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Fremont Students Design and Build Classroom

Published

7 years ago

April 22, 2019

Phong Hoang (far left) and Drew Prober (far right) surround students in their MC3 Design and Build class as they take a break from constructing a classroom. Elvira Rivera Soto stands third from the left and Bill Luna stands next to her, to her right. Photo by Zack Haber

During this 2018-2019 school year, about two dozen Fremont High School seniors are building a new classroom for future students and teachers to use. “I love that I can get pieces of wood and turn them into so many different things,” said Elvira Rivera Soto, who has enjoyed studying wood working since her sophomore year. “Last year’s senior class designed the room, and this year we’re the ones who are building it,” she said.

The project is a year-long class called MC3 Design and Build co-taught by design teacher Phong Hoang and woodworking teacher Drew Prober. Students begin most classes by checking in at Hoang’s quiet classroom full of computers. Then some students move next door to Prober’s classroom filled with the sounds of hammering and sawing while others work just outside, at the construction site of the new room.

“What they’re building is different than a regular classroom because it’s an indoor-outdoor hybrid space,” said Prober. The room will be filled with plants and partially roofed with a large, open area to allow sunlight to stream in. Starting next school year, teachers will be able to sign up to hold their classes in the room if they wish. While classrooms are usually dark and enclosed, Prober sees the room his students are building as “a spacious, green, light-filled” area.

“When you’re in a classroom, you feel confined,” said Bill Luna, another Fremont student who’s working on the project, “so it’ll be nice for students and teachers to have something new and a change of pace.” For design teacher and Fremont High School graduate Hoang, his role at the school and in the project have special significance. “When I went to Fremont I felt that I didn’t get what I needed,” Hoang said.

“So when I came back to teach I wanted to be a part of a movement that taught students skills that would offer them more career choices when they finish high school.” Due to the close proximity of their rooms and the links between their subjects, it didn’t take long for Hoang and Prober to collaborate.

They ran an after-school class together called Design Build where nearby residents would give students projects, like building a bed frame or a stand, that students would then design and build.

After two years, the teachers asked Fremont’s administration if they could expand the after-school class into a regular class. The new class offered them the chance to delve into the two-year project to build a new classroom.

In addition to learning the hard skills, like using a saw and holding a hammer, Hoang and Prober are also happy that the project is teaching students soft skills like teamwork, time management, and applied mathematics. And they’re excited about them taking the skills they learn to apply toward their life, which has begun to happen.

“I’ve seen students use the skills they learn in my or Prober’s classes to rebuild or redesign their garage,” said Hoang. The students and the teachers both see the project as special and different from their other classes. To them, the grades are secondary to the project they’re creating. “It’s a project that is bigger than a grade,” said Prober. “It allows students to see the connection between what they’re doing and how that affects their environment.”

Zack Haber

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IN MEMORIAM: Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73

Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73 Caption: Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo. Special to The Post Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love i

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12 hours ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love in the comfort of her home. To her children, she was royalty, grace, strength, and unconditional love embodied.

Debra Diane Edgar was born on May 28, 1952, in San Francisco, California, to Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar. She was raised alongside her younger brother, Charles Edgar Jr., affectionately known as “Little Brother” or “Lil Bruh.” She also shared close bonds with her older siblings Carol Edgar-Lang, Maryann Edgar Calloway, and Lonnie Lewis Sr.

A proud product of San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District, Debra attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School, where she met her lifelong best friend and adopted sister, Lynn Green, in the fifth grade. She later attended Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High School and Thomas Jefferson High School.

Debra’s mother transitioned when she was only 17 years old, and her father transitioned when she was 23. Despite these profound losses, Debra remained grounded through the love and support of extended family and lifelong family friends,

In 1971, she married Harold King. On Sept. 24, 1972, they welcomed their first son, Dajuan Artese King, affectionately called “Pop” or “Poppa.” On Aug. 5, 1976, they welcomed their second son, Dante Dupree King, affectionately called “Tay” or “Taboocoo the Baby.”

After her divorce in 1982, Debra assumed full responsibility for raising her sons.

She supported Dajuan’s passion for football by purchasing sports equipment and attending games faithfully. She supported Dante’s love of music by enrolling him in the San Francisco Boys Choir, Oakland Boys Choir, and the Castlemont Castleers.

Professionally, Debra built an exceptional career. She worked at Blue Shield of California from 1973 until 1994, earning multiple promotions.

She later joined the Oakland Unified School District, initially in a temporary role before being promoted into management within the Labor Relations Department. She retired from OUSD in 2015 after years of distinguished service. During her years at OUSD, she built meaningful friendships with her colleagues.

Faith was central to Debra’s life. During the 1980s, following personal hardship, she joined Love Center Church under the leadership of Bishop Walter Hawkins, where she brought her children regularly. She later became a member of Triumphant: A Church Without Walls Ministries under Pastor Dr. Larry Short, who became a beloved spiritual mentor.

After Triumphant closed in 1992, Debra joined Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland under the leadership of Pastor Larry Ashley, where she remained for the rest of her life.

At Cosmopolitan, she worked in numerous ministries. She served on the usher board, sang in the choir, participated in the AIDS ministry during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped feed and support unhoused community members, and mentored and supported a group of young girls.

After retirement, she cared for older adults in her church community, driving them to appointments, cleaning their homes, managing finances, preparing meals, and helping families navigate funeral arrangements after loved ones transitioned.

Even while battling Stage 4 cancer herself, she continued caring for others.

Debra was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar; her brothers, Lonnie Lewis Sr. and Charles Edgar Jr.; her sisters, Maryann Edgar Calloway and Victoria Stephenson Knight; and her adopted mother, Clara Oliver.

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved sons, Dajuan King and Dante King; grandson, Tiyler Dajuan Artese King; sister, Carol Edgar-Lang; goddaughters Monique Belle and Ricketa Matthews Jones (Leonard); daughter-in-love Quiona Sullivan; son-in-love Marcel Walker; sister-in-law Delores Lewis; adopted sisters and lifelong friends Lynn Green, Barbara Stephenson Hill, and Sarah Fine; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members, her church family and dear friends.

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Celebrating Juneteenth – Frederick Douglass on education and resistance

This video from BlackPressUSATV explores the significance of Juneteenth, focusing on the enduring wisdom of Frederick Douglass. It delves into his powerful perspectives on the vital role of education as a tool for liberation and empowerment. Douglass’s words are presented as a cornerstone for understanding the ongoing struggle for equality and the importance of continuous […]
The post Celebrating Juneteenth – Frederick Douglass on education and resistance appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 day ago

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Oakland Post

The content highlights how education and active resistance are intertwined, drawing parallels from historical movements to contemporary challenges. This exploration of Frederick Douglass’s teachings offers valuable insights into the spirit of Juneteenth and its relevance in today’s fight for justice and human rights.

The post Celebrating Juneteenth – Frederick Douglass on education and resistance appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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LIVE! — ASK ALMA! — TUES. 6.19.26 7PM EST

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