Outreach
Peninsula Bridge Successfully Points Talented Middle School Students Towards College
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ore than a decade ago, a bright young girl in Redwood City agreed— somewhat reluctantly —to give up five weeks of vacation and attend an academic summer camp at an upscale private school. Today, that young lady—Janette Maldonado-- holds degrees from Woodside Priory and Stanford University, and is now working towards a PhD. WPS student teaching assistants start each morning off with a cheer during the eight-week summer camp. Middle School campers return to the campus for eight weekend academic enrichment sessions during the academic year. From the upper left WPS students are Daniel Wenger, Diego Moncada, Clint Campagna, Victor Aguirre, Eric Frasch, Kendall Bell, Chrissa Trudelle, Rachel Moody, Aracely Aceves, Cierra Tanakatsubo, Andrea Gutierrez, and Dora Marron.
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The summer program that got her started, Peninsula Bridge, this year celebrates its fifteenth year of service to more than 3,000 students. WPS celebrates 14 years of involvement. Janette’s story is dramatic, but not unique among Peninsula Bridge participants. Peninsula Bridge targets middle school teens with academic promise—specifically, students enrolled at local public schools that have relatively fewer resources to support this promise. These youngsters are invited to an all-expenses-paid five weeks of summer camp at WPS, Menlo, Sacred Heart, and Crystal Springs. (Castilleja formerly offered a program and is expected to do so again soon.) Following the summer programs, students meet again for eight weekend tutorial sessions over the next school year. At some campuses, they also receive homework help during the school year. The goal is to prepare them for college prep work by ninth grade. Entry into Algebra 1 and English 1A in freshman year is one of the best indicators of future college enrollment, Bridge directors say. Eighty percent of Bridge students have succeeded in meeting that goal, the data shows. At Woodside Priory, students work with teachers and teacher assistants in the mornings in a math program with a science and technology orientation. The program includes recreational athletics, guest speakers, field trips and potluck suppers where families gather to learn about and celebrate their students’ work. A family-based evening of awards, with kids beaming as their successes are celebrated, is a grand finale. This year, WPS’s Bridge students also can ask for support in taking the placement tests and filling out the application forms for private high school admissions.
