KidBridge

The REF "KidBridge" program is modeled after the successful five-year partnership between the town of Victor and School 22. Karen Guidarelli, the coordinator for KidBridge, co-founded the Victor-School 22 partnership, which has involved hundreds of people from Victor, including adults and students, faith communities and businesses.

Friends from Victor and RCSD read together.

Currently, Kidbridge involves the Victor-School 22 partnership, and new partnerships between Irondequoit and School 6 and Webster and School 45. Coordination of the Irondequoit partnership and the growth of Kidbridge is supported by a $20,000 Civic Engagement Grant from Rochester Area Community Foundation. The grant funds the development of supporting materials and resources that will enable other communities to form similar partnerships with the city school district.

After launching in 2007, the program is building its two new partnerships and using the partnership structure to create positive opportunities for young people in 2008. For example, students at all three urban schools received books and blankets and participated in special reading events in December involving urban and suburban volunteers. Students in all partnership schools will also participate in a Red Wings Spring Training Challenge in 2008 involving books, baseball and fitness.

The program aims to create true partnerships with urban families engaged as participants and leaders in the partnerships. Parents and neighbors of School 22 students have been involved in efforts to improve and beautify the playground and have served as educators at Outdoor Learning Fairs. The programs also open community service opportunities for urban and suburban students.

The partnership between Victor and School 22 has been operated by Buddies, Bridges and Brains. That group has provided access to many additional resources for School 22 students, including the reconstruction of the school playground, volunteers for field trips, funds for school trips and books for students. In one year, the Victor-School 22 partnership received $1,500 in playground supplies and $600 in gardening supplies. These supplies were then used by volunteers to improve the school campus.

Students from RCSD and Victor work together to improve playground safety at School 22.

"Suburban and urban students and their families can learn so much from one another if we have a way to collaborate and communicate with one another," Guidarelli said. "This grant opens the door to focused and efficient partnerships between diverse communities."

"Students and adults from Victor have also benefited," she said. "Our students are more capable of collaborating with people who are not like them. They become more open members of society."

Christine Quinlan, coordinator for the Irondequoit-School 6 partnership, said she is eager to build awareness among all types of people. She looks forward to "getting people to know each other." She hopes to engage residents of both the West and East Irondequoit school districts.

Grant funding from The Community Foundation will underwrite support from the Rochester Education Foundation in a variety of ways. The partnership will enable KidBridge coordinator Karen Guidarelli to help establish the Irondequoit-School 6 partnership. In addition, the funding allows the partnership to have a web presence through REF, receive donations to the partnership using REF's not-for-profit status, and to receive administrative and planning support. In addition, REF will document the development of the partnership so other communities can also create similar partnerships.

"We are eager to see this partnership develop and hope it can provide a model for heightened support of city school students and expanded opportunities for awareness and understanding for city and suburban students and residents," said Patricia Braus, executive director of Rochester Education Foundation.

To get involved with the Irondequoit-School 6 partnership, please contact Christine Quinlan at chris@rochestereducation.org or call REF at 271-5790.