1) The Bridge Project - Mission
Education is the key to a successful future. Improving math, reading, and comprehension opens doors of opportunity, enables kids to break the poverty cycle, and empowers them from a brighter tomorrow. The Bridge Project is an after-school homework, tutoring, and life skills program for disadvantaged children in Morgan Hill, CA.
The mission of the program is to raise the literacy and math skills of the children, while enhancing their social and relational skills, and strengthening family values and parental efficacy. Most of the children come from second language Spanish speaking families. Providing educational support to the children and life skills classes for the family, while connecting parents with their child’s teacher creates an atmosphere for positive growth for all. Thus the name of the program is the Bridge Project, because it is intended to bridge the gap between children, parents, and the school.
The Bridge Project is an after-school homework, tutoring, and life skills program for disadvantaged children in Morgan Hill, CA. The mission of the program is to raise the literacy and math skills of the children, while enhancing their social and relational skills, and strengthening family values and parental efficacy.
Most of the children come from second language Spanish speaking families. Providing educational support to the children and life skills classes for the family, while connecting parents with their child’s teacher creates an atmosphere for positive growth for all. Thus the name of the program is the Bridge Project, because it is intended to bridge the gap between children, parents, and the school.
Key components:
Parents – parenting classes teaching practical skills including healthy communication, effective boundaries, monitoring and family safety, consistent discipline, and being a positive role model
Children - providing a four day per week after-school tutoring, community awareness and life skills program
Families - educating each family member in the developmental assets and helping them work together to implement assets for personal growth.
The after school program has multiple goals. Three days a week the children are helped with homework, math competency and individual reading skills. Students are read to and encouraged to read out loud with a tutor daily. Communication with school teachers enables tutors to work on areas of need. The fourth day is a life skills day. Each month special guests are invited to teach the children specific life skills such as nutrition, caring for the environment, conflict resolution, etc. Field trips are used to meet city leaders so the children may develop a positive vision and sense of belonging in their community.
All curriculums used are evidence based with pre/post surveys where applicable, including:
Life Skills Training (LST) program produced by National Health Promotion Associates
Developmental Assets (DA) curriculum, published by the Research Institute
The Bridge Project is a program provided by Discovery Counseling Center, whose mission is to build personal wholeness, healthy families, and a thriving community. The project is funded through community partnerships.
We are currently supported by: Intero Foundation and Morgan Hill Bible Church, as well as a number of individual donors, to whom we are most thankful.