From Students to Mentors: Twin Brothers Lead by Example at LBUSD

Photo courtesy CSULB. Pictured above, Martel left, Markel right. 

Markel and Martel Cooper, both outstanding alumni of LBUSD and dedicated staff members, are advocates of the Long Beach College Promise and are committed to creating a bright future for students.

The twin brothers, Markel Cooper and Martel Cooper are undeniably extraordinary talents who have been together as a pair their entire lives, including their education beyond LBUSD. Their passion for knowledge and dedication to hard work inspired them to pursue a college education with the Long Beach College Promise, helping to eliminate financial and logistical barriers. Today, both siblings hold bachelor’s degrees and are pursuing their master’s while teaching at Hoover Middle School and Stephens Middle School.

At LBUSD, the brothers have achieved great success by creating a fitness program titled Double Impact, aimed at supporting disadvantaged youth. They additionally excel as exceptional coordinators for the district’s Male Leadership Academy. Their goal? To continuously lead field trips to California State University, Long Beach, hoping to motivate their students to pursue higher education with the Long Beach College Promise.

“We just want to be the best versions of ourselves,” Markel noted, “and show our students they can do the same.”

Established in 2008, the Promise guarantees Long Beach Unified students two years of free tuition at Long Beach City College, providing local preference in the admissions process at Cal State Long Beach, with the ease of transition between the two colleges. The program was designed to foster academic support, counseling services, networking events, and internship opportunities for students while eliminating barriers and aiding their transition to college. The Long Beach College Promise and LBUSD are committed to equitable student success and offer a reputable education to develop skills needed to succeed after graduation. The LBUSD schools that the Promise is provided to are Avalon, Browning, Cabrillo, CAMS, Educational Partnership, Jordan, Lakewood, Long Beach Adult School, McBride, Millikan, Poly, Reid, Renaissance, Sato, and Wilson. Learn more at lbcc.edu.