During my time at The Bridge Teen Center so far, collaborating with my coworkers and the teens has allowed me to see how a dedicated team of people can work together to provide free opportunities for students to learn and grow in eye-opening ways. Starting my first day and continuing every moment so far, my coworkers have led by example in inspiring me to be intentional with everything I do and every interaction I have this summer. At The Bridge, it is easy to see the big picture in smaller things I do like making phone calls to invite teens to various programs and putting them into our database. The reward comes when parents are compelled to take a moment to say how blessed they are that their teen found The Bridge this summer or a couple of years past. They have said that their teens have been benefiting socially and gaining valuable experience from the various types of programs offered at The Bridge.

Recently, when I got the chance to observe teens experience indoor scuba diving, I got to talking to the bus driver who is a frequent volunteer at The Bridge. After talking to her more, I found out that she was about to accept an assistant principal position and had been working in the education field for 20 years. We bounced back and forth about how students often struggle to have outlets and think of places like school and The Bridge as safe places to learn, be, and express themselves. Although she knew a whole lot more than I did, we shared a mutual core belief that giving students opportunities like The Bridge turn into impacts that will shape who they are as people in crucial ways. We talked about how the ways that teachers and role models view students will become the ways that students see themselves, possibly in a positive light for the first time. This brilliant discussion gave me a chance to review my calling, which includes giving students a safe space to grow into themselves. I have been able to be a part of The Bridge, where an excellent team of people work together to do just that by creating, providing, and organizing various programs where teens can learn and grow in their interests and gifts as well as social and leadership capabilities.

Every other Friday night, The Bridge hosts their largest themed programs where the entire facility including the outdoor space is open to the teens. On my first Friday night, I worked the front desk and was surprised at how engaged I felt with the teens as I got to check each one in and made a countless amount of new IDs for new students. As aforementioned, I have been able to make seemingly more tedious tasks meaningful because they all lead to the bigger picture of giving teens the best experience they can have at The Bridge. You can make any interaction with someone intentional and impactful. I have been inspired to not take any interaction at face value because each holds the opportunity to encourage a teen and set the tone for how they will approach and view their experience at The Bridge.

Last Friday, The Bridge hosted an “80’s and 90’s Bash” event for the students where I oversaw one of the rooms called the Garage. I encouraged students to vote for The Bridge as Southland’s Best 2022 for various categories as well as ran the candy bar. Although this may seem simple, there is a significant difference between someone who takes the task at face value and someone who works on a like-minded team that strives to use every opportunity to positively interact with students. At The Bridge, one must always hold dear to their heart of service, their care for student engagement and experience, and their dedication to excellence in everything they do. Having this in mind, I was open to asking students questions about what inspired their themed 80’s and 90’s throwback outfits and encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone by trying new things like our karaoke with their friends. It is surprising how little it takes to engage with a student that could lead to their personal reflections that make their night the best it can be. Myself along with over ten volunteers supervised and engaged with students in order for
the event to not only run but to thrive with enough student interaction and excitement so much so
that they would come back again.

– Isabelle Kalil, The Bridge Teen Center