At Bridges, we are completely devoted to the social, emotional, intellectual, academic, and creative growth of our “2E” students. After all, we could be teaching some of

this generation’s greatest minds.

ISAAC NEWTONis believed to have beentwice-exceptional, or 2Ereferring to the fact that he was a mathematical and scientific genius (one exception) and was thought to be challenged with Asperger’s Syndrome(the other exception).

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL & BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Bridges Faculty 2014 - 2015 (in alphabetical order)

Pictured here: Omid Abrishami, Laura Bahr, Greg Baeza, Barry Blonsky, Shane Brennan, Matt Carroll, Toshimi Chida, Marti Colglazier, Connie Condos, Marcy Dann, Daniel Dean, Michael Dennis, Nadine Eisenkolb, David Gerne, Lisa Herz, Miles Hankins, Greg Kaczynski, Erin Kastelz, Jose Malagon, Stuart Matranga, Caroline Maxwell, Jose Malagon, Kim Miller, Kenneth Moore, Pilar Munoz, Miriam Pasternak, Lesli Preuss, Mitchel Ramos, Lisa Reid, Sally Anne Rosenberg, Carl Sabatino, Laura Sanderford, Carmen Sevilla, Ryan Siebrasse, Brad Sparks, Kirk Stauffer, Kari Umbreit, Kim Vargas, Chris Wiebe, David Wildkress, Sam Young, Anthony Vo

Not pictured: Susan Baum, Michael Beer, Jim Berkowitz, Cody Buchanan, Danny Chasman-Beck, Ben James, Carmen Ketola, Heather, Lembcke, Doug Lenzini, Dylan McKenzie, Sherry Minkowski, Don Peake, Tyler Peck, Sarah Rodney, Anna Schaerf, Nick Scheftick, William Sherman, Irwin Shubert, Judy Temes, Ian Tindell, David Wildkress, Kyle Wittlin

“Educational philosophy has long grappled with the larger, more complex and sometimes competing purposes of education. If we can inspire intellectual and creative curiosity and foster self-efficacy, just about every possible “purpose” falls into place…”

- Carl Sabatino, Head of School

On behalf of the Bridges Academy Board of Trustees, I am pleased to present our school’s 2014 - 2015 Annual Report.

Bridges Academy has begun a new phase of growth this past year by improving our campus and furthering our twice-exceptional curriculum. Our student population continues to grow while we maintain the same student-teacher ratio that we have enjoyed in the past.

To accommodate this growth, Bridges is moving its administrative offices into the former dormitory building to make additional classroom space. The Board is evaluating further plans to renovate the grounds in order to create a more innovative campus, one that will further develop the strengths and talents of our children.

Once again, we have united to support the Annual Fund in remarkable fashion surpassing our goal with a 102 percent completion rate. In addition, our community demonstrated resounding commitment to the Walk-a-thon and Gala.

At this time, I would like to introduce Dr. Robin Schader as a member of the Board of Trustees who joined since our last annual report. I also thank, Suzie Wynne, a board member whose term came to an end since our last report. Suzie’s work and leadership have helped sustain and grow Bridges Academy.

I want to thank all of our dedicated supporters and to encourage those new to the community to get involved. Your efforts are what make Bridges Academy a place where our children can continue to imagine, persevere, and achieve.

Thank you, once again, for a great year.

Sincerely,

Ellen R. RosenChair, Board of Trustees

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL & BOARD OF TRUSTEES

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT: 10 YEARS OF GROWTH

ENROLLMENT

FACULTY

CAMPUS

GALA FUNDRAISING

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT:

10 YEARS OF GROWTH

79 students 155 students 196 students

14 teachers 55 teachers 62 teachers

22,300 sq.ft. 56,443 sq. ft. 78,700 sq. ft.

$14,600 $75,000 $200,000+

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT: 10 YEARS OF GROWTH 2015 INCOME & EXPENSES ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT:

92%

5.6%

73.1%

9.2%

4.3% 2.7%

TUITION

FUNDRAISING/CONTRIBUTION

OTHER

PAYROLL/BENEFITS

FINANCIAL AID

BUILDING/GROUNDS

ADMINISTRATIVE

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS

OTHER

2014-15 INCOME$6,172,792

$6,172,792 2014-15 EXPENSES

9.7%

1%

2.4%

79 students 155 students 196 students

THANK YOU: BRIDGES VOLUNTEERS & DONORSBOARD OF TRUSTEES Head of SchoolCarl Sabatino

Board ChairEllen Rosen

Parent Association PresidentTami Baer – Turner

BoardRichard BarnettRob BerryKaren BreslowVincent DeBenedictisPeter GodwinBrian HaskinJames JonesMarylin KingstonLori LeplerElizabeth LindellMargie PowerLary RappaportJason RicksTom RopelewskiRobin SchaderSuzie Wynne

Volunteers (100+ Hours) Arlette Avakian Shoshana Anthony Karen Breslow Tracy Carey Elisa Cedeno Rebecca Dauterive Robin Fox Elissa JohnstonViolette Huang Julia Lapeze Andrea Left Elizabeth LindellVictoria Marks Kristin Peterson Peter Rader Ellen Rosen Carl Sabatino Tamara Santana Wendei SmithCharity Stashwick

Rob ThomasMerie Wallace Valerie Weisenfeld Leilani Wilmore Jenya Worrell Colleen Ventimilia Jen Ventimilia

ANNUAL FUNDFounders Circle($10,000 - $30,000)

John & Susan BokenStephanie Cohen–Left & Andrew LeftLeah Glynn & Zack Stentz Palermo–Ravich Family Foundation

Benefactors Circle($5,000 - $9,999)

James DauteriveViolette & David HuangEllen Isaacs & Lary RappaportAllison Keller*Kimberly & Mark KuskinJohn LevensteinLevitt Architecture GroupDr. Lesli Preuss & Mr. Humberto IrigoyenSusan & Don RiceEllen & Martin RosenLeila Zafaranchi & Ali Montazeri

Patrons Circle($2,500 - $4,999)

Lubov & Max AzriaFely & Robert BerryBetsy Borns & Jonathan ShapiroKaren Breslow & Robert SchwartzKate Colleary & Rand RavichLinda & Chris JacksonLeslie Dixon & Tom Ropelewski Kathy Schultz & Paul FrankMichelle & Daniel GreenbergNir Glycher Lori LeplerDebra & Michael LevinElizabeth LindellJulia Johnson & Christopher Marcil

Luba & Jeff MironerMargie Power & Ken JonesBarbara & Don RiceCarl SabatinoRobin SchaderColleen VentimiliaJennifer Ventimilia

Leaders Circle($1,700 - $2,499)

Stuart ApplebaumArlette & Mesrop AvakianDeana Bloom & Robert KlymanTracy & Gordon CareyElisa & David CedenoRebecca DauteriveHilary & Peter GodwinGillian & Colin GoldmanRobin Jacobs & Schlomo SchmuelCatherine & William JosephsonJudith Kitano & Michael YogiDeborah LaBongeKristin Peterson & Bret HambrickJustin Puckett & Arlene SpiegelmanEllie & Rick RossGilda & Kambiz SabouhiHolly Whatley & Stephanie VassalloLeilani & Larry & WilmoreJenya & Daniel WorrellRianna & Uzi Zimmerman

Sponsors Circle($1,000 - $1,699)Richard BarnettSusan BaumDiane & Michael BurnstineJulie & Vincent DeBenedictisLiliana & Juan EscuderoJean-Claude Gertrude & Efrem SeegerAdrienne Goldstone & Edwin HausmannPatty GrubmanMarylin Kingston & Harry CynamonJulia & David Lapeze

THANK YOU: BRIDGES VOLUNTEERS & DONORSJennifer & Chris LarrabeeLaurence Dumortier & Matthew GreenfieldVictoria Marks & Dan FrootLeeanne & David MallelSteven NovakHang & Larry PaceyKaren Samuels Lora Silverman & Keith StolzenbachMadison & Alex SoleimaniCharity & Todd StashwickTami & Jeff Turner

Associates Circle($500 - $999)

Tatiana Armbruster & Ilya KahnGina Battista & James Esposito Elliot BrownNikki & Bruce CarlinMarti ColglazierFiona CowieConnie Taylor-Cyngiser & Yoram CyngiserLisa ElliottRobin & Steven FoxSheryl & Timothy FoxTracie Graham & John RiceTanisha Holman-Ricks & Jason RicksBrian & Sandra HaskinMarina & Perry HermanRebecka & Dan HoskenElissa Johnston & Grant GershonAlan KaplanLeslie KapnerAllyson Kimmel & Richard SudarJoseph KraemerErica LeeNancy Morris & Gregory Pincus*Dr. & Mrs. Philip K. MoskovizNancy Niederman & Mark BattermanSherine Omar & Hisham IsmailKate O’Brien & Mick Monahan

Lisa ReidAnna SchaerfWendei & Kris SmithJill Sorkin & Douglas LiebleinLauren & Chris Tang PengDiane & Jeffrey TenKim & Bob Vargas

Supporters Circle($1 - $499)

Omid AbrishamiKimberly & Michael AndersonKristine AnnunziataShoshana & Thomas AnthonyNichole Auden & Gregory JonesSela Azmon-Fishbein & Evan FishbeinGreg BaezaLaura BahrDiana BeckerMichael BeerRay & Helen BennettJames BerkowitzBarry BlonskyJim BowersShane BrennanCody BuchananDeana & Neil CambergMatt CarrollDanny Chasman-BeckToshimi ChidaConnie CondosMarcy DannMilagritos Del Capio & Jose Mujica Michael DennisThomas DowneyNadine EisenkolbMana ElliottSusan & Thomas FerrariRobin Fleck & Richard GravesDavid Folk-WilliamsMiles HankinsLori HardyLisa & Jim HerzBen JamesGreg KaczynskiCarmen KetolaElise & Mark LampertHeather LembckeDoug Lenzini

Jose MalagonCaroline Maxwell Deirdre McIlroyKim MillerMary Ellen & Chris MillerSherry MinkowskiKenneth MooreStephanie MorrellPilar MunozPatricia O’Brien & John VetterRuth Oroshnik & Steven BramsonTedra Osell & Thomas BluhmPanny Pang & Jeffrey GriffinMiriam PasternakLisa PatersonTyler PeckNancy PeponisCelia Piazza & Ken Jones Magdalena Prado & Fernando MoralesMitchell RamosMaria & Alfreda ResinskiJane RichardsonRita RosenLaura & Niccolo RovedaLaura SanderfordNick SchefticKatherine SchlesingerCarmen SevillaJuli & Charles ShamashIrwin ShubertRyan SiebrasseBrianna SiegelBrad SparksLaura StreimerJudy TemesKari UmbretHeidi Van LierAnthony VoLaurie WatkinsAnnie & Dan WetherbeeJudith & Tom WhitakerChris WiebeKyle WittlinSuzie WynneSam YoungShelly Zellman

* Special gifts for building improvements

2015 WHERE THEY ARE NOW... ALUMNI NEWS

Nico Bartoli (Class of 2011) Top Left , below & bottom right on the job. Doug Vargas (Class or 2011) With his mother, Kim Vargas

2015 WHERE THEY ARE NOW... ALUMNI NEWSNick Bartoli (class of 2011)

I am currently an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) working for American Medical Response (AMR). I have been working with AMR for seven months and look forward to staying with the company. I am currently in processing to become a member of the Disaster Response Team. When I’m not working long shifts I continue my education by learning new policies, attending lectures, watching videos, and visiting hospitals.

At Bridges, my history teacher Gregory Zlotin taught me always to ask “why?” Asking why and understanding the facts is important in history papers, and it’s essential in diagnosing a patient. I always teach the EMT students underneath me to take a step back and ask why. As an EMT, tunnel vision can be a fatal mistake so the ability to understand symptoms, disabilities, or the habits of a victim allows for better treatment. The other lesson I learned at Bridges is to think outside of the box. Since every circumstance is different there is not necessarily one way to do things. In order to think on your feet you must be prepared, which is why I’ve committed to continuing my education.

After I graduated from Bridges in 2011, I took a series of odd jobs as a production assistant. I struggled with tests in high school and did not feel compelled to go the traditional college route. The unreliability of production work was frustrating and I wanted stabitily. I attended Ventura College’s EMT program where I was engaged in the work and finished third in my class. My time at Bridges taught me to make my own path and succeed on my own terms.

Doug Vargas (class of 2011)

After graduating from Bridges in 2011, I spent a year working as a receptionist for my dad and grandfather. During that time I was honing my programming skills and in the fall of 2012 I joined my first startup, a social media outfit called SameGrain. For two years I worked at SameGrain until I heard the siren call of Silicon Valley and moved up to the Bay area.

I am currently a Senior Software Engineer in Network Operations at Google working on the main campus in Mountain View. I was hired in February and I’ve enjoyed every second of it. I write programs that monitor Google’s network and keep track of errors and problems within it, as well as providing support to Google’s network engineers around the world. Prior to working at Google, I was the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of a robotics startup call Aquaai. At Aquaai I learned several valuable and hard-taught lessons and I am glad I experienced the journey through SameGrain and Aquaai because I think they were necessary for my arrival at Google.

Bridges was a special place and the relationships I formed with the teachers and students will always be important to me. My interest and passion for computers all began with Brad in media technology classes. Irwin introduced me to some of my favorite authors and literature. When I’m not working I focus on creative writing and video game programming – hopefully it will lead somewhere special.

CLASS OF 2015 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE

Top Left : Valedictorian, John WilmoreMiddle Left: Valedictorian, Wil MarcilTop Right: Anais Azria & HS Division Director, Chris WiebeBellow: Carl Sabarino, Head of School addresses graduates

CLASS OF 2015 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE

Academy of Art UniversityArt Center College of DesignBennington College Berklee College of MusicBradley UniversityCalifornia Institute of the Arts California Polytechnic State University PomonaCalifornia Polytechnic State University San Luis ObispoCalifornia State University Channel IslandsCalifornia State University Long BeachCalifornia State University NorthridgeChapman University **College of Wooster **Colorado School of Mines **Columbia CollegeEarlham College **Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University **Hampshire College *Illinois Wesleyan ***Ithaca CollegeJuniata College ***Lewis and Clark College **Los Angeles Valley College

Loyola Marymount University ***Marist College North Central College ***Occidental CollegePasadena City College Pitzer College Quinnipiac University **Rochester Institute of TechnologySan Diego State UniversitySan Francisco Art Institute **Santa Fe University of Art & DesignSchool of the Art Institute of Chicago **Springfield CollegeUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, San DiegoUniversity of Colorado, BoulderUniversity of HartfordUniversity of KansasUniversity of the Pacific *University of Puget Sound ***University of Redlands ***University of Vermont **Wells College ***Whitman CollegeWhitworth College **

FINDING THE PERFECT FIT

This year, Bridges’ senior class gained admittance to 48 colleges in 16 states, including School of Art Institute of Chicago, Rochester Institute of Technology, and UC Berkley, receiving up to $30,000 in grant and scholarship funding at 20 of these schools.

Asterisks denote merit scholarships in the following amounts:* up to $9,999 per year **10,000 – 19,999 per year ***20,000 – 30,000 per year

PARENT ASSOCIATION: SPECIAL EVENTS & FUNDRAISING

(Top Right) Walk-a-thon Starting Line

(Middle Row - left to right) Halloween Carnival: Oscar Stashwick, Master of ceremonies; Jim Esposito, Strong Man; Candy lovers

(Bottom Left) Barbara Rice & Gala DJ

(Bottom Right -left to right) Block Party: Mark Lampert, Juli Shamash, Rob Berry, Fely Berry, Karen Shoemaker

(Next Page) Hilary & Jake Godwin

PARENT ASSOCIATION: SPECIAL EVENTS & FUNDRAISING

This year, we saw successful strides for the Parent Association (PA), a year of continuous growth was punctuated by a successful Gala. In August, the PA welcomed many new friends to the community during the New Family Social. The event allows new parents to see why Bridges is an exceptional place for their children and extends the offer to get involved in the community.

October featured our annual Halloween Carnival on campus. This year we had unprecedented community participation resulting in food, fun, and the famous Bridges Haunted House.

For the Holiday season, the PA ran its annual Teacher and Staff Appreciation Drive. This tradition provides the faculty and staff with a lovely luncheon and allows our teachers to receive a generous cash gift and appreciation from families through personal cards.

In February, we enjoyed our fourth annual Walk-a-thon. This community event raised $11,940 as students and the PA eagerly participated. Students truly “walked their talk” completing laps pledged by family and friends to earn prizes as well as raise money for their school. This year, five students completed over 50 laps. Parent volunteers enjoyed counting off laps, awarding prizes, and cheering on the student walkers.

Spring has officially begun when the Bridges Annual Gala rolls around. This year’s Gala was a resounding success and was the most successful in school’s history. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the volunteers, the event raised $70,542, a 24 percent increase over last year’s proceeds. The event was a

great party where attendees enjoyed the casual yet elegant “Block Party” theme, delicious food, and the opportunity to bid on unique auction items. The event was held at the CBS Studio Center on historic Residential Street. Alumnus Daniel Zuker (class of 2011) gave a poignant speech about how his experience at Bridges directly affected his ability to not only learn and be successful, but the impact of being understood and appreciated.

In May, our teachers were celebrated during the annual Teacher Appreciation Week. The days of the week were divided by grade level and the parents treated teachers to special experiences. Festivities included a Spa Day, a juice bar, and catered lunches. The gratitude for our dedicated teachers was a great way to end the year.

Next year we look forward to community-building events and special opportunities for parents as well as kids. We hope you’ll join us.

PHOENIX 5TH – 6TH GRADE: PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

(Top Left) Dodger Stadium: Gavriela Zimmerman

(Middle - Left to Right) “Ancient Rome”: Matt Mallel proudly displays his Coliseum model, Lauryn Elliott hides behind a mask of her own design , Functioning Aquaduct system

(Bottom Left) Grammy Museum : Kari Umbreit, Assistant to Director; Joshua Gruin; Chase McMaster; Graham Richards; Daniel Chasman-Beck, Phoenix Intern

(Bottom Right - front to back) Cooking Experience: Kevin Sabouhi, Sam Kleinberg, Lauryn Elliott

PHOENIX 5TH – 6TH GRADE: PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTSThe Phoenix program had an engaging year providing students with topics of interest and the resources necessary to create hands-on and in-depth projects.

Fall Intersession “Baseball”The twenty-six Phoenix students began the study of the math, science, and history of baseball by attending the Dodgers/Nationals game at Dodger Stadium on September 3, 2014. The students kept scorecards at the game and enjoyed a moment on the jumbotron. The following seven school days were spent with students creating projects based on their own personal interests. Students built a model of Dodger Stadium, created student profile baseball cards, documented Dodger history, learned baseball statistics, and wired an electronic scoreboard. Students focused on their personal interests and learned that sports are comprised of aspects across all disciplines.

Wintersession “Ancient Rome”The in-depth study of Ancient Rome began with a trip to the Getty Villa in Malibu. The students viewed Roman art, architecture, and mythology and began their projects for the next two weeks. The students were placed in working groups based on their self-reported learning strengths and a diagnostic tool called the Learning Print. Several students built a battery-powered five foot aqueduct, while some created models of the Roman Coliseum and arch bridges with popsicle sticks. One group created a Roman television newscast and another group of students created mosaics and sculptures. A “Bridges Museum” Open House was held to exhibit everything the students had learned where Roman delicacies of shaved ice with cloves and sautéed melon was served to visitors. The students acted as docents to parents, older students, teachers and administrators.

Spring Intersession “Ocean Exploration”The Spring Intersession was kicked-off with a trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. The students spent the day exploring ocean life in person, petting sharks and stingrays, and learning about marine environments. The rest of the week was spent focusing on science, geography, plant and animal life, the history of sunken ships, and the importance of the ocean habitat. The students presented their projects to their classmates. The projects included live goldfish tricks, marine environment slideshows, an ocean themed board game, ocean mythology movies, and the impact pollution has on marine environments.

Enrichment ClustersEach semester students choose, based on interest and talent, a group to spend all day on Fridays deeply engrossed in the subject. The small size of the enrichment clusters enables students to enhance their first hand learning opportunities by focusing their interests in an all encompassing manner. The enrichment clusters included podcasts, physical science, filmmaking, game theory, newspaper, cooking, music composition and production. The courses allowed opportunities to visit Los Angeles’ hallmarks including the L.A. Times, Griffith Observatory, and the Grammy Museum.

Program Development and ClubsIn 2014-2015, the Phoenix teachers focused on school policies, rules and expectations, team work, keyboard, community building, hygiene, nutrition, public speaking, organization, time management, personal finance and budgeting, civics, technology use, and etiquette. Students created clubs like Pokemon, Anime, Nintendo Club, Movie Club, and Junior Key Club. Forming a club included submitting a plan, soliciting a teacher sponsor, recruiting members, and participating regularly.

MIDDLE SCHOOL: INTERESTS & PRESENTATIONS

(Top Left) Museum Day: Liza Esposito performs a musical number for her Drama Class.

(Top Right)Museum Day: Ben Connor Neumann explains his art project for parents

(Middle Left - left to right) Pi Day: Laura Bahr, MS Math & Pi Day Queen; Milo Marks-Froot, & Jose Malagon, TA

(Middle Right - top row left to right) pi day winners:Jose Malagon, Jack Venitmilia, Milo Marks-Froot, Laura Bahr, Jake Godwin, Liza Esposito (Up front) Milo Lieblien

(Bottom Left) Middle School Pali Trip participants

(Bottom Right) Pali Trip: Nicki Camberg Bow in hand

MIDDLE SCHOOL: INTERESTS & PRESENTATIONSMiddle school students showcased their academic work in a series of presentations to develop organization and public speaking skills. Students illustrated their thinking strategies and domain knowledge through their presentations. Museum DayStudents selected a project in their area of interest and developed a demonstration to present to parents and peers on Museum Day. Projects were chosen from their coursework in humanities, life science, media technology, and studio art. Presentations included the 3D model project in science, rotoball animation in media technology, yoga flow demonstration in physical education, self-portraits in art, one-act student written plays in performing arts, and autobiographies in humanities.

Bridging PresentationsStudents showed off their project management skills and passionately discussed their interests as they gathered and organized academic projects to compile individual e-portfolios, most of them using HTML, to demonstrate their readiness for 9th grade during their Bridging Presentations.

Pi DayThe Math department hosted the 7th annual Pi Day celebration on March 14. Seventh and eighth grade students presented 3.14 centered projects including 3D models, poetry, art, and oral storytelling. Milo Marks-Froot set a new school record reciting 355 digits of Pi. The celebration concluded with the traditional pie feast.

Enrichment ClustersEach semester students choose, based on inter-est, a group to work with on collaborative projects. This year the Middle School expanded their scope of enrichment clusters. Students were given the opportunity to select a group ranging from Span-ish to Ghost Hunting. The newspaper produced The Bridgington Post, a student driven newspaper with stories, editorials, reviews, and photography. Board game design covered etiquette, sportsman-

ship, and students produced their own games. The film making group learned what goes into making a documentary, comedy, action, and stop motion film. Ghost hunting taught the history and techniques of ghost hunting using science, math, and photography. The enrichment clusters also included: Anime De Japanese, Spanish, Improvisation, Discovery Corps, Gym Sports, Photography, and Magic the Gathering.

Field TripsThe middle school went on several field trips continued the themes of community building, active listening, and collaboration. The middle school attended the show Lifeboat at the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts. The show was abstractly set, full of harsh and fast light and sound changes, with two actors portraying multiple characters. Our young artists were attentive and digested the story from start to finish. They demonstrated maturity by asking relevant questions to the cast after the show.

The middle school culminated the intensive study of the Civil War period with a trip to the Autry Museum of the American West. Among the many exhibitions of the art and artifacts from the diverse cultures that enriched this period, the museum had a special interactive exhibit focusing not only on the causes of the Civil War, but the consequences as well. This exhibit perfectly paralleled the humanities course of study. The students later wrote reflections on this experience and how it reinforced what they learned in class.

The Pali Institute overnight outdoor education camp provided our middle school students the opportunity to use the outdoor environment as a classroom where they tested their skills at archery, participated in a high ropes course, and designed the most efficient blades for windmills. They worked on self-advocacy, bonded with classmates, and focused on team building.

HIGH SCHOOL: IMAGINE - PERSEVERE - ACHIEVE

(Top Left - left to right) Hawaii Trip - Spelunking: Ian Tindell, MS Humanities; Wyatt Hambrick; Oscar Stashwick; Matthew Rosen; Michael Worrell

(Top Right - left to right) France Trip - Eiffle Tower: Jack Larrabee, Wyatt Hambrick, Nicholas Huang, Jack Lampert, Brandon Arenson , Josh Mironer

(Middle Left - left to right) Art Exhibition: Jack Lampert, Daniel Hausman, Elinor Shapiro

(Middle Right - left to right) German Field Trip - The Wende Museum. Daniel Ten & Ben Schwartz in front of a piece of the Berlin Wall

(Bottom Left - left to right) Music Program:Cooper Anderson, Sax; Matteo Rader, Rythem Guitar; Tamar Faggen Graham, Vocals; Josh Mironer, Bass Guitar; Ben Schwartz, Lead Guitar

HIGH SCHOOL: IMAGINE - PERSEVERE - ACHIEVEHigh School students had an exciting year of enriching electives and extracurricular activities combining skill development and strength-based learning to create personalized educational experiences.

ElectivesBridges furthered its enrichment offerings with an array of electives fostering personal involvement and critical thinking. Students in Music Composition played original compositions, offering explanations of some of their thematic, melodic, rhythmic, and stylistic choices. In the Studio Art and Photography session, students exhibited portraits and paintings and presented a dynamically-scored slide show that showcased the young artis’ work. Students in the Design Principles elective presented a variety of outside-the-box projects, ranging from industrial to architectural to repurposed design experiments. The computer programmers learned how to use computer code to create game-based scenarios. The German elective incorporated fundamental skills of the language into exploration of the culinary, musical, and political aspects of German culture.

Celebrating CreativityIn its inaugural year, the “Celebrating Creativity” event in April showcased student work in several electives classes. The more than 30 parents in attendance were treated to Ted Ed speeches from three high schoolers tackling topics about the relationship between music and pleasure, the stigmatization of mental illness, and the operations of popular theme parks. The presentations were filmed and submitted to the TED Ed organization to be considered for placement among their own web content. Afterwards the attendees were treated to the electives presentations.

Music ProgramBridges’ after-school music program continued

to entertain audiences at coffee houses and school events. The program is heavily performance-based, with each band spending their rehearsals in groups learning to play together as one unit before performing in front of audiences. The bands continued their tradition of playing at JamFest, an event that brings together other private schools in the area for a special evening to showcase talented student musicians.

Interest-Based TripsDuring the Wintersession a group of students visited France. While the visit focused on historical sites and the cultural experience, students also developed their social interaction skills and engaged in authentic French culture by staying with host families. The group visited historical sites, including memorials to commemorate and learn about the Battle of Normandy and the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Students also witnessed history in the making as they attended the protest and memorial of the Charlie Hebdo attacks.

During spring break, a group of nine students went to the Big Island of Hawaii for an inquiry and project-based learning expedition, where each student set out to answer an interest-based research question. They pursued questions such as: How are organic Macadamia nuts farmed and processed and how does this process differ for non-organic dispensers? How is fish abundance and diversity different between shallow water reefs and deeper water reefs? And what are the most abundant Hawaiian shirt prints on the island and how do they differ between the cities of Hilo and Kona? After the trip, students presented their findings at a Monday evening event, which was a testament to the pedagogical power of student-driven learning.

BRIDGES TEAMS: ATHLETICS - DEBATE - ROBOTICS

Bridges Cross Country Team

(back row - left to right): Oscar Stashwick, Michael Worrell, Issac Vizas, Jamie Wetherbee, Abe Shapiro, Josh Mironer (front row - left to right): Sam Kahn, Nicholas Huang, Milo Piazza, Aiden Spilane, David Josephson

Robotics Team

Making last minute repairs at the Robotics First Competition in San Diego

(Pictured Here -left to right)Dr. Scott Singer, Mentor; Henry Alberts; Jamie Wetherbee; Jack Lampert, Walker Rice; Mark Lampert, Mentor; Daniel Hausmann (blue hair),

Basketball Team:

Team Members:Ryan AndrusMatthew FoxJohn HaskinSol HeifetsNicholas HuangDoyle LebelienEli LeplerZack MontazeriAlex SeegerAbe ShapiroAiden Spillane

Ryan Andrus throws one of his famous three point shots.

BRIDGES TEAMS: ATHLETICS - DEBATE - ROBOTICSIt was an exciting year for the extracurricular teams. The athletic program continued to set personal bests and develop teamwork. The Robotics team - Team 4019 - had another successful year culminating in a great performance at the FIRST Robotics Competition. Bridges welcomed the first ever Debate team while Cross Country & Track contiued to build on their stellar record.

Cross Country & TrackThe cross-country team had another outstanding fall season, placing third in the Omega League and qualifying for the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section preliminary finals for the third year in a row. The team had an even balance of seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshmen allowing the team to be a contender for the next several years. The track team also had an impressive season despite being comprised of young athletes. The athletes showed improvement throughout the season resulting in new personal records and culminating with outstanding performances at the League Championship.

BasketballThe basketball team represented Bridges with pride throughout their nine game season. The boys improved their fundamental skills and played in a team oriented style showing maturity and cohesiveness as the season came to a close. Players demonstrated responsibility as athletes by playing with determination, selflessness, and sportsmanship.

Robotics Team 4019Team 4019 applied their knowledge of physics, engineering, computer programming, and media technology on a national level by competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition. Team members designed, built, and operated a fully-functional robot and secured fundraising along the way. The designated robotics workshop – “Mechanical Paradise” – allows the team of 14 students to work with highly-qualified mentors from Boeing, The Jet Propulison Laboratory (JPL), as well as parents, alumni, and teachers in fields such as engineering, design, finance, and marketing.

DebateThis year, Bridges formed its first debate team consisting of six students. The novice team joined the Tri-County San Fernando Forensics League: a league for schools in the Valley to compete in the art of speech and debate. In the fall, the team focused on student congress: a mock-congress session where members are asked to debate and vote upon legislation. In the spring, the team participated in individualized events, student congress, and parliamentary debate. The team looks forward to competing in the Junior Varsity League next year.

(Pictured right - from left to right) Debate Team: Casey Corbin, Nicholas Huang, Sam Young (Coach), Shaunt Avakian,Thomas Macartney, Brandon Arenson

:

15 High School performers in fall tragedy & spring comedy

5 Original one act plays

3 Original plays

5th Annual Musical featuring1 actors in 7th -12th grades

DRAMA BY THE NUMBERS

8 Productions

72 Performing Artists

18 Performances

11 Technical Theatre students

7 Jigsaw blades building setsThe Cast of Frog & Toad (Top row, left to right):Graham Hosken,Joshua Vassallo, Liza Esposito, Ben Connor Neumann, Will Marcil, Matteo Rader, Sam Kahn, Melody Carey, Grace Lindell (Front Row, Left to Right): Jack Ventimila & Milo Lieblien

(Pictured below, left to right) From the Cast of Living Quarters: Melody Carey, Daniella Kiewicz, & Ryan Ersoff. (Right) Theatre Tech: Adam Ismail & Omid AbrishamiBottom Right: From the Cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream:Ryan Ersoff & Matteo Rader

SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT: DRAMA AND THEATRE TECH

SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT: DRAMA AND THEATRE TECHSenior ProfilesOur Performing Arts family released three graduates onto the world’s stage this year: Michael Germain, Brandon Lampert, and William Marcil. Their service and creative contributions to our program are exemplars for the next class to follow.

Michael possesses an innate sense of comedic timing which he explored and refined through his work on our stage including in the roles of Jimmy Carmichael in Playing Doctor, when he was a sophomore, and as Peter Quince in this spring’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Brandon was born with a drill in his hands and fortunately enough for our productions he used his analytical mind and technical skills to build sets and operate lights for every show from his initiation in the Technical Theatre Enrichment Cluster in 7th Grade! His enourmous skill and dedication over six years of service earned him the “Super Screwdriver Award” at the Theatre Deparment’s season wrap celebration.

William’s contributions to the department were vast and varied: portraying a depressed Middle School Assistant Principal in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, deftly exhibiting the overwhelming joy and sorrow of Frank Butler in the tragic family drama Living Quarters,dazzling the stage with his ebulliant singing and dancing in A Year with Frog & Toad, and last, but certainly not least, making us laugh until it hurt with his indomnitably obnoxious Bottom in his final production A Midsummer Night’s Dream.