TA Nicole Cresci
Nicole is a great example of the power of our teacher assistants (TA's) and the important role they play in our organization. Nicole came to Peninsula Bridge through her 8th grade teacher, Brendan Gummerson who was the site director at St. Matthew's Episcopal Day School. As a sophomore TA, "I had an opportunity to see all of the work and energy that goes into teaching. I had no idea. I have always liked tutoring and working with kids so Peninsula Bridge was a good fit." Nicole was not only a TA in our program, but she also volunteered to create a video for the Valparaiso Bowl, an annual football game between Sacred Heart Prep and Menlo School that raises money for the Bridge program. After putting in 2-3 hours of filming, another 4-5 hours of editing, Nicole delivered a polished and effective video that was played at the Valparaiso Bowl kick-off at both Menlo and Sacred Heart Schools and went viral on the internet.
When asked what she likes about Peninsula Bridge, Nicole replies "Bridge is a great program. Seeing how much the kids improve, how motivated they are and how much they appreciate the opportunity to come to Bridge really inspires me". Bridge is a family affair with the Crisci's. Her mother, Tina, attended a tour at St. Matthew's last summer, and her sister, Amanda, currently tutors Bridge students at St. Matthew's after school. Thank you, Nicole, for sharing your time and talents with Bridge and our students!