Summerbridge’s first new graduates are college-bound

Summerbridge is about to graduate its first group of six-year students, and director Sarah Walters is certain of their success.

The idea of Summerbridge, says Walters, is “to take academically motivated, low-income students and put them on the path to college.” Held at Sewickley Academy in Sewickley for the past 21 years, Summerbridge has evolved, and half a dozen years ago began enrolling sixth graders from throughout Pittsburgh. They attend six-week summer enrichment programs before their 7th- and 8th-grade years, and similar three-week programs in two subsequent summers. They also receive year-round tutoring on the University of Pittsburgh campus by Pitt students as well as students from Duquesne University and other local colleges, along with SAT preparation and help with college applications.

The summer program offers all the major academic subjects and electives, and it has all the other features of school too – lunch, recess and homework. How does Summerbridge get kids to spend a portion of their summer back in school?

“The type of student we’re looking for is naturally academically motivated,” she says. “It also helps that the teachers who are working with them are so close to their ages.” Indeed, Summerbridge classes are taught by 20 college-age teaching fellows. “They end up being good role models for being cool and being smart at the same time.”

How does Walters know it works? “I’m a student and a teacher alum,” she notes. “With the students-teaching-students model, they bring a really great energy to the program, and they provide a really tangible example to the students of what it’s like to be college-educated, to be inspired to be a life-long learner, to find the joy in learning and see learning as a journey, not a destination.”