STORIES OF IMPACT
Baltimore City Youth
Independent School Volunteers
Baltimore City Youth
Meet Kenny
Kenny Bayton joined Bridges the summer before his sixth-grade year in 2002, as one of the program’s early Baltimore City student participants.
Kenny recalls being quiet and introverted when he first joined Bridges, someone who rarely spoke up. “When I wasn’t playing sports, I was a kid who kept to himself all the time. I would come home from school, finish my homework, and hang in the basement,” he says.
That began to change as Kenny found opportunities through Bridges to come out of his shell. One of Kenny’s earliest Bridges memories is performing in a play. While he had played drums in school, he had never tried acting on stage, and the experience challenged him to speak up, work with others, and engage with a large group.
In high school, Kenny continued to grow his confidence. He became a Bridges summer counselor who was responsible for mentoring a group of middle school students. The role taught him the importance of sharing his own story and sparked his interest in leadership and advising young people – a value reinforced by his father, Carter Bayton, one of the first teachers in the Bridges Summer Institute.
The summer before his senior year, Bridges helped Kenny land an internship with the Baltimore Community Foundation. The opportunity introduced him to a professional setting and solidified his interest in pursuing a career in business. Wanting to maintain the relationships he’d built with the students he had worked with during the previous two summers, Kenny took the initiative to organize a group outing to help them stay connected after transitioning to high school.
“I wanted them to know our relationship wasn’t just about being their counselor for two summers, but that I could be someone they looked up to,” he says.
Today, Kenny is the Marketing Production Director at Bloomberg Industry Group, where he draws on the confidence and passion for business he began developing during his time with Bridges. He will complete his Executive MBA at the University of Virginia in May 2026, continuing to build on the leadership skills he has strengthened throughout his academic and professional journey. He has remained connected to Bridges, speaking at career panels and offering advice to college students. He hopes to inspire others to find their own confidence and access opportunities that helped shape his path.
“If you have the guts to use your voice and put yourself out there, then I’m always willing to make time for you,” he says. “I was someone who didn’t have a voice for a very long time, and Bridges helped me find it.”
Meet Madison
Bridges alumna Madison M. (Coastal Carolina ’21) first joined Bridges after 3rd grade at Leith Walk Elementary School. She is now an Animal Welfare Specialist Assistant at Coral World Ocean Park in the Virgin Islands.
Madison knew from the first time she saw a dolphin at age three that she wanted to work with marine life one day. She shares that participating in the Bridges program helped her identify passions and develop skills that complement a career in the fields of marine science and education. “In the Summer Jobs Program, I worked at the Baer School and learned that I loved educating kids,” shares Madison. “I got more experience with education and public speaking working [as a Head Counselor] in the Summer Institute. I also built a resume, practiced interviews, and learned how to present myself professionally.”
Madison started as an intern, but soon realized that she wanted to be at Coral World longer-term. “I sometimes hesitate with decisions,” Madison admits, “But I didn’t want to wonder what could have been. I’m proud of myself for going for it.” She submitted her resume and went through a full interview process to land her current role.
At Coral World, Madison cares for and trains the animals, educates guests on marine life, and helps to maintain clean facilities. “It is a lot of work, but it is what I’ve been dreaming of my whole life. Getting to work with the animals is amazing, and I get to learn from people who have been with the animals for a lot longer.”
One of the most important things she takes with her from Bridges to her career is the confidence to ask for help. “There is always someone who knows more than you,” she explains. “I’m a lot better at saying what I need. You can’t do this job by yourself – I am still learning terminology and why we do things the way we do them. Asking for help allows me to learn.”
Madison plans to work hands-on with marine life throughout her career and is considering paths in animal training, education, and veterinary practice.
Meet Sydney
Sydney Osei joined Bridges the summer before her 4th grade year at Leith Walk Elementary School. Sydney, along with a small group of other 4th and 5th graders, made up the first classes of Bridges at Gilman students when the site opened in 2014. Thirteen years later, she will be among the first students from that original class to graduate college and complete their Bridges journeys.
When Sydney arrived on Gilman’s campus for the summer, she recalls feeling shy and nervous. That quickly changed into excitement, though, as she met her new classmates and began building a strong community in Bridges. Over the years, Sydney returned to Gilman, where she expanded her math and reading skills and prepared for the year ahead.
“Bridges kept my mind fresh and active for the incoming grades or lessons I need to learn,” Sydney says. “The conversations we had, developing the mind — that was really beneficial for me.”
As Sydney got older, she focused on planning for her future. As a first-generation college student, she navigated applications and explored college options. She worked with Bridges staff to complete applications, determine which school would be the right fit for her, and select a potential career path.
Throughout college, Sydney continued to grow and found a passion for information technology and supporting her community. She plans to earn her master’s degree and is exploring a career working in health care software, combining her interests in technology and helping others while building on the values and experiences she developed through Bridges.
“I just feel like I need to give back and show care to other people,” Sydney says. “Bridges is an amazing program, and they give back to so many people and help so many people so of course I want to do that too. That’s what my future is.”
Meet Deion
Deion W. joined Bridges as a 4th grader at Leith Walk Elementary School. He’s now preparing to graduate from Baltimore City College and attend Keystone College in the fall. Throughout his time in Bridges, Deion has strengthened his communications skills, stepped out of his comfort zone, and learned to take full advantage of the resources around him.
When Deion started high school, Bridges staff encouraged him to visit the Bridges Loft, an after-school space where students can get support and stay on top of their work. At first, he was reluctant. He didn’t think he needed the support and wasn’t sure how it would help. “But as I got older, I saw that it’s not just about needing help,” Deion says. “The Loft is there to help you in other ways too – maybe you just need a quiet place to get work done, for example.”
Since then, Deion has made the Loft a regular part of his routine. He’s learned to balance his workload with his busy schedule as a student athlete, used the space to work on his college applications, and even begun tutoring a Bridges middle school student.
As Deion prepares to take the next step in his academic journey, he’s also begun considering his future career goals.
Last summer, he attended a Bridges field trip to T. Rowe Price, where he participated in a financial advising simulation and heard from employees during a career panel. Afterward, he connected with one of the speakers, who shared his path to financial advising and answered Deion’s questions. He’s now interested in financial advising and exploring it as a potential career path.
“Networking is really important to what you want to achieve,” Deion says. “If you don’t branch out and communicate or step out of your comfort zone, you can’t really do anything.”
Through these experiences, Deion has learned to take advantage of the resources around him, including the community and support system he’s built through Bridges. As he prepares for college, he’s excited to meet new people, take on new challenges, and continue building on what he’s learned.
“Bridges can give you something and it’s how you take it that matters – are you going to do it because they want you to or because you know it’s what’s best for you?” Deion says. “Bridges has helped me become a better me.”
Meet Logan
Logan H. joined Bridges at Bryn Mawr the summer before her 5th grade year at Cecil Elementary School. Now finishing 8th grade, she has chosen to attend Baltimore City College this fall. Over time, Logan has grown into a more confident and self-directed student, building the skills and mindset she needs for high school.
Last year, Logan connected with a Bridges tutor for support in Spanish. Together, they focused on strategies like identifying key words while reading stories, rather than translating entire passages. As she built these skills, she also became more confident participating in class.
Since then, Logan has stayed motivated across her classes and thought more intentionally about her goals for the future. Early this year, she worked with Bridges staff to determine which high school would be the right fit, learning about factors like school size, academics, and extracurriculars. “I didn’t feel like I was going to be surprised by different high schools, I went in knowing what to expect,” Logan says.
Ultimately, Logan chose to attend City for its big campus and wide range of activities. She’s excited to meet new people, challenge herself academically, and try out for the volleyball team.
As Logan prepares to enter high school, she continues building on the lessons she’s learned, particularly how to support her community. Whether it’s small actions like picking up trash or being there for friends and family, she has become more intentional about how she shows up for others.
Logan looks forward to continuing her journey with Bridges and staying connected in the years ahead. She also hopes to one day return as a mentor, supporting students in the same way her Bridges peers and teachers have supported her.
“I’ve been with [Bridges] for a long time and it’s going to be a big part of my life,” she says. “I always feel connected to the people I meet and the activities we get to do. Even when I finish the program, I just hope I can continue to stay connected to it.”
Meet Gavyn
Gavyn J. joined Bridges the summer before his 4th grade year at Govans Elementary School. Since then, he has grown more confident and pushed himself academically. His hard work is paying off as he prepares to move up to middle school in the same place that his Bridges journey began – the St. Paul’s School for Boys.
As Gavyn began thinking about middle school, he explored different options with school placement support from Bridges. When Bridges staff encouraged Gavyn to apply to St. Paul’s, Gavyn focused on improving his grades and preparing a strong application.
During the Summer Institute, Gavyn built important math and reading skills – like dividing fractions – that helped him feel prepared for the school year ahead. When he started 5th grade in the fall, he felt confident in class and ready to keep improving.
Throughout the school year, Gavyn stayed motivated, completed his homework, and kept his grades high with support from Bridges staff and volunteers in the After School Program. He participated in activities like reading and performing stories with his peers and continued to practice the math concepts that he learned over the summer.
That preparation, both over the summer and during the school year, helped Gavyn stand out in his application to St. Paul’s. “I made sure that I could really be the person that Bridges sees me as and have a good shot at going to St. Paul’s,” Gavyn says.
Along the way, Gavyn also grew closer with Bridges volunteers and summer counselors, many of whom will soon be his schoolmates at St. Paul’s. “Gavyn always comes to Bridges ready to learn,” says Barrett Ozga, the senior public service fellow for Bridges at St. Paul’s. “Beyond that, he’s made incredible connections with his peers and volunteers, which makes him all the more ready to take on middle school at St. Paul’s.”
Gavyn is looking forward to building new relationships when he begins at St. Paul’s in the fall. He’s also eager to be on a larger campus and continue to challenge himself academically. At Bridges, Gavyn feels comfortable and confident, and he looks forward to carrying that same sense of belonging into middle school.
“I’m excited that people will see who I am and that I can be who I am, just like how I feel when I’m at Bridges,” he says.
Independent School Volunteers
Meet Jillian
Former Bridges volunteer Jillian R. ‘15 (St. Paul’s School for Girls) has taken the lessons she learned from Bridges to make a difference in communities around the world.
While at the University of Virginia, Jillian traveled to South Africa for a research project studying factors affecting chronic disease for women in a community outside of Cape Town. In talking with community members, she found that lack of extracurricular activities for kids was a big contributor to health problems in the community.
Jillian realized that this community in Cape Town and the populations she served in Baltimore through Bridges shared that in common. Jillian’s project received over $40,000 in grant funding to start a youth program where kids in the community participated in activities like movie nights and soccer games. “I think it’s all based in the community development that I saw happening at Bridges,” she reflects. “I know that if you provide programs and services and space for kids to connect with each other and with other people, those outcomes that we’re so scared about tend not to happen,” she says.
In alignment with Jillian’s goal to create a lasting impact in the community, students at the University of Virginia are continuing the work Jillian helped to start in Cape Town.
Jillian encourages current high school students getting involved in Bridges for the first time to fully commit to the experience. “You’re not going to get the best experience if you’re holding yourself back. And you’d be surprised what can happen in a week.”
Meet Lucy
Lucy Donofrio (The St. Paul’s School for Girls ’12) began volunteering with Bridges at The St. Paul’s Schools as a freshman in 2008 and remained actively involved throughout the school year and summers until her graduation in 2012. The experience taught her the importance of building meaningful relationships, showing up for others, and maintaining strong connections – lessons that continue to shape her career as a social worker in the Maryland Public Defenders Office.
When Lucy started high school, she wasn’t drawn to many traditional extracurricular activities. Bridges, however, felt like a natural fit. She was excited to work in a group setting and support younger students. “There was just something about it that fit me really well,” she reflects. “I felt connected to it.”
One moment from the Summer Institute stands out. Lucy recalls working with a student who was having difficulty with an English and Language Arts assignment. She encouraged him to write about a topic he enjoyed, like sports. Later in the class, the student excitedly shared his poem about basketball with her.
“I hadn’t really seen that side of him,” Lucy says. “He was excited to share academic work that wasn’t necessarily his go-to thing and I don’t know if he would’ve done that at the beginning of the summer.”
Through relationships like these, Lucy learned the power of trust and connection. Even small moments, such as sitting with students on the bus or talking after school, helped her connect and build deeper relationships.
Those early lessons became the foundation for Lucy’s career in social work. Though her work today occurs in different settings with young people and adults, the importance of showing up and building relationships with clients and colleagues remains the same. She strives to create a safe space where people feel supported, heard, and comfortable being vulnerable.
“I was learning that at Bridges – just how amazing a connection with another person can be,” she says.
Meet Arden
Gilman alum Arden L. ’22 is studying marketing and international business at the University of Maryland, College Park. His experience as a former volunteer and Head Counselor with Bridges at Gilman has shaped the way he views his future in marketing and his commitment to ethical, authentic storytelling.
“Marketing has never felt like work,” shares Arden. “Branding, color palettes, and the power you have with storytelling – to shape [stories] in a way that is true and not harmful to people…[makes me] want to be a leader in the marketing field.”
Authenticity, Arden believes, begins with understanding oneself. His own journey of self-discovery began at Gilman, where he completed interdisciplinary projects and engaged in extracurriculars like Bridges that helped him explore his interests. After high school graduation, Arden took a gap year to apply for more scholarships and to complete internships in fashion, finance, and more. “I had a trial phase [before beginning college],” explains Arden. “In a way, that made it easier to decide how I want to spend these four years.”
While learning how to define himself, Arden has also discovered the importance of hearing and elevating other peoples’ stories – a lesson that began with Bridges. “Bridges shaped my perspective on how I have a conversation. There is so much that shapes a person and who they are,” says Arden. “Being around people who did not come from a background like mine – I realized there was so much there to learn from.”
Arden has taken his commitment to listening and learning with him to College Park, where he is building a program that highlights culture and creativity on campus. “I want to give people space to express themselves,” he shares. “Everyone has a story, and I have the cool task of figuring out how we can share it with as many people as possible.”
Arden’s time volunteering with Bridges helped to feed his curiosity about himself and the broader world. He shares advice for other Gilman students considering spending a season with Bridges: “Be uncomfortable. Take that opportunity to step into something unknown as often as you can. Bridges is a safe environment to be exposed to new information, experiences, relationships, and connections.”
Meet Ava
Ava M. (McDonogh ’27), joined Bridges during her sophomore year and has since volunteered for four seasons through both the summer and the school year. She’s learned to be adaptable and developed a passion for supporting her community.
During the school year, Ava volunteers with the Bridges After School Program three days a week. She works closely with 4th and 5th grade students to complete their homework, develop academic skills, and prepare for middle school. Ava also attends weekly volunteer training sessions where she’s learned about neuroscience and brain development. The lessons have helped her understand different students’ needs and adapt her tutoring style accordingly. For instance, when she works with more introverted students, she tries to be open with them and encourage them to come out of their shells.
“You have to really put yourself out there and be a role model for the students, especially quieter students,” Ava reflects. “If they see you laugh and work with others, they’ll open up themselves.”
Ava has also looked for ways to support her community outside of Bridges. On a field trip to visit one of Bridges’ partner schools, she learned about the ways that food banks can support local families. Since then, Ava has organized her own food and supplies drives to help students around Baltimore City access the resources they need.
This summer, Ava will serve as a head counselor during the Bridges at McDonogh Summer Institute. She’s excited to continue strengthening relationships that go beyond tutoring through trust and deeper connections with students. “Throughout the school year I’ve developed such strong bonds, and it really makes the volunteer experience even more meaningful,” Ava says. “Those relationships are really what’s kept me coming back each season.”
Meet Nomi
Nomi M. (The Bryn Mawr School ’27) has volunteered with Bridges for three seasons. This year, she worked with Peyton, an 8th grader in Bridges. Nomi has become more comfortable trying new things and learned the importance of building meaningful relationships.
Nomi worked with Peyton on her reading and math skills during the After School Program. Nomi, who has struggled with reading in the past, taught Peyton the strategies she’s used to stay engaged in class. For instance, she and Peyton held a “mini book club” – Peyton chose a book for them to read together and discuss each week. When Nomi reads a book, she records words she learns while reading in a notebook to create her own dictionary. Nomi gave Peyton her own notebook, which they called “Peyton’s Book of New Words.”
As they worked together, Nomi noticed Peyton’s “light bulb moments” whenever she finished a book or completed all her multiplication problems correctly. “I understood why those moments are so meaningful for teachers,” she says. “It’s a really gratifying experience to work with someone, see them grow, and know that you took part in that.”
At first, Nomi was nervous that she didn’t have the experience she needed to volunteer with Bridges. Her confidence has grown over the past three seasons, though, and she feels more comfortable jumping into new opportunities. “Bridges gave me confidence that I can do things that I’ve never tried before,” she says. “I’ll take that with me for the rest of my life.”
Meet Jackson
Jackson B. (Gilman ’27) has volunteered with Bridges for three seasons. During his time in the program, Jackson has developed a deeper understanding of how students learn and discovered the importance of patience, positivity, and connection.
When Jackson joined Bridges at Gilman, he was surprised to learn about the ways the program focuses on mental health. After students complete their academic work, they engage in enrichment time, which can range from making ice cream to creating bingo goal cards. Many of the activities focus on maintaining a positive attitude and relieving stress. Jackson has incorporated that attitude into his interactions with students outside of enrichment time, too. “I try to create a positive environment because it really impacts their willingness to engage and learn,” he says. “The academic piece and the mental health piece are really intertwined.”
Jackson has also become a more patient and attentive tutor. When students struggle with their work or an activity, Jackson has learned to take a step back and allow them to solve problems on their own. “You need to be a reliable presence and make sure students know that you’re really paying attention and trying to help them,” he adds.
Since joining Bridges, Jackson has developed an interest in psychology and plans to take a class on developmental psychology next year. His experiences with students sparked a curiosity about how people learn and grow and inspired him to consider a future in behavioral sciences. He also hopes to stay involved with Bridges even after he graduates from Gilman.
“Bridges has been an amazing learning experience for me,” Jackson reflects. “I’ve learned so much about the process of learning and growing and built such meaningful relationships that I’ll look back on fondly. I’m so proud to be part of Bridges.”
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