Skyline High alumni honor Oakland Coach John Beam with special screening of 'Last Chance U'

The legacy of Oakland Coach John Beam continues to be celebrated, even in the weeks since his passing.

On Saturday afternoon, there was a special showing of the award-winning documentary series, "Last Chance U." The audience was filled with those impacted by its star.

"During our 10-year anniversary, we were in the middle of the great recession, the financial crisis. Our 20th was during COVID. So, we weren't going to have anything. It took Coach Beam getting taken away from us to say, 'Hey. We need to do something,'" said organizer Charles Lassey, a Class of 2000 alumnus.

The Skyline High School Class of 2000 paid tribute to Beam with a viewing party. They invited generations of former Skyline High students. The event also served as a fundraiser for a Class of 2000 teacher appreciation grant.

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"First and foremost, that mustache that he had! I was like, 'Man. He always had that mustache,'" said Christina Macalino, who also graduated in 2000.

Macalino had Beam as her P.E. teacher senior year. She said he was tough, but added that tough love was what helped bring the best out in students.

"He was supportive, inspiring. He brought out the talent and cultivated the talent he saw in students. He believed in the Oakland community," Macalino said.

Beam spent 45 years teaching and coaching in Oakland -- first at Skyline High, then at Laney College. He coached more than 20 athletes who went on to play in the NFL.

Beam was shot and killed in November at Laney College, where he serving as the athletic director. He was allegedly shot by a former student. Oakland police called it a targeted shooting.

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Mark Stauffer, Class of 1978, knew Coach Beam for decades. He said he was a father figure for generations of students, including his sons.

"He cared so much about everybody's upbringing. He took guys out of the gutter and turned them into Pro-Bowlers," Stauffer said. "He was a father figure to so many people."

Eric Romero, Class of 2017, was never coached by Beam. He came to show his support for a man who always came out to support Oakland.

"He saw more than just student-athletes. He saw them for what they were as a person. And he just wanted to make sure they were taken care of," Romero said. "And I think that just goes to show the support he continues to get from the community."