The Bridge Project is a program where elementary and middle school students with limited English proficiency are paired with high school student tutors who speak the same home language. Tutors meet with the students weekly, providing support for schoolwork and homework, as well as translation assistance for their families. If the student’s home language is unavailable, they are paired with English-speaking tutors. 

Supporting immigrant students is a cause close to my heart, as I moved to the US from Japan when I was eight years old. For the first few years, I often felt isolated and helpless. However, I was fortunate to meet a Japanese high school student who became my tutor and helped me navigate life in the US. Her support and guidance inspired me to do the same for others. During the COVID-19 quarantine, I contacted my former English language teacher to connect with English-learning students who could use my help and began tutoring two Japanese students. The summer after ninth grade, I decided to create an official program to extend the same opportunity to as many people as possible and give back to my community. Throughout my sophomore year, I drafted proposals, wrote emails, and held meetings with various staff members to bring my vision to life. 

I asked my friend to be a co-leader of the program and officially launched the Bridge Project during my junior year (2023–2024), and it has been a tremendous success! Our high school club now has 84 members and 45 tutoring pairs. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents and teachers. Click here for more information on how the club works.