Peninsula Bridge

1996— Jeanette Maldonado - will be graduating from Chicago Medical School in May and looks forward to realizing her dream of becoming an MD.

1996—Ricky Whitfield - was on a national tour for the show “Thomas the Train”, which included stops in the Bay Area this year!  This follows an International “Thomas the Train” Tour last year.  Ricky is the Associate Choreographer.

1997—Claudia Lopez - is currently studying abroad at La Universidad de Granada in Spain and will be graduating from UCSF.  She plans to apply for her Master’s or PhD.  She is majoring in Sociology and Latin American History.

1999—Jose Gonzalez - is studying abroad in Rome this semester.  He is currently a Junior Political  Science major at UC Berkeley.

**Dates reflect the year alumni began Bridge**

We have a new logo, a new website and a new tagline.  Why?  Because we want to more fully embrace the spirit and the purpose of Peninsula Bridge.  As our mission states, “we promote academic and personal success for motivated middle school students from under-resourced communities.”  We do that by inspiring our students to first DREAM, then BELIEVE in their dreams and finally show them they can ACHIEVE their dreams through hard work and education.
 
Many thanks to our former Board Member Chris Alden who connected us to the  talent and provided us with the resources to create our new logo and to give us a more professional presence on the web.

eNewsletter - along with our new look, we are now migrating all of our communications to email.  Not only does this save paper, but it also gives us the opportunity to create an easy way for our supporters to communicate with us more directly. 

By Grainger Marburg, Executive Director

Stories of financial mismanagement and bad investments have dominated the headlines for the past six months. It’s been a troubling time of loss for many, not a time of growth. Yet that is what we are doing at Peninsula Bridge. We’re as committed as ever to making sure more middle school students from under-resourced homes and schools get the support they need to be successful in school and life. 

For the second consecutive year, we’ve added a new program site, which has enabled us to support 30% more students than we did in 2007. Education is the core of opportunity and success - it’s the cornerstone of our mission - and an      investment we can definitely count on. The returns are always positive.

When parents and kids communicate effectively, it helps children realize their potential, both as students and as individuals. Last year, based on parent input, Peninsula Bridge launched a series of classes to give moms and dads the tools to create a healthier, more positive dialog with their child. Wide-ranging topics included everything from the challenges of kids and cell phones to encouraging parents to share their own life stories and values about education.

“The classes helped me connect better with my daughter, something I really needed as the parent of three children, including a toddler,” says Judy Woo, mother of seventh grader Francesca. “They reinforced what I already knew and taught me other strategies to try. Now, I understand a little better what’s going on in my daughter’s head.”

 Led by experienced bilingual parent educator Veronica Goei, the interactive classes have received praise from parents and kids alike. Goei used innovative methods to reinforce the curriculum, encouraging parents to role play and act out specific scenarios. Afterwards, many students commented on how their relationship with their parents had improved. More sessions are planned for 2009, with an added focus on how to communicate with your child’s school.

Bridge also helps parents through family intake meetings. Bridge staff meet with the families of incoming fifth graders to learn about their child’s needs beyond the summer, such as homework support and involvement in outside activities. Through research and ongoing relationships with many excellent, affordable community resources, Bridge provides the family with a menu of options tailored to meet their child’s needs.  Through robust partnerships with quality community-based organizations, Bridge students can continue making positive strides throughout the year.