Sacred Heart Students Mentor Virtually at Bridgeport School During Pandemic

In this time of upheaval, youngsters have stability and support

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 21 Sacred Heart University students are virtually mentoring 28 middle school students from John Winthrop School in Bridgeport as part of SHU’s Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program (AMP). This after-school program, established in 2001, encourages young students to maintain academic success with their mentors’ support and guidance. 

John Winthrop students are accepted into AMP as sixth-graders and participate in the program through eighth grade. Funded by the Jones Zimmermann Foundation, the program provides young students with the resources they need to complete high school with a strong academic base.

SHU mentors spend approximately four hours per week (two hours, two days) working with students after school. Having college students as mentors exposes young children to the possibilities that come with pursuing higher education.

“Especially right now, with everything kind of changing all the time, the program provides stability and support for these students, which is something that they can look forward to,” said Jillian Rigby, AMP’s coordinator and a graduate student studying industrial/organizational psychology. “Logistically, they also get the homework help and social support that some of them need.”

The majority of students at John Winthrop school are alternating between in-person and virtual learning, but AMP has remained fully virtual. The first hour of mentor sessions consists of academic tutoring, while the second hour is for social enrichment through academic-based activities. This segment includes guest speakers, ranging from yoga instructors to lawyers, visits from SHU sports teams and online games, including virtual escape rooms and Jeopardy.

“Even though there is so much going on, and this program looks a lot different, it continues to run effectively. To still have this program running, I think that’s a pretty big thing,” said Rigby. “Over the course of the year, we’ve seen a lot of student growth from their first week to where they are now. As someone who works behind the scenes, it’s meaningful to see them still benefiting.”