The last week of Bridge at the Priory Site simply flew by. Beginning with exams, and ending with a field trip up to San Francisco, the "Bridge Familia" was never at rest. The students finished with flying colors. They showed significant improvement, especially in math, which is an area with which many of them struggled before coming into the program. Field day was a blast. The water slide was a favorite, and the students seemed to get a lot of enjoyment out of the various stations we had set up for them including Palm Reading, Can Knocker, Twister, and even a Cake Walk. Meanwhile, I spent the day prepping the Performing Arts Building for Graduation, which was to happen that evening.
A few hours after students were buzzing about the field with glee, taking goofy snapshots, and getting drenched on the waterslide, they returned to the Priory campus polished and ready for commencement exercises. Every student was glowing that night. You could feel a sense of pride and accomplishment radiating from the students and their families. It was so rewarding to be able to come together and celebrate this milestone for everyone invested in the program. We were even lucky enough to have the founder of Bridge, Les DeWitt, come and join us for the celebration. After introductions, Isabel R. and Edwin F. gave warm testimonials on their experiences here at Bridge. The sincerity of these testimonials was felt within the hearts of many. Students were engaged with these speeches and clearly shared their gratitude.
Next we had the slideshow. Even after a day of prep-work, there were a few technical difficulties, but once it began, the audience was smiling and often rolling in the isles with laughter. I could tell that students enjoyed reminiscing on their time in Bridge. This was also a nice way to share memories with families and other guests at the graduation. After the slide show, students Jada M. and Gerardo V. each read a poem that encapsulated their feelings about Bridge. I was happy to see so many students willingly take part in the ceremony. This is the kind of feedback that makes our job as T.A.s, teachers, and volunteers all the more worthwhile
Following the poem readings and awards ceremony, we allotted time for the T.A.s to speak about some of their favorite memories from Bridge this summer. Servando B. was first to jump in, followed by Matt H., Dani R., and Hadley G., amongst others. The willingness that students had to speak at Graduation was echoed by the T.A.'s, who had just as much appreciation to share in return. This was the perfect transition into the moment for which students had been waiting: receiving their certificates of completion. As they received their diplomas, the students filed off the stage and into the audience so that they could watch the speaker, Jaime Williams, deliver a few key messages about life and pursuing one's dreams. Williams is a former NFL Football Player, the screenwriter of "Any Given Sunday" and currently works as the Athletic Director at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
He used the metaphor of "leaving the Shire" from Lord of the Rings to explain the transition these students are going through. He set up the "Shire" as the fun, carefree world in which they live. He expanded this metaphor by suggesting that in order to pursue one's dreams, a person must leave the "Shire" and find the Wizard, the keeper of dreams. He acknowledged that they are heading in the right direction by coming to the Bridge program, but reminded them to stay on track, and not to give into peer pressure because this will prevent them from reaching their dreams. He compared the world outside of the "Shire" to the peer pressure they will face in high school and throughout their lives, a world full of bad spirits and goblins that they will need to combat before they reach the Wizard. He also explained the importance of education and the ways in which it can assist a person in dealing with these challenges. He emphasized real purpose of education, which is to teach students how to think, how to effectively express these thoughts, and how to build connections within the world. These are lifetime skills that help people reach their dreams and thrive. The students were receptive towards the "Shire" metaphor. Like our speaker from last week, Williams didn't attempt to sugar coat reality. He merely explained it to them in a way that they could understand. He also challenged them to think about the choices they are going to make in order to overcome these obstacles so that they can succeed in their endeavors.
After a powerful graduation speech given by a man of many talents and successes, the students went home to rest up for the surprise field trip the following day. The next day, they returned recharged and ready to go. The Bridge Familia and students savored a day up in San Francisco, beginning with a docent-lead tour at the Asian Art Museum. Students were enlightened to world of the Samuri, the many roles they were expected to fulfill, and the ornate designs of their exquisite armor. The day ended with a picnic lunch and scavenger hunt in Golden Gate Park. Even though we were having fun, there was a bitter-sweetness in the air. This was after all, the end of Bridge, and most of us hadn't quite come to terms with the thought of leaving. Many of the T.A.s refused to say goodbye, and chose to ride back with the students to Kennedy School, where they would ultimately have to part. Others simply said their tearful goodbyes and waived as the bus pulled away from the park.
Later that night I saw photo albums and wall posts on Facebook about the memories the students had, and the sadness they felt about leaving. Some even expressed an interest in becoming T.A.s so that they could return to the program. As I was looking through their wall posts and pictures, my eye caught the attention of one picture--A bright-eyed, yellow happy face balloon signed by everyone of the bus. This balloon served as an icon we learned to call Pedro. Once, a little prize I won at a car dealership, Pedro became an important figure at Bridge. He was the "pick me up" a student received when he or she was feeling sad, the random puppet that appeared in every picture at bridge, and a friend to many. It's amazing how something so simple became so important to them. It must be the spirit of these students; one that I'm sure will carry on into their future.