This graduation season, 156 Bridges participants are moving up from elementary school, middle school, high school, and higher education. We are incredibly proud of each of them for achieving these important milestones and excited to support them as they move up to the next phases of their educational and professional journeys.
To celebrate these accomplishments, we have put together this newsletter with stories of four Bridges participants who are Moving Up:
• Yakhare G. is moving up from higher education to pursue opportunities in the publishing industry
• Deion W. is moving up to higher education at Keystone College
• Logan H. is moving up to high school at Baltimore City College
• Gavyn J. is moving up to middle school at The St. Paul’s School for Boys
We are grateful for the many ways our community helps us to support the success of Yakhare, Deion, Logan, Gavyn, and their peers. Thank you for being part of that community and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Rob Paymer Executive Director, Bridges Baltimore
Program Locations
Bridges at The St. Paul’s Schools (Est. 1993)
Bridges at Gilman School (Est. 2014)
Bridges at The Bryn Mawr School (Est. 2022)
Bridges at McDonogh School (Est. 2024)
Moving Up to Career
YAKHARE G.
TOWSON UNIVERSITY ‘26
Yakhare has grown into a confident leader, building the skills and experience she needs to pursue a career in the publishing industry.
Yakhare G. joined Bridges as a 4th grader at Yorkwood Elementary School. She recently earned her English degree from Towson and is now pursuing opportunities in the publishing industry. Over her 13-year Bridges journey, Yakhare developed the confidence and leadership skills that have helped shape her path.
Throughout high school, she grew more comfortable working in large groups and stepping outside of her comfort zone. She recalls participating in Bridges group activities like mock debates and quickly building a strong sense of community.
In college, Yakhare continued to challenge herself. She and her classmates founded an English club at Towson that hosted open mic nights, brought people together, and invited guest speakers to campus. During her senior year, Yakhare served as president, tapping into the skills and confidence she had built over time.
“I’ve learned to represent myself,” Yakhare says. “While I still get shy sometimes, I feel much more comfortable leading a group or speaking up.”
As she began preparing for her career, Yakhare took advantage of opportunities to build practical skills. She participated in Bridges’ resume and cover letter workshops, as well as mock interviews, gaining confidence as she applied for jobs and internships. With support from Bridges staff, she completed applications, explored scholarships, and prepared for interviews.
“That extra support helped me feel more confident when I was submitting job and internship applications,” Yakhare says. “I knew that I was putting out as much as I could.”
During her junior year, Yakhare participated in a job shadow with PROFILES, a local public relations firm, which she was connected to through Bridges. She sat in on meetings, met staff members, and learned about careers in PR. The experience helped Yakhare determine what she did – and didn’t – want in a future workplace, while also reinforcing the importance of networking and building connections.
As Yakhare looks ahead, she continues to value the lessons she’s learned and the support system she’s built through Bridges. “Bridges really cares about making us the best we can be,” she says.
Moving Up to College
DEION W.
BALTIMORE CITY COLLEGE ‘26
Deion has learned to take advantage of the resources around him, balancing his workload while exploring his future career path.
Deion W. joined Bridges as a 4th grader at Leith Walk Elementary School. He’s now preparing to graduate from Baltimore City College and attend Keystone College in the fall. Throughout his time in Bridges, Deion has strengthened his communications skills, stepped out of his comfort zone, and learned to take full advantage of the resources around him.
When Deion started high school, Bridges staff encouraged him to visit the Bridges Loft, an afterschool space where students can get support and stay on top of their work. At first, he was reluctant. He didn’t think he needed the support and wasn’t sure how it would help. “But as I got older, I saw that it’s not just about needing help,” Deion says. “The Loft is there to help you in other ways too – maybe you just need a quiet place to get work done, for example.”
Since then, Deion has made the Loft a regular part of his routine. He’s learned to balance his workload with his busy schedule as a student athlete, used the space to work on his college applications, and even begun tutoring a Bridges middle school student.
As Deion prepares to take the next step in his academic journey, he’s also begun considering his future career goals.
Last summer, he attended a Bridges field trip to T. Rowe Price, where he participated in a financial advising simulation and heard from employees during a career panel. Afterward, he connected with one of the speakers, who shared his path to financial advising and answered Deion’s questions. He’s now interested in financial advising and exploring it as a potential career path.
“Networking is really important to what you want to achieve,” Deion says. “If you don’t branch out and communicate or step out of your comfort zone, you can’t really do anything.”
Through these experiences, Deion has learned to take advantage of the resources around him, including the community and support system he’s built through Bridges. As he prepares for college, he’s excited to meet new people, take on new challenges, and continue building on what he’s learned.
“Bridges can give you something and it’s how you take it that matters – are you going to do it because they want you to or because you know it’s what’s best for you?” Deion says. “Bridges has helped me become a better me.”
Moving Up to High School
LOGAN H.
THE CROSSROADS SCHOOL ‘26
Logan has grown into a confident, self-directed student, thoughtfully choosing her next step at Baltimore City College.
Logan H. joined Bridges at Bryn Mawr the summer before her 5th grade year at Cecil Elementary School. Now finishing 8th grade, she has chosen to attend Baltimore City College this fall. Over time, Logan has grown into a more confident and self-directed student, building the skills and mindset she needs for high school.
Last year, Logan connected with a Bridges tutor for support in Spanish. Together, they focused on strategies like identifying key words while reading stories, rather than translating entire passages. As she built these skills, she also became more confident participating in class.
Since then, Logan has stayed motivated across her classes and thought more intentionally about her goals for the future. Early this year, she worked with Bridges staff to determine which high school would be the right fit, learning about factors like school size, academics, and extracurriculars. “I didn’t feel like I was going to be surprised by different high schools, I went in knowing what to expect,” Logan says.
Ultimately, Logan chose to attend City for its big campus and wide range of activities. She’s excited to meet new people, challenge herself academically, and try out for the volleyball team.
As Logan prepares to enter high school, she continues building on the lessons she’s learned, particularly how to support her community. Whether it’s small actions like picking up trash or being there for friends and family, she has become more intentional about how she shows up for others.
Logan looks forward to continuing her journey with Bridges and staying connected in the years ahead. She also hopes to one day return as a mentor, supporting students in the same way her Bridges peers and teachers have supported her.
“I’ve been with [Bridges] for a long time and it’s going to be a big part of my life,” she says. “I always feel connected to the people I meet and the activities we get to do. Even when I finish the program, I just hope I can continue to stay connected to it.”
Moving Up to Middle School
GAVYN J.
GOVANS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ‘26
Gavyn’s hard work and growing confidence have prepared him for his next step at St. Paul’s this fall.
Gavyn J. joined Bridges the summer before his 4th grade year at Govans Elementary School. Since then, he has grown more confident and pushed himself academically. His hard work is paying off as he prepares to move up to middle school in the same place that his Bridges journey began – the St. Paul’s School for Boys.
As Gavyn began thinking about middle school, he explored different options with school placement support from Bridges. When Bridges staff encouraged Gavyn to apply to St. Paul’s, Gavyn focused on improving his grades and preparing a strong application.
During the Summer Institute, Gavyn built important math and reading skills – like dividing fractions – that helped him feel prepared for the school year ahead. When he started 5th grade in the fall, he felt confident in class and ready to keep improving.
Throughout the school year, Gavyn stayed motivated, completed his homework, and kept his grades high with support from Bridges staff and volunteers in the After School Program. He participated in activities like reading and performing stories with his peers and continued to practice the math concepts that he learned over the summer.
That preparation, both over the summer and during the school year, helped Gavyn stand out in his application to St. Paul’s. “I made sure that I could really be the person that Bridges sees me as and have a good shot at going to St. Paul’s,” Gavyn says.
Along the way, Gavyn also grew closer with Bridges volunteers and summer counselors, many of whom will soon be his schoolmates at St. Paul’s. “Gavyn always comes to Bridges ready to learn,” says Barrett Ozga, the senior public service fellow for Bridges at St. Paul’s. “Beyond that, he’s made incredible connections with his peers and volunteers, which makes him all the more ready to take on middle school at St. Paul’s.”
Gavyn is looking forward to building new relationships when he begins at St. Paul’s in the fall. He’s also eager to be on a larger campus and continue to challenge himself academically. At Bridges, Gavyn feels comfortable and confident, and he looks forward to carrying that same sense of belonging into middle school.
“I’m excited that people will see who I am and that I can be who I am, just like how I feel when I’m at Bridges,” he says.
