In the last post, I shared some information about the
student interviews that I was lucky enough to sit-in on. After I had watched a
couple of hours of student interviews, I stationed myself in the hallway to
speak to the parents of the students. They offered a really unique perspective
on the interview process and the Bridges to a Brighter Future Program as a
whole.
The parents that sat out in the hall looked almost as
nervous as the students themselves. I asked them all the same several questions
about their students and why they wanted them to be involved in the Bridges
program. The most common answer to my questions revolved around the need for
structure and planning in their student’s life. The parents frequently saw
Bridges as a place to help provide their student with a consistent presence of
education in both the present and the future. They also wanted their students
in a college oriented environment and around those who had college experiences
to share, as many of the Bridges students are the first in their family to go
to college.
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| A potential Bridges student and her mom waiting for the interview to begin |
I also asked the parents about what they thought were some
of the biggest challenges for their students. Several of the parents told me
they wanted their students to work on were their social skills. Bridges
provides an excellent opportunity to meet and interact with other students and
adults. Also since students are without their cell phones when at the summer
program, they are forced to interact face-to-face rather than through the
technology crutch.
The parents impressed me with their unwavering support of their students. Even more so I was inspired by how kind they were to me and their want to know more about my college experience to share with their own children. I really enjoyed getting to know the potential students’ families and gaining their unique perspective on the program.
Check out this video where students share their thoughts on the Bridges Interviews!
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