Each year, William Paca Middle School selects about 40 seventh- and eighth-grade students to join the Bridge Crew, a group established in the 2018-19 school year to support incoming sixth graders as they transition from elementary to middle school. The program was developed by the school's administrative team and social worker Alyssa Cabrera.
Bridge Crew members host events such as the Ice Cream Social, Fall Festival, Winter Funderland, Spring Fling, and the Mash-Up to help new students make friends and feel welcome. They also assist at the sixth-grade walkthrough in August and help students find their classes and lockers during the first weeks of school. New students arriving throughout the year are paired with a Bridge Crew buddy who guides them around the building and informs them about available clubs and activities.
Students interested in joining the Bridge Crew go through a competitive application process. Teachers recommend candidates at the end of sixth grade based on leadership skills and helpfulness. Applicants must complete an application reviewed by administrators and staff before a lottery selects the final members. Selected students sign a contract and participate in a three-hour summer training session.
According to Alyssa Cabrera, "We’ve had many students from the past who come back to tell us that it has helped them get out of their comfort zone, become more outgoing, helpful and involved in more clubs and other activities the school has to offer. They also feel it has helped them become leaders in their school as well as the community."
A similar initiative exists at William Floyd Middle School, where Student Ambassadors assist peers new to the district. This program will be highlighted in an upcoming profile.