Posted by michael on Jan 27, 2015
BRIDGES is pleased to announce the names of six new members joining its Board of Trustees. John Aitken is the superintendent of Collierville Schools and the former superintendent of Shelby County Schools. Nancy Averwater is the chief executive officer of Baptist Trinity Hospice. William Derwin is the president of The Terminix International Company Limited Partnership of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. and The ServiceMaster Company. Dan Hatzenbuehler is the chairman of the board for E. Ritter & Company, a fifth generation Arkansas family business that provides agricultural and telecommunications services. Thomas L. Williams is senior resident director of Merrill Lynch Memphis and also a senior vice president of investments. Kevin Woods is the executive director for Workforce
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Posted by michael on Jan 15, 2015
The Second Annual BE THE DREAM MLK Weekend, which coincides with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 19, will include the MLK Commemorative Celebration, 2015 BE THE DREAM MLK Legacy Awards, Youth Empowerment Symposium and various service projects across the city. The City of Memphis played a pivotal role in the American Civil Rights movement, and BE THE DREAM weekend events celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and reflect what we’ve accomplished and the work that remains for us to achieve genuine equality and social justice in our city and nation. “Be the Dream honors the enduring legacy of Dr. King, whose life and death
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Posted by michael on Jan 08, 2015
The management of BRIDGES is pleased to announce a $75,000 gift from ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV), a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services. The donation was given on behalf of ServiceMaster employees to one of the most dynamic community groups in Memphis and the Mid-South. “We are ecstatic about ServiceMaster’s support,” said Cynthia Ham, president and CEO of BRIDGES. “This is a substantial investment in the future of Memphis and the company’s commitment to fostering connections in diverse groups and developing young leaders in the community is in lock-step with the core principles of BRIDGES.” The gift will support the BRIDGES annual fund, student
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Posted by michael on Oct 08, 2014
Earlier today, the Kroger Delta Division announced a three-year partnership with BRIDGES which includes a $50,000 donation to help promote youth leadership. Kroger selected BRIDGES because of the similarities in both organizations’ core standards which include leadership, diversity appreciation and civic engagement. The partnership will allow synergy between the two organizations to help provide a platform for Memphis area youth. “We are very appreciative of Kroger’s generosity,” said Cynthia Ham, president and CEO, BRIDGES. “This is a great opportunity to work with Kroger to help our youth reach across socio-economic divides and build relationships to create a stronger more harmonious Memphis.” “This is not just a donation,” said Tim Brown, president, Kroger Delta
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Posted by michael on Apr 10, 2014
(Memphis – WREG) The Bridge Builders Change program unites diverse young people from across Shelby County committed to making their communities better. The program brings together young people who have proven leadership skills and teaches them how to be effective leaders and how to make positive changes in the community. “Being a leader is more than just being the main man on campus or the person who is taking charge of everything. It’s about hard work and dedication and learning from your mistakes,” said Paris Byrd. The senior at Central High School is passionate about students having a voice, and found “her” voice in the last three years at Bridges, “You’re never
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Posted by michael on Apr 08, 2014
(Memphis – Huffington Post) — As local school districts seek to produce better outcomes for students, at least one district is thinking about students not merely as those on the receiving end of reform, but as allies in bringing it about. The Memphis schools face huge challenges. In 2012, the state of Tennessee identified the lowest performing five percent of schools statewide — and 69 of the 83 schools were in Memphis. Last November, with ambitious school reform efforts underway, a group of student activists won their long fight for a bigger student voice in the operation of the school system when the board of education approved a plan for
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Posted by michael on Mar 25, 2014
(Memphis – nylc.org) — At MONUMENTAL, the 25th Annual National Service-Learning Conference®, there will be a plethora of remarkable educators, organizations, and speakers that will change the way you think about service-learning and education in general. Just one of the outstanding organizations that will be in attendance is BRIDGES, a nonprofit based in Memphis, Tenn., that has been developing leadership skills and diversity appreciation — with an emphasis on community transformation — for 26 years. BRIDGES, through their signature program called “Bridge Builders”, serves students in 6th-12th grade by challenging them to create programs to engender social and educational innovation and then to implement them in creative ways. According to
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Posted by michael on Jan 31, 2014
The staff and current members of the BRIDGES Board of Trustees are happy to welcome four new members — Samuel King, John Lacy, Richard White and Webb Wilson. Samuel King is the senior vice president of Mid-South Diversity Banking/Business Banking Divisions for First Tennessee and he’s currently a Bridge Builders parent. John Lacy is the vice president of Human Resources and the Center for Training and Organizational Development for Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation. Richard White is the vice president of Properties and Business Development for the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority and he’s a Bridge Builders parent. Webb Wilson is the vice president of Kemmons Wilson, Inc. and an alumnus of the
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Posted by michael on Dec 02, 2013
Students from the Bridge Builders® CHANGE program were able to enjoy the fruit of their labor Tuesday evening when the Shelby County Board of Education voted to approve a policy that will allow SCS students to establish a district-wide Student Congress as a mechanism for increasing students’ voices in the district. The policy, which applies to 8th grade middle school students and 11th and 12th grade high school students, is expected to enhance the educational experience of students and allow the Board to gain greater insight into educational needs from the student’s point of view. Bridge Builders CHANGE students began working with other youth oriented organizations on the idea
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