Summer Bridge 2024

What an amazing first week of Hamilton High Summer Bridge! This exciting program was designed to help students transition smoothly into high school. During the program's first week, participants engaged in team-building activities that helped them form strong bonds with their new classmates. Our student panel provided valuable insights and tips from current high schoolers, giving attendees a head start on what to expect. Additionally, students had the opportunity to explore the school with a guided tour, ensuring they were familiar with all the important spots before the first day of classes. A special speaker discussed attendance expectations and graduation requirements, providing crucial information for academic success. The highlight of the program was a trip to the California Science Center, where students experienced hands-on learning and discovery. The program helped students make new friends, gain confidence, and start their high school journey on the right foot!

Week 2 of the Summer Bridge Program will be packed with excitement and opportunities for growth! Students will kick off the week with a campus scavenger hunt, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the school grounds while having fun. Creativity was in full swing during the mural-making activity, as students collaborated to create a beautiful piece of art that will leave a lasting mark on the school. Midweek, students enjoyed two fantastic field trips: a visit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) for a dose of culture and inspiration, and an exhilarating outing to a Dodger game, where they enjoyed America's favorite pastime. The week culminated in a college panel, where students heard from current college students about their experiences and gained valuable insights into higher education. Week 2 was a perfect blend of education, creativity, and fun, further preparing students for their high school journey!

Vanessa Lopez-Morales| Site Director

Communities In Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA)

California Science Center Field Trip

UCLA After School is excited to announce that the first week of our 2024 EL Summer Bridge program was a success! Students enthusiastically participated in a variety of activities ranging from practicing their English skills through written and oral activities implemented by EL instructor Mr. Villalta, to engaging in group games with emphasis on social-emotional and team development. Many students began developing positive bonds amongst each other as they worked together to help one another express statements in English. Participating in projects developed by the UCLA team, such as creating “vision boards” with images depicting their future aspirations, amongst outdoor group games which emphasized sharing about their heritage, ultimately helped foster a sense of understanding and appreciation amongst our students. Through exposure to PowerPoints students also learned essential information such as staff to know on Hamilton’s campus to guarantee academic success, as well as information regarding college and other educational opportunities to pursue after high school. By ending each day with a reflection prompt in their assigned journals, UCLA staff has been able to directly see the positive impact of such activities on students’ skill development, as expressed through their own writing. Having fostered a positive and inclusive learning environment, we are excited to see our students continue to bond and develop through the rest of summer programming!

During week 2 of programming the UCLA team and Mr. Villalta look forward to continuing to implement various games, activities, and educational material with the purpose of helping our EL students continue to develop necessary language skills and comfortability here on campus. This week’s activities will emphasize mental and physical wellness, as well as activities which allow students to practice speaking complete phrases in English. We will also be doing a number of outdoor activities which will require students to work together by communicating in as much English as possible. Additionally, Mr. Seislove who oversees the EL department at Hamilton will give an essential presentation regarding reclassification. All together, we look forward to continuing to watch our students develop and thrive as a result of our intentional programming and essential resources shared throughout the week!

Jolly Tadros - UCLA Youth Coordinator

Instagram: @uclaafterschoolhami

Hamilton High School's Summer Bridge Program offered an action-packed week of exploration and preparation for students. They kicked off with a campus-wide scavenger hunt, collaborated on a vibrant mural, and engaged in a spirited Connect 4 championship. A visit to LACMA provided cultural enrichment, while presentations from Hamilton's Wellness Center and a college panel offered valuable insights. Throughout the week, students honed their entrepreneurial skills with Shark Tank presentations, preparing them for future success. The highlight of their week was attending a Dodgers game Tuesday night, where the team secured an exciting victory. This program not only fosters creativity and teamwork but also equips students with essential knowledge and experiences to thrive academically and beyond.

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English Language Development Program

Throughout week 2 of programming, we have seen our EL students develop tremendously individually and collectively amongst their peers. Students have demonstrated great interest in developing their English skills and are consistently taking steps in order to expand their understanding of the language. One of the most wonderful parts of the program so far has been witnessing students open up and feel comfortable asking for advice or guidance when it comes to practicing their English. Additionally, students are frequently asking one another for help and or fellow staff and Mr. Villalta. Through structured social activities and writing assignments, we continue to give our students the tools they need to thrive socially and academically. Overall, we are proud to express that the program has proven beneficial for our students in a multitude of capacities. We look forward to continuing to work with your student and watching them flourish throughout the rest of the summer!

Dance Intensive Program

The UCLA summer bridge program is excited to announce that our first week of the Dance Intensive program was a complete success! Thanks to our talented instructor Ms. Douglas, our students have been provided with an amazing opportunity to not only learn about the fundamentals of dance, but also the chance to get to know one another and bond over programming. In this week alone we have watched as students began to make connections with one another and establish new friendships. We are excited to continue to watch our students flourish as a result of comprehensive programming and opportunities for self-expression through dance. We look forward to what next week will bring and are excited to continue to work with your student!

“I'm very excited to meet this new group of dancers. They are motivated and learning more everyday. It's wonderful to have this opportunity to collaborate and share!” (Ms. Douglas-Dance Teacher)

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Week 3 of the 9th Grade Summer Bridge program was full of fun and learning! We started with team-building activities to help everyone work together. Students got creative with a mural-making project, adding a beautiful piece of art to our school.

We had a movie day and a pizza party, giving everyone a chance to relax and enjoy. A career panel introduced students to different professions, sparking new ideas for the future. The week also featured a "Shark Tank" event, where students pitched their own innovative ideas.

We wrapped up the week with an exciting trip to the Fulcrum Ropes Course. Students challenged themselves, supported each other, and had a blast, making it a week to remember!

ELD Summer Bridge (English)

The UCLA Summer Bridge program is excited to announce that week 3 of programming has been exceptionally successful for our students! Throughout this past week we have been very pleased to witness many of our students begin transitioning into using English on a much more frequent basis then when they began program initially! We have also watched as both staff and students have worked together to foster a comfortable environment in which students are eager to learn and practice new words with one another. Through extensive writing and vocabulary practice facilitated by Mr. Villalta, we have also began seeing a significant improvement in written skills. Overall, our students have been demonstrating enthusiasm to come to class each day to learn and socialize together. All in all, we are very grateful for the time we had to spend with our EL students and look forward to helping them continue to develop their English and social skills through the UCLA after school program during the 2024-2025 school year!

Dance Intensive Updates

Week 3 of the Dance Intensive program has been a great success for our ninth-grade dancers! Through consistent practice throughout the week as well as team bonding experiences, we have been excited to watch as students have emerged from their shells and began embracing not only dance, but also their fellow peers! Day by day it has been evident that our students have continued to develop a stronger sense of confidence and enthusiasm as they have been able to embrace self-expression through the art of dance. As a program, we are very grateful for Ms. Douglas who has done a tremendous job at making sure each student was catered to and had the opportunity to receive all of the guidance they needed.

“Thank you so much for everything you all did today for incoming freshmen! - Glenda Ford

“Hamilton Staff, Thank you very much for all the phone calls and for keeping updated with everything we need to know about our “new high schooler”. - Francisco & Marisa Gonzalez

Hello, So far I’ve felt so informed and included through all the communications with staff. I love how my daughter has had the opportunity of participating in the Summer Dance-Bridge program to meet staff and get to know the campus. I look forward to getting to know the staff and becoming part of the school community!

-Vanessa Estrada Casasola

Summer Bridge has been great for our Son! He has made a bunch of friends already. So far, everything has been great! -Anonymous Parent

I’m coming from MS and so far Hamilton HS has made me feel very very comfortable. I feel prepared, because they make sure we receive all information possible. I’ve reached out and received an immediate response always whether it's by email or by phone call. Today for the coffee / parent center, this was truly amazing! - Patrice

The ladies in the parent center are great! They are very nice and made me feel at home. The parents at the Monday coffee were very polite. I am very nervous, because my little girl is in high school now, however the ladies made me feel better and confident. I hope my daughter has the best time. -Juana Martinez

So far things have been going great, thank you! - Anonymous Parent

Communication has been great! Really happy my daughter has this chance to meet new friends and enjoy what she loves to do, dance! Thank you for doing this!

- Susan Rudick

Everything has been very organized! Communication has been good!

-Kamaria Gray-Adolphus

For Emergencies/

Questions
during Summer Bridge
Call/Text: 323-380-1150