To and Through College
“We can't thank Sand Hill Foundation enough for its support and belief in Peninsula Bridge. Together we are closing the achievement gap for our students.” — Maureen Garret, Development Director
Equity in educational attainment is severely lacking amongst low-income students relative to their peers. Currently, only 11 percent of first-generation, low-income students graduate from college nationwide. Barriers to college completion have lasting implications for young people and their ability to reach their full economic potential. Peninsula Bridge’s founders recognized this link between education and the long-term wellbeing of low-income families and were driven to support students on their pathway to college.
Sand Hill Foundation has partnered with Peninsula Bridge since 1996 to help create educational opportunity for high-achieving, low-income students. A recent three-year grant from Sand Hill Foundation is helping Peninsula Bridge to implement its transformation from a summer program for middle schoolers to a year-round program with middle school, high school, and college programs. The year-round academic support provided by these programs helps to reduce achievement gaps among low-income students.
In addition to academics, these year-round programs provide personal support and nurture student’s social-emotional growth. Peninsula Bridge was a member of the Silicon Valley’s Out-of-School-Time Collaborative, a six year effort supported by Sand Hill Foundation.
The Collaborative focused on incorporating organizational practices that developed character strengths in youth and provided students a safe space for self-exploration.
By integrating tools from the Collaborative, Peninsula Bridge’s programs are able to provide for the emotional well-being of their students and emphasize the importance of effective social skills along with academic success. With the support of Sand Hill Foundation, more students over a broader geographic area will be provided with the social and academic resources to succeed in school, their careers, and to help end the cycle of poverty for their families.
