top of page
2.jpg

High School Students

Our program engages students in an intensive seven-year program that begins after ninth grade and continues through college with the Crossing the Bridge program.

​

For high schoolers, they are welcomed in the spring of ninth grade with Spring Into Bridges, then they proceed with their first of three years of our four-week resident experience, called Bridges Foundations. During the school year, students participate in our monthly Saturday College program, as well as regular at-school visits from staff and extra engagement opportunities like the ones outlined below.

​

Beyond Foundations and Saturday College, students are invited to participate in various opportunities, including:

  • Spring Break college tour trips

  • Fall Break college tour trips

  • Community service

  • Youth in Government

  • Job shadowing

  • Career panels

  • One-on-one mentoring

  • Holiday celebrations

​

​

file1-22.jpeg

Students are nominated from their schools or after-school programs in January/February of a student's ninth grade year. You can find more on the eligibility requirements here. Your school counselors are also a great resource, as they are the people in the schools who serve as our direct contacts. 

Foundations

The four-week summer program is packed with activities to help you grow as a scholar, citizen, and friend. Beyond academic, students receive many benefits:

  • Experience life living on a college campus (living in a residence hall, attending classes in college classrooms, eating in the dining hall)

  • Meet students from all across Greenville County and become friends with people you never would have met.

  • Participate in activities that help you understand who you are and what you want.

  • Do community service, learn new sports, go on fun adventures, and explore Greenville and beyond!

​

And we make classes fun! We have a great team of Greenville County teachers who work together each spring to prepare an amazing summer with classes that focus on hands-on, real-life scenarios. 

​

Safety and health are top priorities. Bridges students are never alone. We hire and train responsible college students and recent graduates to live in the residence halls and serve as residential advisors, mentors, and counselors. Counselors and staff are available 24/7 if needed, and parents have all staff members' direct cell phone numbers. Students are not allowed to have cell phones during the program, but we encourage them to call home from the residence halls each night. We also host family visitations on Sundays. Click here to get a feel for the Foundations schedule 

 

file1-18.jpeg
IMG_5453.jpg

Saturday College

Bridges Saturday College is our monthly academic support program, held on the campus of Furman on Saturday a month.

 

The required portion of Saturday College begins at 9am with a large-group meeting, followed by homework help and study halls, grade-specific College Planning classes, and a dynamic speaker. We feed everyone breakfast snacks and lunch. We encourage everyone to stay for afternoon activity, which is designed to grow leadership, character, and understanding of the world around us. (They are fun - you'll want to stay!)

​

College Planning is a core part of Bridges, and it continues seamlessly from summer throughout the year via Saturday College. In this three-phase curriculum, students will focus on life skills, high school success, and the college search and application process (and MANY other things).

  • Grow Up! is the first phase of the curriculum is for rising sophomore students and develops students’ professional and academic skills through sessions focused on how to interview, how to write thank you notes, study skills, taking appropriate classes in high school, etc.

  • Get Ready! is the second phase and assists juniors in developing their strengths and identifying resources to guide them through the college process. Students will prepare for the SAT and ACT, create an action plan for junior year, and explore the criteria they want in a college all while creating an online portfolio to showcase their strengths, interests, and organize their college information.

  • Get Out! is the final phase of the curriculum and helps seniors develop plans for the next destination: college! Students leave this class with an academic resume, college essay, college list and everything you need to complete college and scholarship applications in the fall. Students choose their destinations and we help create the path to get there.  

 

Skyzone SH check.jpeg
6.jpg

Resources

Bridges provides students and families with up-to-date resources to help you no matter where you are in your college-going process. 

bottom of page