InlateJune,Bridgeslaunchedthe2025–26programyearwithafullslateofsummerprograms forourelementary,middle,highschool,andcollege-agedparticipants.I'mexcitedtosharea glimpseoftheseexperiencesthroughthestoriesofGoundo,Harmony,Kieran,andSadie
Mostofall,Iwanttoexpressmygratitudetoyou-ourextraordinaryteam,partners,supporters, andcommunity-formakingtheseprogramspossibleandforcontinuingtomakeBridgesaplace I’vebeenproudtoworkfor20years.Thankyouforyourongoingsupport!
Sincerely,
RobPaymer ExecutiveDirector,BridgesBaltimore
ProgramLocations
BridgesatTheSt Paul'sSchools(Est 1993)
BridgesatGilmanSchool(Est.2014)
BridgesatTheBrynMawrSchool(Est.2022)
BridgesatMcDonoghSchool(Est.2024)
Goundo,CollegeStudent GoundoexplorednewcareerpathsthroughBridges’EarlyCareer Encounterprogramanddiscoveredapassionforcommunications.
GoundoG.beganherBridgesjourney10yearsagoasa4thgraderatYorkwoodElementary.Now she'senteringhersecondyearstudyingbusinessadministrationattheCommunityCollegeof BaltimoreCountyEssex.
Atthebeginningofthesummer,Goundoenvisionedafutureinrealestate.Butaftercompletingher firstsummerinBridges’newEarlyCareerEncounterProgram,she’salsoconsideringapathin communications
Pilotedthissummer,theEarlyCareerEncounterProgramwasdesignedtocreateanopportunityfor Bridges’first-andsecond-yearcollegestudentstospendtheirsummerslearningaboutcareersof interest,buildingprofessionalrelationships,andpreparingthemtoseekpaidjunioryearinternships andpostcollegeemployment.
Inthisfirstyear,BridgespairedGoundoand12ofherclassmateswith12localbusinesses.Thefiveweekexperiencebeganwithaweekoforientationfollowedbytwotwo-weekcareerencounterswith localemployers
Forthefirsthalfofhersummer,GoundointernedwithContinentalRealtyCorporation,whereshe rotatedthroughdepartmentsincludingrenovation,leasing,legal,andaccounting.Goundoeven shadowedleasingagentsastheygavetourstopotentialhomeowners."Goundoarrivedathershadow experiencewell-prepared,poised,andeagertolearnmoreaboutRealEstate,"saysAmyAsuquo,one ofGoundo'ssupervisorsatContinentalRealty.
ShethentransitionedtoAbelCommunications,whereshemetprofessionalsacrossthe communicationsfieldandcompletedaresearchprojectthatshesenttothestaffattheendofthe weekforfeedback.AtAbel,Goundodiscoveredhowherpassionforwritingcouldtranslateinto careersinmarketing,socialmedia,andbeyond.
ExploringmultiplefieldsthissummergaveGoundoaclearerpictureofwhatshewantsinafuture career Whileshe’sstillpassionateaboutrealestate,she’sequallyexcitedtolearnmoreabout communicationsandexploreallofheroptions.
“[TheEarlyCareerEncounter]gavemeatasteofbothcareerswhilealsoopeningthedoorto communications,somethingthatI’veneverbeenabletoexperiencebefore,”shesays “Itmademe realizethatyoucan’tpredictwhereyourcareermighttakeyou.”
Harmony,HighSchoolStudent Harmonyrefinedhercollegegoals,completedapplications,and securedaninternship.
HarmonyV.beganherBridgesjourneyafterher5thgradeyearatCecilElementarySchool.Nowa senioratCristoReyJesuitHighSchool,sheisinhereighthyearwithBridges.Thissummer,she participatedintheBridgesHighSchoolProgramonthecampusofLoyolaUniversityMaryland.
Overtheprogram'sfiveweeks,Harmonycompletedhercollegeessay,filledoutherCommon Application,andreachedouttoteachersforlettersofrecommendation ShealsometwithJenniRuiz, Bridges’directorofcollegeandcareercounseling,todiscusshercollegegoalsandidentifythe factors,suchassizeandprogramofferings,thatmattermosttohercollegesearch.
“Idon’tknowwhatIwoulddowithout[Bridgescollegestaff],especiallyduringthistime,”Harmony says.“They’remakingsurewe’repreparedandearlywitheverythingbecauseyoudon’twanttobe lastminutewiththisstuff.They’rejusttryingtomakeitlessstressful.”
Inadditiontocollegepreparation,HarmonyexploredavarietyofcareerpathwaysthroughBridges, meetingprofessionalsandvisitinglocalbusinessesinfieldssuchasmedicine,finance,and architecture.Duringoneoftheseencounters,sheconnectedwitharepresentativefromM&TBank. Later,throughCristoRey’sCorporateWorkStudyProgram(CWSP),whichshehasparticipatedin throughouthighschool,Harmonypursuedandsecuredaninternshipwiththebank.Thankstoher initiative,shebeganworkingwithM&Tthisfall.
AlthoughHarmonyhasalwayscherishedhersummerswithBridges,thisonefeltespecially meaningful.Morethanever,sheappreciateshowpreparedshefeelsfortheschoolyearahead,how muchshelearned,andthesteadysupportoftheBridgesteam.
“[Thissummer]mademerealizethatBridgesreally,reallycaresaboutusandwantsustobe successful,”Harmonysays.
Kieran,ElementarySchoolStudent Kieranfoundconfidence,friendship,andnewexperiencesinhis firstsummerwithBridges.
KieranW.,a5thgraderatLeithWalkElementary/MiddleSchool,joinedBridgesatBrynMawrthis summerandbeganhisyear-roundBridgesjourney.
OnhisfirstdayofSummerInstitute,Kieranwasstruckbyhowsmallhisclasseswere.Theclose-knit settingallowedhimtolearnfromhisclassmatesandparticipate.Inmath,forinstance,hepracticed multiplyinganddividingdecimalswithcreativeactivities,includingamath-themedscavengerhunt aroundBrynMawr’scampus.
“Sincewe’realllearningtogetherit’sjustprettyfuntosharethesameexperienceorberelatableto theproblemsthatotherpeoplehavesoIcanhelpthemoraskforhelpwhenIneedit,”Kieransays.
Kieranalsoenjoyedthemanyfieldtripsheembarkedonthroughoutthesummer Duringtheirvisitto MasonvilleCove,anurbanwildliferefuge,Kieranandhisclassmatesexploredsealifeandevengotto crackopenafreshoyster.DuringanothertriptoBizTown,asimulatedmini-citywherekidsrun businessesandtakeoncivicroles,hesteppedintotheroleofmayorfortheday,anexperiencethat sparkedhisinterestinleadership.
Nowthathe’sjoinedBridges,Kieranisexcitedtoseewhattheschoolyearandnextsummerhold.He can’twaittomeetmoreteachersandvolunteers,goonnewadventures,andcontinuetolearnwithall thefriendshe'smade.
Sadie,IndependentSchoolVolunteer Sadiebuiltconfidenceasafirst-timeBridgesvolunteerby teachingstudentsthevalueofseekingsupport.
SadieY.,asophomoreatSt Paul'sSchoolforGirls,hadherfirstvolunteerexperiencewithBridges andcan’twaittovolunteeragain.
Sheworkedwith4thgradestudentsoverthesummer.Sadietookthemtoclasses,helpedchaperone fieldtrips,andsteppedinwithsupportwhenevershecould.
OnemomentthatstoodouttoSadiewashelpingastudentinEnglishandlanguagearts.Sometimes Sadiestruggleswithwritingherself,soshebroughtthestudentapencilgriptomaketheprocess easier.Later,sheencouragedhimbysharingthataskingforhelpisn’taweakness,butakeypartof learningandgrowth “HesawthatIwastheretohelp,”Sadiesays
Inadditiontosupportingstudents,Sadiealsobuiltherleadershipskills.Shelearnedthatshecould haveafun,energeticattitudewhilestillencouragingherstudentstocompletetheirwork.Looking ahead,SadiehopestostayinvolvedwithBridgesduringtheschoolyearandnextsummer.The experiencehasevenopenedhereyestothepossibilityofacareerworkingwithyoungpeople.
“Ireallyneversawmyselfworkingwithkidsbeforethis,”Sadiereflects.“Butjustseeinghowhappy theywereandseeingthatI’mprettygoodatworkingwiththemreallyjustshowedmethatthiscould beacareerIwouldlovetodo”
