With support from the Solon E. Summerfield Foundation, CARA expanded its College Bridge program to Newark, New Jersey in the fall of 2024. Since then, we’ve been learning alongside students, counselors, and our partners NCLC, Mentor Newark and the Newark Board of Education as we see how postsecondary access operates in our neighbor state, and how to adapt our peer leadership model to create new opportunities for young people there.
At the center of this work are Bridge Coaches: college students who return to their high schools to help seniors navigate college applications, financial aid, and what comes next. This month, we’re spotlighting three Newark Bridge Coaches whose experiences show what’s possible when students are supported by someone who’s been in their shoes.
- Devin Brockett, a film major at Montclair State University, serves as a Bridge Coach at Arts High School, where he once sat in the same classrooms as the students he now supports. “I wanted to come back to my school and give back what they gave to me,” he shared.
Now in his second year as a Bridge Coach, Devin works with seniors who are excited to graduate but sometimes unsure of themselves. “A lot of students don’t believe in themselves as much as they can,” he said. “I try to remind them, ‘You’ve got this. As long as we’re together, you’re not doing this alone.’”
Each day, Devin meets with students one-on-one and in small groups, helping them stay grounded, confident, and focused through a stressful season.
- At East Side High School, Brian Rivera supports a large and diverse senior class while studying computer science at NJIT, with a focus on cybersecurity. What drives him is his own experience navigating college with limited guidance.
“I didn’t really think things through,” Brian reflected. “I didn’t have much communication with my counselor, and I wish I had someone to help me think about what was best for me.”
Now, Brian helps students move past the “what ifs” and keep their options open. “Don’t close doors,” he tells them. “Make sure you’re prepared so you have choices.”
Through this work, Brian has grown into a confident communicator – meeting with students, parents, counselors, and school staff, and learning to adjust quickly to the needs of each day.
- At Science Park High School, Carolina Pinheiro, a sociology major at Rutgers–Newark, brings a thoughtful, student-centered approach to her work as a Bridge Coach. She often supports seniors who may not ask for help but need it just the same.
“If they need help, they’re not always going to reach out,” Carolina said. “So I try to give them the space to ask questions and talk through what they’re worried about.”
The role has pushed Carolina to guide conversations, ask sensitive questions, and support families navigating complex financial aid situations. “This is my first time having to really lead conversations like this,” she shared. “It’s helped me refine my people skills in a big way.”
Across Newark, these Bridge Coaches are doing what CARA has always helped our peer leaders do: meeting students where they are, building trust, and helping them take the next step with confidence.
Whether in NYC or New Jersey, the needs are familiar and so is the impact. With the right support, students succeed. And with the right opportunities, so do the young leaders guiding them forward.