Dr. Terence Candell has taught youth since 1978. In fact, prior to 1978, his fourth grade teacher in 1972, Mrs. Wyndham, gave him a group of students to teach reading. He worked his way through college, working fulltime and proofreading peer papers. 

Dr. Candell was born and raised in Oakland. In 2005, he received the Educator of the Year Award for the 8th time in his career. In 2002, his school was featured in the Oakland Tribune, due to the high quality of work his students produce. Two months ago, the Oakland Tribune, the Daily Review, FOX, KRON, the Washington Post and news media world-wide acknowledged his school for sending the first-ever 10-year old to school fulltime at Cal State East Bay and graduating in June 2009 at age 14!

      In 2006, Dr. Candell was awarded the PHAT Friends Award by the All-Stars Network for his work with Inner-city youth. On November 5th, 2007, Dr. Candell was recognized by Bank of America and awarded the Neighborhood Excellence Hero Award.                                                

Prior to that, he was the Senior Admissions Advisor at Heald College. Immediately before Heald, he was a Director at Menlo College. Also, for years, he was the Director of CET Business College.

      In Berkeley/Oakland Unified School Districts, he was a Teacher and Acting Principal. Dr. Candell is also the founder of several schools. He has a BA, an MA in Education, a Ph.D. in Education and a Ph.D. in Business Administration. At Candell's College Preparatory Academy, the #1 school in our country’s history: 100% graduate, 100% have been accepted to college! He is also President of Candell University of Oakland! Outside of Education, he also ran the number one record label in Northern California, Candell Records, employing 30 families in 12 years and producing the song we all mention in our everyday conversation, called “Oaktown!”

Prior to that, he was the Senior Admissions Advisor at Heald College. Immediately before Heald, he was a Director at Menlo College. For three years, he was the Director of CET Business College. In Berkeley/Oakland Unified School Districts, he was a Teacher and Acting Principal.

Dr. Candell is also the founder and co-founder of the following schools: EBCC Adult School, Seneca CORE School, the African Children’s Advanced Learning Center, Candell’s College Preparatory Academy and Candell University, highlighting his 30-plus years as an educator in public and private schools. He currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics/Psychology, a Master of Arts in Education, a Ph.D. in Education, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration. Dr. Candell sold his sports car to found Candell’s College Preparatory Academy (CCPA) and currently serves as its Executive Director. Not to mention, he has coached basketball since 1976 and coached the #1 Men’s and Women’s Varsity Basketball teams in Division V BACAL and North Coast Section from 2002 to 2006 and recently, the Championship Cobras of 2008 and 2009.

As a Ph.D., Director and founder of several schools, he has raised the standard of education in every institution to which he has been a party, love and experience that has ensured success for schools and for the children.

Our Productions:

Music! Books! Screenplays! Education!

PLAYS IN BLACK! 

“Dat Go!” “That’s Tight!” “Off the hook!” “Off the chain!” “Aw, I’m playin’ him!”

High Schoolers, making those comments about a play?? Unbelievable, but true. Inside these plays, you’ll find high schoolers, rappin’ their way to college, high school betrayal among friends, trips back into ancient Africa – from Queen Hatshepsut to King Tut to Queen Nzinga – into an alternate universe in the United States – where historically great Blacks are the ruling class – into the streets of the inner-city– with gangs and police brutality – and into the corruption of Hurricane Katrina!

Dr. Candell has taken our youth from an historical perspective, into the streets, into a time machine, into A Brighter Day.

Plays in Black

From educator-author Dr. Terence Cerene Candell, Ph.D., comes an anthology of short plays that will surely help both teachers and students.  In Plays In Black, the author weaves plays that young readers can relate to, as inspired by the many creative and intelligent human beings he has had the pleasure of teaching over the years.

He urges teachers to open their doors to all kids.  Let the young ones play a role! High School Students will jump at the chance! “Do what you must,” the author says.  Teachers must let the students be a part of the play, by giving them a role: Assistant Director, Light Crew, Stage Crew, Musician, Choir, or whatever it takes.  For children learn more, if they are involved.  Being part of these plays is surely an experience they will keep with them for life.  Relevant theater can turn their lives around.

“So, open your doors. These plays erase their excuses. They also erase yours,” challenges the author to his fellow educators.

  For in this book, students can learn the lessons of life from the plays – the life they live.