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Over 80 incoming South Early College High School freshmen are participating in the school’s annual Summer Bridge program in which students focus on core academic subjects, team building, career and college readiness, collaborative learning, and field trips.

Over the course of two weeks, students attend mini-workshops from Houston Community College faculty and staff on topics about dual credit, library services, counseling, advising, campus safety and classroom etiquette. Students also take the Texas Success Initiative, which is the college entrance exam. 

“Our scholars who leave middle school and transition to high school need to be aware of what they are walking into before the first official day of classes,” said Cedric Starks, SECHS Dean of Students and Summer Bridge administrator. “Our ninth-grade team of teachers plan and execute a detailed schedule with specific goals and objectives to ensure our scholars know what is expected of them when school starts on Aug. 27. This early glimpse of high school eliminates some of the fears students may have about bridging from middle school to high school.”

In addition to the classes and mini-workshops, students participate in daily team-building activities that are led by returning student volunteers. This gives them an opportunity to build relationships with their peers. The Summer Bridge program started on July 30 and will end on Aug. 10.

SECHS is an HISD magnet early college high school, aimed at increasing student awareness of and preparation for careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), all while earning an associate’s degree from Houston Community College, tuition-free.