Anything Is Reachable: The Souza Family’s Journey Through O’Dowd
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When Bishop O’Dowd High School opened in 1951, it didn’t yet have a campus of its own. Classes were held at St. Louis Bertrand in Oakland, where eighth graders Joyce Allencastre and Frank Souza (both Class of ’57) were already “going steady.”
“O’Dowd was co-ed, whereas St. Joe’s and St. Mary’s were all-boys,” Joyce recalls with a smile. “That’s why I wanted to go there.” Her family’s commitment to Catholic education ran deep. “I babysat and cleaned houses all four years to pay my tuition,” she says. “I still have the receipt from my senior year: $250.”
The school may have been new, but it left a lasting impression. For Joyce and Frank, O’Dowd shaped not only their education, but their values, relationships, and the course of their lives. They married soon after graduation, with an O’Dowd classmate as best man.
Decades later, their son Jeff Souza ’83 found himself at a crossroads. Raised in San Leandro and active at Assumption Catholic Church, he initially wanted to attend public school with his friends. But after enrolling at O’Dowd, everything changed. “In the first few weeks, I knew I was in the right place,” Jeff says. “It was eye-opening—hands down the best thing that ever happened to me. It pushed me academically, and I built relationships that helped me start my own business. Without O’Dowd, my life would have gone a very different way.”
That legacy carried forward to the third generation. Jeff’s nephew, Camron Castro ’16, felt inspired by the stories and example of his family. “I was drawn to O’Dowd because of my grandparents, my uncle, my cousins. I wanted to be part of it. I wanted that challenge.”
Across all three generations, academic excellence stood out. Joyce is still affectionately known as “the brains” of the family—she even helped Frank with a few of his reports. Jeff and Camron recall how hard they had to work, and how supported they felt along the way.
“It was a big sacrifice for my family for me to go to O’Dowd, and failure wasn’t an option,” Jeff says. But the effort paid off. By the time he reached college, Jeff felt prepared and confident. “It was easy—I was ready for the next chapter.”
Camron agrees. “O’Dowd’s teachers gave us a strong work ethic while really caring about us. I never thought I’d be where I am today.”
"Without O'Dowd, my life would have gone a very different way." Jeff Souza '83
That balance—challenge with care—helped each generation grow not only as students, but as people. And for the Souza family, athletics played a big role in that transformation.
Frank played on O’Dowd’s championship basketball team and ran track. Joyce was a three-sport athlete in basketball, softball, and volleyball. Jeff played soccer. Camron joined the football team, then transitioned to tennis after an injury. Sports weren’t just about competition—they were where friendships were forged and character was tested.
“After six hours of homework, sports was how I connected and made friends,” Jeff says. Camron found the same thing: practices, games, and shared goals helped him feel at home.
That sense of community, first sparked in classrooms and on courts, grew into something deeper. Frank and Joyce stayed close to O’Dowd friends, hosting dinner parties and reunions. “The kids would be camped out in sleeping bags while we cooked for the adults,” Camron laughs. “Those were big family gatherings—and most of the people were from O’Dowd.”
Joyce never lost her connection to the school. She volunteered with the development office, later becoming the principal’s secretary. She helps organize reunions and keeps the Class of 1957 email list going, sharing news and prayer requests. “Our family was at every crab feed, every sporting event,” she says. “O’Dowd has always been part of our lives.”
As O’Dowd marks its 75th anniversary, Camron reflects on what it means to be part of that legacy. Now a firefighter in San Diego, he credits O’Dowd with shaping who he is. “It gave me courage, confidence, and integrity. Each generation had its own O’Dowd experience, but we all walked away believing one thing: anything is reachable. Don’t ever give up.”
