The Basics
The Bridge Program is based on the belief that the community college is the natural home base for most students coming out of high school and other opportunities to all students, including students going directly to four year institutions (our Home for Summer program is designed specifically for college and university students). With one hundred and nine institutions offering both academic and vocational programs at a cost much lower than four-year institutions, community colleges are the perfect transition partners for high schools. Starting with the premise that everyone is going to participate in the program, we took the application process off of the college campus and brought it to the high schools.
The program is now ready to take a major step towards increasing the success rate of students by beginning the program at a much younger age. Using the My Mentor web site and teaming with EUREKA and the California Assessment System, we will develop a system that brings career education and knowledge of the educational system to a younger audience.
The key to the program is that it works from the inside-out and not outside in. What we mean by this is that the program at its core is about building relationships between elementary, secondary and post-secondary institutions. Through technology, training and ongoing support the K-12 will become active participants in the transition process to higher education and not just an observer. Standards based K-16 Bridge lessons are taught in core classes with the results of the lessons stored in each studentsÂ’ e-portfolio. Parents are given access to information and are made an active participant in the program. Colleges and the K-12 schools that they represent are told from the beginning that Bridge is what we do, not just something we do, to help our students transition to a better life.