Inside the Bridges Interview Room

admin / / Caitlyn Norling

Bridges to a Brighter Future has officially finished interviewing their applicants. A few weeks ago I got the chance to sit in on some of the interview sessions that were held at Furman University, and even participate by asking the students some questions.

The first thing I noticed when entering the interview room is how open and warm it seemed.  The second thing I noticed was how sweet and happy all of the interviewers were. It immediately put me at ease, as I’m sure it did for all of the potential Bridge’s students.

The Bridges interview room before the hours of interviews began
The Bridges interview room before the hours of interviews began

As each eighth grader came, they looked so nervous. The room full of adults introduced themselves, each of them was so kind to each of the kids and took such an interest in each of the students’ lives. When I arrived at the interview Tobi Swartz and Casey Crisp who lead the program were present. There were also teachers who volunteer for Bridges, Furman staff, Bridges Alumni, and Bridges Counselors.

The students were nervous as they waited in the hallway to be called in to their interview. They were shown a video about the Bridges program and given some more information about it while they waited. The questions ranged from ordinary to in depth. Each student got a chance to tell the room about themselves, their likes and dislikes. They also asked the students about strengths, weaknesses, their family, and their friends. All of the questions seemed to reach at getting the students to open up more about themselves.

I witnessed so many students who lit up about their strengths, such as drama club, band, or a sport. I saw a lot of them talk about their families with pride and happiness.  Many talked about the struggles in their lives and all of the wonderful things they had heard that Bridges could offer to them.

As each student filtered out of the room a discussion, in which everyone talked about how they would fit in to the program, ensued. Every student that came in had some sort of need for the program and also had his or her own unique personality to offer to it. More often then not, the discussion really tried to focus on how the student would fit in with in a class and the program as a whole. The need that the student had for the program was also extremely important to the team.

The Bridges interview room and volunteers
The Bridges interview room and volunteers

Overall, the experience was wonderful and I was so impressed by each one of the students that I met. I have no idea how the Bridges team ever narrows it down to twenty-five with so many promising young students.

Check out this audio slideshow!

Bridges Audio Slideshow

A Parent’s Perspective on Interviews

admin / / Caitlyn Norling

In the last post, I shared some information about the student interviews that I was lucky enough to sit-in on. After I had watched a couple of hours of student interviews, I stationed myself in the hallway to speak to the parents of the students. They offered a really unique perspective on the interview process and the Bridges to a Brighter Future Program as a whole.

The parents that sat out in the hall looked almost as nervous as the students themselves. I asked them all the same several questions about their students and why they wanted them to be involved in the Bridges program. The most common answer to my questions revolved around the need for structure and planning in their student’s life. The parents frequently saw Bridges as a place to help provide their student with a consistent presence of education in both the present and the future. They also wanted their students in a college oriented environment and around those who had college experiences to share, as many of the Bridges students are the first in their family to go to college.

A potential Bridges student and her mom waiting for the interview to begin
A potential Bridges student and her mom waiting for the interview to begin

I also asked the parents about what they thought were some of the biggest challenges for their students. Several of the parents told me they wanted their students to work on were their social skills. Bridges provides an excellent opportunity to meet and interact with other students and adults. Also since students are without their cell phones when at the summer program, they are forced to interact face-to-face rather than through the technology crutch.

Bridges Interview Slideshow

The parents impressed me with their unwavering support of their students. Even more so I was inspired by how kind they were to me and their want to know more about my college experience to share with their own children. I really enjoyed getting to know the potential students’ families and gaining their unique perspective on the program.

Check out this video of the Bridges Perspectives on the Interviews

Behind the scenes at Saturday College

msoto / / Anabella Soto

For these students, Saturday mornings quickly go from academics to a family environment. Photo Courtesy of Tobi Swartz.

Bridges to a Brighter Future is a program known for obtaining amazing results. However, these outcomes are the result of perseverance and hard work, not only from the students but also from counselors, volunteers and administrators.

In my first post, I talked a little about what a typical day at Saturday College entails. However, I did not mention the incredible amount of work that happens behind the scenes. Tobi Swartz and Casey Crisp, Bridges Program Director and Assistant Program Director describe planning Saturday College a “logistical challenge” that is worth every effort put in.  The first Saturday of every month, they are prepared to receive students and volunteers who will take part in a hectic morning of academics, but most importantly, support.

Ensuring that every student has transportation and contacting local restaurants to provide lunch are only two examples of items Swartz and Crisp must check off their “To Do List” before the students arrive on Saturday morning.

To get a general idea of some behind the scenes work at Saturday College, be sure to check out this Flickr Slideshow.

Swartz states that “Bridges students are known for their enthusiasm and dedication”. This is easy to see as soon as you meet them because they learn from the example of hard work set by other people involved, like program administrators and counselors. The students of Bridges to a Brighter Future are the ones we hear about the most, but the program would not be as successful as it is without its foundation of collaborative effort.

Saturday College is only one component of Bridges to a Brighter Future, so be sure to read our other posts, to better understand the job of other people involved with different parts of the program. Who knows? Maybe you’ll feel identified with the cause and become the next volunteer!

Don’t forget to leave any comments or questions below!

A closer look at the Mauldin Miracle League

psilverstein / / Uncategorized

As mentioned previously, the Mauldin Miracle League is one of the top benefactors of the Reedy River Duck Derby. With over %70 of their total income coming from the event, one could see where the  MML is very thankful for Quacky and the team. The Mauldin Miracle League is just a branch off of the National Miracle League, which is actually worldwide. When speaking to the Mauldin Director, Dennis Raines, about the league, he said it was his favorite thing to do. (He is also the mayor of Mauldin.) So one could see where taking the time to see kids get to unwind and play baseball would be a nice change of pace. I also sat down with Don Johnson, group buddy coordinator for the MML. He said participants have their own “ Angel in the Outfield” who knows each child’s specific needs and diagnostics if something were to go wrong.A player and her "buddy."

When I asked Mayor Raines about a possible tournament between neighboring leagues, he said the Mauldin teams have traveled as far as Spartanburg, SC for a tournament but any further would just be unnecessary. With the challenges these families face every day, it must certainly be rewarding to be able to watch their children doing something they enjoy. Players from the MML will be participating in a game down in the Reedy River Park on the day of the Duck Derby, so come out and see these kids shine, or better yet, be an “Angel in the Outfield.” Once again, the Mauldin Miracle League is one of the biggest benefactors of the Greenville Evening Rotary’s Reedy River Duck Derby, so get out there today and buy a duck for as low as $5 dollars, and don’t forget the Duck Derby is on May 5th at 10am. See you there.

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The Duck Derby Inside Scoop: Sponsorship

alawrence / / Lee Lawrence, Uncategorized

Who’s behind all this Duck Derby sponsorship work? Let put a face with a name. This week I met with Ann Golden.

IMG_4352

Meeting with Ann at the High Cotton Rotarian mixer. Photo credit: Betsy Leadbeater

I was fortunate enough to sit down with Ann Golden for an interview.

Past posts have highlighted specific sponsors and the relationship between sponsors and non-profit organizations. This week I sat down with Ann Golden, past president of the Greenville Evening Rotary Club, past president of Greenville Evening Rotary Club Charities, and Duck Derby Sponsorship Chair. She gave me the inside scoop on what the Duck Derby is doing to seek out and maintain their sponsors. Ann currently works with Golden Career Strategies as their Client Services Director in Greenville, South Carolina.

In our interview, I asked Ann to share why the Duck Derby event is unique. Sponsors are asked to participate in a number of worthy charitable causes throughout the year; so what makes the Duck Derby special? The first step is early action. Ann and her team begin the search for sponsors as early as August, nine months before race day! The greatest challenge for the sponsorship team? The economy. Businesses in the area and nationwide have felt the effects of the recession and not many organization have a lot extra funding to give away.

One of the unique events that Duck Derby sponsors enjoy is the Very Important Duck (VID) Party. This event allows sponsors to mix and mingle with one another and win some prizes! The Very Important Duck Party is one of the many ways that the Greenville Evening Rotary Club draws in big supporters.

The sponsorship committee works year round to keep their sponsors engaged and the community informed about the event. On March 19th, the Duck Strut Team showed off their moves to the Rotarians in the Greenville area. The Rotarians were meeting for their monthly mixer located at High Cotton. Some Rotarians are sponsors and the promotional dance in the streets provided exposure for the event and the sponsors. The promotion dance and mixer event will serve as a conversation piece to entice potential sponsors in the future. Be sure to check out the slide show of the event below! Sponsors and members watched the promotional event from the second level of High Cotton. See if you can spot Ann in the photos doing the duck strut!

You can find the slideshow on our Flickr page.

A Student’s Perspective: “Why is water such an issue?”

aboyter / / Amy Boyter

In response to “Water Month,” a month-long sustainability event hosted by Furman University’s Global Issues Forum (GIF), I decided to interview EAG President/GIF Officer Alison Bressler to find out why water is such an issue.

Listen to the interview.

Within the context of why GIF chose water as their theme this semester, I asked Alison to explain why she thought water was such an important issue. As her answer, she explained how water is connected to a larger picture. It is used not only for domestic use but for agriculture and gasoline production as well. It is much more than simply “how much water you are consuming in your showers,” or obvious water use. Water is used in recycling, raising cattle, and even manufacturing plastic. But unfortunately, people are often unaware of water’s interconnectedness between their everyday lives and the global scope of water.

Students do not think about water outside of their everyday lives.

To remedy this, Alison suggests students take action and become educated on the subject. Furman students specifically can become involved by participating in Water Month CLPs as well as the upcoming Water Walk. The Furman Water Walk is scheduled for April 13th at the Library Loop from 9am to 4pm. As mentioned in one of my previous blogs, the Water Walk will be designed to simulate how much effort it takes to carry water long distances, illustrating the difficulties some families without water face.

Sources:

GIF’s Blog

More Blogs With Alison:

EAG Upcoming Events: Water Month

Related Blogs:

Tapped Afterthought

The Taste of Water

Duck Derby Sponsorship Spotlight: Entercom Communications

alawrence / / Lee Lawrence, Uncategorized

Quacky Interview

Is anyone listening? Chances are if you have listened to the radio in Greenville you may have caught one of Entercom Communication’s stations. This week I sat down with Keira Huffman, the Promotions Manager for Entercom  Communications Corporation.

Entercom is a nationally recognized name in the radio industry and hosts five radio stations here in the Upstate and is a loyal Duck Derby sponsor! Entercom has been working with the Greenville Duck Derby for many years now and has been an essential partner in event promotion. The latest and greatest addition to their partnership will be on the on-air contests and “Where’s Quacky?” events. Listeners will be prompted with clues on-air as to where they can find “Quacky” around the city. Winners will receive a “Quack Pack” that will be entered into the race on May 5th!

Entercom serves as an in-kind sponsor. The Partnership Group, a sponsorship development firm, defines an in-kind sponsorship as, “payment (full or partial) of the sponsorship fee in goods or services rather than cash.” In-kind sponsors play a major role in the Duck Derby preparations and on race day. Entercom’s media contributions reach thousands of Greenville residents and spread the word about the race. On the day of the event, citizens love coming out to meet the radio hosts who are “local celebrities.”

Entercom reports that each year they are able to raise over, “100 million for charitable causes.” They state that they are, “committed to making positive contributions to the communities [they] serve.” When I sat down to speak with Keiara, it was evident that the corporate values of Entercom have made their mark in her life. Be sure to check out the video below to hear what Keiara had to say about serving as a sponsor.

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Quack, Quack For Family Fun

admin / / Allie Blalock, Uncategorized

Do yourself a favor and mark May 5th on your calendar as a family outing!  Step up your family game nights to a day filled with fun, sun, and an adrenaline-pumping race at Reedy River Duck Derby! Often it is hard to find an activity that the whole family can enjoy, but we at the Greenville Rotary have found an event for all! The Reedy River Duck Derby will keep both parents and children entertained as the ducks race to victory. Watch as your “lucky duck” makes its way through the Reedy River’s course to win the title of first place. By the end of the day, the kids will have a winning duck, while the parents can enjoy the prize of free groceries from Publix for a year!

The fun doesn’t stop when you get to the derby. Add even more excitement to the mix by making signs to cheer on your duck.  Quacky, our head duck, will be available for pictures and getting his groove on with the Duck Strut. While you’re at it, why don’t you adopt a duck for each family member to make the race personable and increase your likelihood of winning? The Quack Pack specials make this easier and more affordable! Before April 1st, you and your family can get 7 ducks for $25 while after April 1st you can get 6 for $25. That one extra duck could be the difference between a year full of free groceries! So go ahead and get your ducks in a row!

Blog Post pic cropped

The Reedy River Duck Derby also helps teach children how to put the “fun” in fundraising. The importance of “giving back” is something we as adults can pass onto our children through fundraisers such the Reedy River Duck Derby. The proceeds go to various charities locally and internationally that you can discover more about.

Listen to what some local Moms had to say about the Reedy River Duck Derby!

Edited Reedy River Mom Podcast

So don’t forget to bring your own little ducklings down to the Reedy River on May 5th for family fun and memories!

Greenville Evening Rotary Club: A Glance at the Past

mnesmith / / Jenny Nesmith, Uncategorized

In early 2002, the idea to charter the Greenville Evening Rotary Club sprouted from an evident need.  Members of the Rotary Club of Greenville, the oldest and largest club in South Carolina, observed a desire for a club that met in the evening.  With fourteen Rotary clubs in the area already, each one met either around breakfast or lunchtime, making it difficult for some members to attend.

After recruiting twenty-five interested members in 2002, the process of chartering a new club officially began, as the required level of interest became apparent to Rotary International.  The steps towards a charter continued, and one year later, on February 11, 2003, the Rotary Club of Greenville Evening received its charter as members of the District 7750 of upper South Carolina.  Serving as Assistant Governor for District 7750 for his fourth year now, Ed Irick was a member of this founding group.  Irick explains their club’s main desire has always simply been “to give back… to both the community and Rotary International’s projects.”

Rotary Meeting
The Club eagerly welcomed us to their first meeting in March of 2012.

Since 2003, the club has maintained its initial goals, meeting in the evening on both the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, acknowledging “Service Above Self” and giving back to the Greenville community.  Although the Greenville Evening Club is most widely recognized for its organization and production of the Reedy River Duck Derby, the club’s main projects include:

With nearly thirty members today, almost ten years later, the Rotary Club of Greenville Evening focuses on the surrounding community and schools, while also committing themselves to the projects of Rotary International.  With the efforts of clubs like the Greenville Evening Club and various other organizations, Rotary International is nearing the eradication of Polio.  Rotary’s success demonstrates the importance and relevance of each club’s efforts, encouraging involvement within all communities.

The Greenville Evening Club has certainly made its presence known in Greenville, even receiving the “2009-2010: Club of the Year.”  With the Reedy River Duck Derby nearing, the club’s success within the community only continues to grow!

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(Photo credit: Jenny NeSmith)

History of Reedy River Duck Derby: Alive and Quacking

mnesmith / / Jenny Nesmith, Uncategorized

After receiving their charter just two years earlier, the Greenville Evening Rotary Club bravely decided in 2005 to arrange the Reedy River Duck Derby for the community of Greenville.  Although they were new members to Rotary International, the Evening Club let nothing stop them in producing the first of many Duck Derbies to come.

Derby Ducks float down the Reedy River in 2009.
Derby Ducks float down the Reedy River in 2009.

Yet where did such a creative idea come from?  One member, whose mother belonged to a Rotary club in Georgia, was introduced to the idea and excitedly shared it with the group.  Within little time, the club was on board, and the ducks were awaiting their swim.

Ed Irick, Head Duck for this year’s Duck Derby, describes the progress of the event as “having grown leaps and bounds.”  The first year, the Reedy River Duck Derby raised only a few thousand dollars; yet, eight years later, the monetary goal for the 2012 Derby is set at $10,000.00.

Each year, the Duck Derby has developed more and more into a well-known and largely attended event within Greenville, making this goal attainable.  Irick explains, “We’ve become a community event in Greenville and people each year now look forward to the derby and recognize the duck… we’ve gotten bigger and better!”  With proceeds benefitting GAIHN, Mauldin Miracle League, EarlyAct FirstKnight, PolioPlus and various other local groups, the Duck Derby has grown into a widely respected and important annual event in Greenville.

Although additions to the event have been made this year, such as activities and musical appearances, the planning has come together even more easily than in the past.  Planning certainly requires a high level of involvement from each member and a dedication to working on the project each week.  Having learned a great deal the past eight years and receiving gracious support from sponsors and volunteers, though, Irick says “we’re getting pretty good at what we do.”

Excited families scatter Falls Park to watch Duck Derby.
Excited families scatter Falls Park to watch Duck Derby.

The success of the event over the last eight years has generated a greater amount of support and interest with each year.  As usual, the event will take place at the beginning of May, Saturday the 5th, at Falls Park on the Reedy River.  The Greenville Evening Rotary Club eagerly anticipates a greater level of support than ever before!

For more information on the Event, check out Reedy River Duck Derby 2012.

Interview with “Head Duck,” Mr. Ed Irick: Podcast Duck Derby

Past Derby Slideshow

(Photo Credits: Rotary Club of Greenville Evening)