the Monmouth Hawks men's basketball team. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the ...
, former NBA player
* Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell, former streetball
Streetball (or street basketball) is a variation of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules. As such, its format is more conducive to allowing players ...
player
*Davone Bess
Davone Atrayo Bess (born September 13, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Hawaii.
Early years
Bess attended Skyline High Scho ...
, former NFL player
References
{{Reflist
External links
EOYDC.org
Youth organizations based in California
Organizations based in Oakland, California