Mission

The Roger Williams University's Bridge To Success Program (BTS) partners with selected Newport and Providence schools and parents to promote the development of support systems for under-served and under-represented mentees.  Primary program objectives are academic excellence, discipline and responsibility within the community of BTS students. 

The program utilizes progressive tutoring/mentoring techniques and university resources that are the underpinnings of long-term success.  BTS employs undergraduate mentors and capitalizes on university programming to bridge higher education, community, and school realities for middle and high school students.

Set of Values

As members of Bridge To Success, we strive to instill and develop these key values and components:

• Provide our constituents with quality educational opportunities to further bolster a will to succeed.
• Value academic success as a function of skill development and personal responsibility.
• Appreciate that access to higher education is a privilege to be valued and utilized to the fullest extent possible.
• Instill a strong sense of responsibility to give back to the community and world in which we live.
• Achieve enrichment in our educational community by striving to increase all forms of persity.
• Understand that as students of life and academia we have a responsibility to cultivate a spirit of global awareness.

Vision

Roger Williams University's Bridge To Success (BTS) program was established to assist under-served and under-represented students to achieve post-secondary academic success. As a cooperative program with the respective Newport and Providence school administrations, BTS seeks to augment in-class and after-school academic and social support. The five-year goal for the BTS program is the achievement of:

• Program development and expansion to extend to additional school districts.
  
  
• Be utilized on the middle school levels in the constituent school systems to increase interest in higher education through tutoring as well as through social support mechanism.
  
  
• Develop and enact a comprehensive support program at Times2 Academy that capitalizes on the schools focus on math, science and engineering.  This program will provide generalized tutoring on the middle school level.  As participants move on to the high school level, BTS support will become more specialized in accordance with the Academy's mission.
  
  
• Develop parental support mechanisms to promote continued parent involvement in BTS and in their school system.

Program Action Items

• Develop a stratified program that will be grade appropriate and take into account the needs of each mentee sub-set.
• Continue developing our Parents' program to further insure close ties to the program and informational opportunity for parents
  Institutionalize frequency and types of communication with parents.
• Provide educational opportunities for parents
• Financial responsibility
• Higher education access
• Supporting your student at home
• Refine the Bridge To Success intervention methodologies for constituent schools.
• Summer Institute curriculum will continue to be developed to take advantage of the isolated time on-campus.
• Classroom objectives
• Co-curricular purposes
• Off-campus trip rationales
• Investigate the feasibility of offering college-level/ credit courses to BTS mentees.

What is Bridge To Success?

• A program that helps create & maintain a college bound high school career.
• Established to help minority & underserved high school students reach their collegiate potential.
• Builds on strengths & helps overcome weaknesses.
• Builds confidence to pursue college!

How did Bridge get started?

• 1993, Roger Williams University & Rogers High School began a collaborative effort.
• This was to address issues of minority & underserved students ability, access & retention in college.
• Many foundations & companies have funded the program through grants.

What is the advantage of having a mentor?

• Mentors are here to help and assist students to the best of their ability.
• Help with homework or any issues that may need to be resolved.
• Mentors: not babysitters, not here to tell students what to do or make decisions for them.
• Students form a relationship with mentors that provide not only guidance but an example of what we would like to see our students achieve.

What BTS can do for you!

How does the program work?
Students who are selected to participate in the program will meet with their assigned mentors several times a week, and participate in:

• Academic enrichment sessions
• Field Trips
• Campus visits to Roger Williams University
• College Tours
• College Fairs
• Lectures and conferences
• Summer Institute (Mathematics, English, Art, SAT Preparation)
• Talent Show

Students who show the most progress and dedication are recognized at the End of the Year Banquet.

What are Campus Visits?

• Students come onto the RWU campus and participate in workshops and seminars such as:
• Time-management
• Goal- setting
• Self-motivation
• Career and financial planning
• Study skills
• Interviewing skills
• The students get a feel for what college life is like.
• While on campus the students also receive assistance with academic work.

What is Summer Institute?

• 2 week summer program where students reside on the RWU Campus.
• Offers academic programs, SAT Prep, fun workshops and activities that prepare students for success in College.
• Open to 10th & 11th Graders.
• Work with other students from selected area high schools.

What do you have to do in order to participate?

• Take information packet home, have your parent or guardian fill out and sign forms.
• Fill out your STUDENT PROFILE and sign your MENTEE CONTRACT.
• Bring all signed forms to the Guidance/Counseling Office by Monday September 20th.
• BE COMMITTED!!!!!

What do your parents/guardians have to do so you can participate?

• Your parent/guardian must fill out and SIGN the following forms.
• Health & Field Trip/Activity Mentee Participation Form
• Parent/Guardian Contract
• Model (Photo) Release

Important Dates

• Today's Meeting!
• By Monday September 20th, bring in the signed forms, filled out as in the sample.
• First Campus Visit : RWU Campus Tour October 6th :)