We’re off to a great start at B.C. Gregory Elementary with 80+ students – kindergarten through third grade – who’ve joined us for Summer Bridge 2023, an extension of Mercer Street Friends’ Community Schools initiative.
Mornings are meaningful
Mornings at Summer Bridge are spent in the classroom with Trenton Public School educators (current and retired), teaching math and reading. These educators are experts at interactive and experiential learning, resulting in a fun and engaging experience for the children. We administer pre and post assessments to every student and results are reported to Gregory Elementary School principal, Jeannette Harris.
Time spent in the classroom helps to ensure that the transition back to school is seamless for our young learners
Afternoons are awesome
Imagine summer afternoons filled with sports, STEAM, yoga, hands-on art activities, tennis (courtesy of National Junior Tennis and Learning of Trenton), gardening and more.
We’ve put the fun in fitness this summer– our students love to limbo, dance, jump rope, run relays, play musical chairs, and we’ve seen some pretty impressive hula-hooping.
Namaste, friends
We’ve incorporated yoga into Summer Bridge as a way of modeling techniques for the children to regulate their breathing and their emotions, and learn to remain calm. This is part of our year-round commitment to support overall health and wellness in our Community Schools.
What a joy it is to see students practicing yoga and learning self-care ~ click below to take a look.
Snack time is the best time
Speaking of wellness, Summer Bridge students receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch, and two healthy snacks each day. And by healthy snacks, we mean fresh vegetables grown in the Gregory garden! Veggies are the go-to snack for our young friends.
Travel is a great teacher
Field trips are one of the highlights of Summer Bridge and we are thrilled to be able to provide these meaningful experiences outside of the classroom. A day at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, a Trenton Thunder game and an outing at beautiful Shady Brook Farm makes for a super special summer.
Our commitment
Since 2015, Mercer Street Friends has been the lead agency for the Community Schools initiative in the Trenton School District. Our commitment to B.C. Gregory Elementary, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and Luis Muñoz-Rivera Elementary School is year-round. We provide comprehensive services to the schools, students, and their families throughout the year, including after school enrichment and summer programs.
We hope you will join us as we continue to invest in our children’s growth and wellbeing through our Community Schools initiative. Your gift of any amount makes an impact.
