TherearemanylessonswehopeparticipantscarrywiththemfromtheirexperiencesinBridges. Oneofthemostimportantisthevalueofrelationship-building.Whetherconnectingwithapeer, staff,volunteer,orpartner,buildingstrongrelationshipsremainscoretohowtheBridges programsupportsstudentsandbuildscommunity.
ThisnewsletterincludestwoalumnistoriesthatshowhowformerBridgesparticipantscontinue tocentertheseconnectionswellbeyondtheirtimeintheprogram.Kenny,throughhiscurrent volunteerroleswithBridges,andLucy,throughhercareerasasocialworker,eachprioritize showingupforothersintheirlivesandcareerstoday.
WearegratefulfortherelationshipsthatsustainBridges,includingyours.PleaseenjoyKenny andLucy’sstories,andthankyouforyourcontinuedconnectiontoourwork.
RobPaymer
ExecutiveDirector,BridgesBaltimore
ProgramLocations
BridgesatTheSt.Paul's Schools(Est.1993)
BridgesatGilmanSchool(Est.2014)
BridgesatTheBrynMawrSchool(Est.2022)
BridgesatMcDonoghSchool(Est.2024)
KennyBayton
KennydiscoveredhisvoiceandpassionforbusinessthroughBridges. Nowamarketingprofessional,hereturnstomentorthenextgenerationof students.
KennyBaytonjoinedBridgesthesummerbeforehissixth-gradeyearin2002,asoneoftheprogram’s earlyBaltimoreCitystudentparticipants.
KennyrecallsbeingquietandintrovertedwhenhefirstjoinedBridges,someonewhorarelyspokeup “WhenIwasn’tplayingsports,Iwasakidwhokepttohimselfallthetime.Iwouldcomehomefrom school,finishmyhomework,andhanginthebasement,”hesays.
ThatbegantochangeasKennyfoundopportunitiesthroughBridgestocomeoutofhisshell.Oneof Kenny’searliestBridgesmemoriesisperforminginaplay Whilehehadplayeddrumsinschool,hehad nevertriedactingonstage,andtheexperiencechallengedhimtospeakup,workwithothers,andengage withalargegroup.
Inhighschool,Kennycontinuedtogrowhisconfidence.HebecameaBridgessummercounselorwhowas responsibleformentoringagroupofmiddleschoolstudents.Theroletaughthimtheimportanceof sharinghisownstoryandsparkedhisinterestinleadershipandadvisingyoungpeople-avalue reinforcedbyhisfather,CarterBayton,oneofthefirstteachersintheBridgesSummerInstitute
Thesummerbeforehissenioryear,BridgeshelpedKennylandaninternshipwiththeBaltimore CommunityFoundation.Theopportunityintroducedhimtoaprofessionalsettingandsolidifiedhisinterest inpursuingacareerinbusiness.Wantingtomaintaintherelationshipshe’dbuiltwiththestudentshehad workedwithduringtheprevioustwosummers,Kennytooktheinitiativetoorganizeagroupoutingtohelp themstayconnectedaftertransitioningtohighschool
“Iwantedthemtoknowourrelationshipwasn’tjustaboutbeingtheircounselorfortwosummers,butthat Icouldbesomeonetheylookedupto,”hesays.
Today,KennyistheMarketingProductionDirectoratBloombergIndustryGroup,wherehedrawsonthe confidenceandpassionforbusinesshebegandevelopingduringhistimewithBridges Hewillcomplete hisExecutiveMBAattheUniversityofVirginiainMay2026,continuingtobuildontheleadershipskillshe hasstrengthenedthroughouthisacademicandprofessionaljourney.Hehasremainedconnectedto Bridges,speakingatcareerpanelsandofferingadvicetocollegestudents.Hehopestoinspireothersto findtheirownconfidenceandaccessopportunitiesthathelpedshapehispath.
“Ifyouhavethegutstouseyourvoiceandputyourselfoutthere,thenI’malwayswillingtomaketimefor you,”hesays.“Iwassomeonewhodidn’thaveavoiceforaverylongtime,andBridgeshelpedmefindit.”
LucyDonofrio
AsaBridgesvolunteerinhighschool,Lucylearnedthepowerof connectionandshowingupforothers.Nowasocialworker,shebringsthat relationship-centeredapproachtosupportingyoungpeopleandadults.
LucyDonofriobeganvolunteeringwithBridgesatTheSt.Paul’sSchoolsasafreshmanin2008and remainedactivelyinvolvedthroughouttheschoolyearandsummersuntilhergraduationin2012. The experiencetaughthertheimportanceofbuildingmeaningfulrelationships,showingupforothers,and maintainingstrongconnections–lessonsthatcontinuetoshapehercareerasasocialworkerinthe MarylandPublicDefendersOffice.
WhenLucystartedhighschool,shewasn’tdrawntomanytraditionalextracurricularactivities.Bridges, however,feltlikeanaturalfit.Shewasexcitedtoworkinagroupsettingandsupportyoungerstudents. “Therewasjustsomethingaboutitthatfitmereallywell,”shereflects “Ifeltconnectedtoit”
OnemomentfromtheSummerInstitutestandsout.Lucyrecallsworkingwithastudentwhowashaving difficultywithanEnglishandLanguageArtsassignment.Sheencouragedhimtowriteaboutatopiche enjoyed,likesports.Laterintheclass,thestudentexcitedlysharedhispoemaboutbasketballwithher.
“Ihadn'treallyseenthatsideofhim,”Lucysays “Hewasexcitedtoshareacademicworkthatwasn't necessarilyhisgo-tothingandIdon’tknowifhewould’vedonethatatthebeginningofthesummer”
Throughrelationshipslikethese,Lucylearnedthepoweroftrustandconnection.Evensmallmoments, suchassittingwithstudentsonthebusortalkingafterschool,helpedherconnectandbuilddeeper relationships.
ThoseearlylessonsbecamethefoundationforLucy’scareerinsocialwork Thoughherworktodayoccurs indifferentsettingswithyoungpeopleandadults,theimportanceofshowingupandbuilding relationshipswithclientsandcolleaguesremainsthesame.Shestrivestocreateasafespacewhere peoplefeelsupported,heard,andcomfortablebeingvulnerable.
“IwaslearningthatatBridges–justhowamazingaconnectionwithanotherpersoncanbe,”shesays
