Cross Bridge Scholars - Homepage

Introduction to Cross Bridge Scholars Program
2005-2006

Cross Bridge Scholars Program Overview, click here.

Meeting with Mr. Haas

To view pictures of the meeting of the program founder,
Mr. Haas, with some of 2006-2007's Cross Bridge Scholars, click here.

Why build a bridge if you are never going to cross it?

Though we in America live in a time of unprecedented freedoms, and though the digital age has brought more information and more people into our midst, we live lives that grow more divisive every day. We have become increasingly comfortable in our own cultures, our own social classes, and our own communities. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we often allow the media to dictate to us limited perceptions of these other communities, which in turn reinforces our prejudices.

kids

Though many of us believe in the notion of reaching out to other communities, very few of use take the time to make lasting connections to people and places that are engaged in lives we often perceive to be totally different from our own. But think about it: What could be accomplished if we made the extra effort to throw prejudice and pretense aside and started “being real”. Real with our questions. Real with our answers. Could that be the key to creating long lasting change?

Class

It would take young people who are trailblazers. Young people who are unafraid to be challenged both personally and intellectually. Young people who will forgo political correctness and unflinchingly critique American culture and public opinion. Young people who are willing to learn and use their talent and the latest technology in an effort to break down stereotypes and build up real community.

Welcome to the Cross Bridge Scholars Program.

The Cross Bridge Scholars Program was inspired in 2005 by members of Episcopal Academy, Project H.O.M.E and its subsidiary, The Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs. By pooling the strengths and resources of these institutions, we have selected a great group of talented, energetic and intelligent young people who will be our first cohort for CBSP. We are excited to begin this new venture with you on board!

center

The vision of this program is to build extended and lasting community through committed relationships, honest interaction, and intellectual curiosity. This is more than an after school program or a social experiment. The program staff and students are committed to sharing our space, our ideas, and our lives with one another in an effort to explore, express, and expand our understanding of what it really means to be a fully-functioning healthy community. The goal of the Cross Bridge Scholars Program is not only to build bridges between different communities, institutions, and people, but to cross over all the fears and assumptions in order to create lasting relationships through meaningful dialogue.

Otherwise, a bridge that isn’t being used is nothing more than a tourist attraction.

Jason B.Esters
Program Developer ‘05

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

NEWS & EVENTS

The 2009-2010 Cross Bridge Scholars Program is focusing on service.

The Cross Bridge Scholars already worked together on a service project, working with Philadelphia Green, a non-profit committed to greening Philadelphia’s spaces. Philadelphia Green’s annual event was called “Fall for your Park” and more information is available at http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/index.html. The Cross Bridge Scholars cleaned and raked two Philadelphia parks, one in North Philadelphia and the other in West Philadelphia.

While cleaning the two parks, the Scholars also filmed their work for documentaries they are currently working on. One group will be creating a documentary on teens and service and the other group will focus on the non-profit Philadelphia Green. The Scholars will be editing these documentaries in the coming weeks and these videos will be available on the website afterwards.

In order to understand the documentary process, the Scholars have viewed several documentaries. One was “Amizade Global Service-Learning Course Documentary” and the other was “Carry On” which aired on ESPN and tells the story of two high school wrestlers and what they overcame to graduate.

Participants in the program this year are enthusiastic, insightful, and eager to make the program successful. These dynamic students became a productive, tight group that is determined to create projects that are just as thought-provoking as the program itself. The purpose of the program is to bring together students, in an academic setting, in an attempt to bring together the Episcopal Academy community with the Philadelphia community and the work speaks for itself; the program is thriving.