Boston

OYFP Partner Profile: Day School Summerbridge

Mission
Summerbridge aims to provide all children with equal access to excellent educational opportunities and enthusiastic teachers committed to students’ educational success. Summerbridge equips both students and teachers alike with the tools to participate in their education, and become leaders within their communities.

Day School Summerbridge serves 75 fifth and sixth graders and their families who come from neighborhoods throughout San Francisco, mostly from the Bayview, Excelsior Western Addition districts.  Traditionally, over 90% of our students are students of color, 80% of our students receive free lunch at their schools, 60% of our families speak a language other
than English at home, and 75% of our students will be the first in their families to attend college. Students are carefully selected based on their academics, motivation and recommendations prepared by their teachers, parents and principals. Our students are bright, engaged, and visionary, but would have limited educational opportunities without programs like Summerbridge.

Over 60 students apply every year for the 35 spots we have for rising fifth graders. They fill out a five-page application that includes an essay, a parent statement, and teacher recommendations. In their essays, applicants write about such topics as their hopes for the future, their family’s immigration, and why they want to become the next president. They
tell us they want to be surgeons, veterinarians, teachers, professional athletes, and lawyers. Every year we select the 35 students with the best overall qualifications and the highest motivation.

Program Goals and Objectives
We accomplish the mission through our intensive six-week summer program and after-school program that includes challenging tutoring, enrichment, and literacy classes, as well as community service events. Our student to teacher ratio is 4:1, which provides students with the necessary guidance to flourish. Summerbridge also plays a crucial advocacy role and serves as
a support system for the families of our students.  These families are dedicated to the success of their children; however, many of them do not have the information, or language skills to help their children with their academic endeavors. We host workshops that inform families about the middle school selection process, and provide information about public,
private, and charter schools in the area, as well as information about scholarships and financial aid. 

The goals of Day School Summerbridge are threefold:

To prepare and encourage talented students with limited educational opportunities to enter and thrive in academically challenging middle schools, high schools, and colleges
To enable families to obtain the information and guidance to help their children through middle school, high school, and beyond To encourage and challenge young people to experience teaching and menotring 

Contact: Nicole Michna