As a Denver high school student, Dianna Flamenco wasn’t sure whom she could turn to. She needed guidance and she wanted more for herself, but she didn’t know how to do it, or exactly what she wanted to do. As a resident of Denver public housing, Flamenco was eligible to participate in the Bridge Project, run by the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver.
“We provide educational and social and emotional support services for children and families who live in and around Denver’s public housing neighborhoods,” says Molly Calhoun, the program’s executive director.
The Bridge Project provides services for kids from kindergarten to college. These services range from addressing basic needs to mentoring and tutoring. The program creates a community of people who support and encourage students throughout their education.
Flamenco earned a Bridge Project scholarship and graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver; she was one of the first people in her family to do so. Since graduating, she has returned to the Bridge Project — as a full-time education specialist. When asked what her biggest lesson from the Bridge Project is, Flamenco says, “Believe in yourself. Keep trying, keep trying, keep trying.”