Next Step Learning Center’s Class of 2024!

On sunny Friday in July, families, staff, board members and donors gathered in West Oakland to celebrate Next Step Learning Center’s class of 2024. This was no ordinary graduation: for many of those walking the stage that day, this moment had been decades in the making. Take Tina, pictured below, who first came to Next Step 12 years ago with the goal of improving her basic literacy skills. The accomplishment of earning her high school diploma was the result of years of working with Next Step’s reading specialist, volunteer tutors, and caring staff. “For so many,” Tina explains, “Our teenage years were not easy. We faced economic and personal hardships that led us to the street instead of school. Next Step always believed in me. They were more than teachers – they were family. Because of love and hard work, I am now a graduate.” Tina was one of 101 graduates receiving a second chance and a diploma that day. Their pride and excitement for the future defined the day. 

Contributed by Lisa Stringer, Executive Director of Next Step Learning Center