Bridge Kids
A faith-based, holistic after-school program for vulnerable children
When Arlington Bridge Builders asked our South Arlington neighbors to identify key issues in their community, we repeatedly heard of the need for quality and affordable after-school programs. Children in economically disadvantaged families can struggle to keep up academically, which can hinder their development for years to come. But tutoring alone will not bridge the gap. And so in partnership with other services offered at Mission NOVA, Arlington Bridge Builders offers a free, five day a week after-school program called Bridge Kids that connects vulnerable children to the people and resources they need to flourish.
The initiative is founded on the following commitments:
Growth - close the achievement gap by empowering students
Community - create a welcoming and fun environment where kids feel connected to families, school, neighbors and other students
Diversity - embrace all students with dignity, respect and love
Holistic - address the needs of the whole child: mentally, socially, physically, emotionally and spiritually
As a faith-based program, Bridge Kids teachers and volunteers all affirm our statement of faith and the values drawn from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We believe Jesus’ values of dignity, humility, trust, generosity and love are universal truths, and so we seek to share them not only in Bible lessons but also in our character and speech.
Arlington Bridge Builders partners with elementary schools near the Center where the reading and math proficiency rates are among the lowest in the county, largely because the students struggle in English. In close cooperation with their parents, the school and the community, we provide a free, five day a week English and math program that includes sports and activities. The game-based activities make it easy for kids to participate, learn and belong. And in contrast to the negative messages kids hear every day, students discover they are equally created in the image of God, regardless of their background or socio-economic status. Grounding students in the confidence they have inherent dignity and worth is essential to their growth and development.
In developing the program, we have benefited by helpful resources and advisors, such that the response from the kids, parents and school has been enthusiastic. In a recent survey, Bridge Kids parents overwhelmingly indicated significant growth in their children’s English and math abilities.
But our goal is not simply that kids learn English and math, or stay out of trouble. We set our sights much higher. In Isaiah 61, God calls us to bring “good news” to the poor and brokenhearted, that they would become “oaks of righteousness,” who repair the brokenness of their city.
We believe our kids are called to be change agents in Arlington, to make a lasting difference in our community. And we invite you to be part of that vision. You can volunteer to help lead activities or be a reading buddy. You can also be a financial supporter of the program. And so we invite you to partner with us, as we love our neighbors together.
Thank you for your support, as we together seek the flourishing of the city God has sent us to.