OAKLAND, CA—While acknowledging the mentors who have guided many a career in commercial real estate and other disciplines, along with the notion that architecture can be a key part of problem solving, a mentor program was born for a group of local sixth graders. KTGY Architecture + Planning's Oakland office, working with the Oakland Public Education Fund, recently adopted a sixth grade class at Madison Park Business and Art Academy, which has served the East Oakland community since 1959. Cindy Ma, senior planner, is heading up the program for KTGY.

“KTGY's Oakland office has actively served this community for more than 11 years,” said Jill Williams, chairman of KTGY Architecture + Planning. “With our upcoming move to a new location within Uptown Oakland at the end of June, we wanted to further reinforce our commitment to the city and the community.”

For many years, KTGY has been an active member of the community working with organizations in Oakland including HomeAid and Habitat For Humanity as well as helping with fundraising, planting trees and donations such as coats for students, toys and canned food.

“This came about as we wanted to deepen our ties with the Oakland community and felt that working with sixth graders allowed us to really make an impact. They are eager to learn and are able to grasp simple design and planning concepts. Their excitement is contagious!” Williams tells GlobeSt.com. “We wanted to give the students a glimpse of what a career looks like, whatever you choose. KTGY's Jessica Musick and Cindy Ma put together a program that teaches the sixth graders about addressing issues and how you go about a process to achieve a result, which can fit anything in life.”

Williams will be recognized later this month by the California Homebuilding Foundation for her efforts in supporting the homebuilding industry and education.

“Our goal is to engage with Madison Park's sixth grade class on a biweekly basis and teach them about design as a way to solve problems,” says Jessica Musick, an associate principal based in the KTGY Oakland office. “We are already making plans for the 2017-2018 school year, where students will be able to build on what they learned this school year.”

Thus far, many members of KTGY's Oakland office have participated in this program, with groups of three to four volunteers attending Madison Park Academy on a bimonthly basis on average.

“Since February, we have been teaching the students about the design process, brainstorming, graphic composition and media, presentation and communication. The students present what they have learned in the form of a graphic poster designed around student-selected themes of social justice and career goals,” said Musick.

KTGY recently hosted the students of the class in the firm's Oakland office. The office visit included four interactive stations: pin-up and review of each student's poster progress, virtual reality, design (sketch-up, models and materials), and site planning and construction. The posters were on display at the Gallery Art Walk at the same time as Madison Park's math and science expo last week.

“The Oakland office has thoroughly enjoyed coming together to mentor these very bright and energetic sixth-graders,” said Ma. “You can see how much they enjoyed this opportunity—as much as we did too.”

The Oakland Public Education Fund is the only organization raising money for all Oakland public schools. Since 2003, the Education Fund has raised more than $50 million for student programs. The organization supports all Oakland public schools—both district-run and charter—with a focus on those furthest from opportunity, because kids who come to school with less need more.

“As architects, we feel grateful to those who mentored us when we were in school. We wanted to help inspire the next generation of leaders, possibly architects, designers and planners, by adopting one of our local schools and actively participating in teaching them,” Williams said. “I am passionate about education and it is one of our core values at KTGY.”

Williams will be recognized later this month by the California Homebuilding Foundation for her efforts in supporting the homebuilding industry and education.

Thus far, many members of KTGY's Oakland office have participated in this program, with groups of three to four volunteers attending Madison Park Academy on a bimonthly basis on average.

Instant Insights /

Firm to Teach About Design as Problem Solver

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