Bridge to Success at Ocean County College
- Josette Kluender
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Written by Laura M. Garzon Salinas
When you hear “English class,” you might imagine textbooks, grammar drills, and memorizing vocabulary. But for students in the Bridge to Success program at Ocean County College, it was something entirely different. It wasn’t just an academic program—it was a place where they could breathe, speak without fear, and begin to believe in themselves again.
A Small Program with a Big Impact
For ten weeks, twice a week, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., students from different backgrounds came after work, family responsibilities, and daily routines to a classroom that felt warmer than any traditional class.
In total, there were 20 classes designed to help students improve their English while understanding how to navigate academic and professional life in the United States.
The curriculum combined reading, writing, presentations, research in college databases, personal reflection, and activities connecting language skills to real-life goals: education, work, family, and community engagement.
Course Objectives: Beyond Grammar
The goals went far beyond learning English language rules. Students learned to:
Communicate ideas clearly, both orally and in writing.
Apply critical thinking to discuss ethics, personal goals, identity, and responsibility.
Practice academic skills such as time management, study strategies, and note-taking.
Conduct a service-learning project analyzing a real social issue.
Use technology to research, register for classes, and navigate the college system.
Explore future careers through self-assessments and professional tools.
Understand personal finance and plan for a stable future in the U.S.
Reflect on mental, emotional, social, and physical health.
But more than that, students reported learning to trust their own voice in a language that once made them feel small.
A Classroom That Felt Like Home
Classes followed a structure: readings, homework, presentations, and research projects. Yet within this structure was something harder to describe: a sense of security that allowed people to speak freely for the first time in years.
Lessons often began with conversations about culture, personal experiences, or debates to warm up voices. Then, students analyzed texts, discussed in groups, practiced guided writing, and explored technology: digital libraries, academic articles, videos, and even AI tools.
These activities were academic—but carried a human touch. No one laughed at mistakes, no one corrected from a place of superiority, no one feared participation.
The Research Project
Midway through the program, students completed a mini research project:
Select a topic relevant to their life
Search for sources in digital libraries
Take notes and analyze information
Prepare a final presentation
For many, it was the first time completing a full college-level project in English. And it was the moment they realized something profound: they could do it.
Stories That Define the Program
Student stories are at the heart of Bridge to Success. They don’t just talk about English—they talk about life.
⭐ Carolina: “For the first time, I wasn’t embarrassed.”Carolina, from Colombia, had studied English in the past but had never felt free to speak it. Grammar rules and mechanical exercises had left her frustrated and fearful.
But in Bridge to Success, she found something different: “It was a respectful environment where I could make mistakes without shame. For the first time, I felt like I was really learning English.”
The discussions, collaborative activities, and supportive classroom culture allowed her to feel confident and envision her future academically and professionally.
⭐Carla: “It wasn’t English I learned first… it was confidence.”
After more than 25 years in the United States, Carla thought her time to study had passed. She had taken classes before that made her repeat grammar rules over and over, with no connection to her real-life experience.
But here, something changed.
“The support is so important,” she told me, her eyes welling with tears.“It made me feel seen.” For the first time, she felt heard without being harshly corrected. She spoke, participated, wrote entire essays, and finished the course by reading entire books in English.
And one day, almost in a whisper, she said something that sums up the essence of the program:
“If I could take this class… I can take another one.” That’s the power of a place where you feel capable.
⭐Gabriela: “I grew more than I expected.”
Gabriela, a young Venezuelan woman, arrived at the course with a good level of English, but without the confidence to pursue academic studies.
Taking a university class entirely in English was a challenge that scared her… but it transformed her.
“I grew not only in grammar, but also in how I express my ideas clearly and confidently.”
“I’m leaving with more self-belief.”She expressed her gratitude for her teachers’ patience, the supportive environment, and the financial backing from OCC that allowed her to focus on learning.
Her story isn’t about mastering a language, but about something deeper: learning to see herself as a university student in the United States.
Where English Becomes a Bridge
Listening to these stories, one thing becomes clear: Bridge to Success isn’t just a class. It’s a place where students stop feeling invisible.
It’s a space where English is not a barrier—it’s a bridge:
A bridge to opportunities
To education
To belong
To a transformed identity
By the end, students didn’t just leave with better essays, presentations, or research skills. They left saying, with newfound confidence:
“Now I know I can.”
And that phrase—more than any academic achievement—is the true graduation.
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