The idea came from Board Member Russell Stuart, who originally pitched a broader community engagement plan. To his credit, he refocused the proposal after feedback and tightened the mission. Now, the BRIDGE Committee stands for “Building Relationships to Inspire Development & Growth for Everyone,” but the real aim is clearer than the acronym. This committee is about internships. It is about business collaboration. And it is about time.
For too long, BHUSD has been absorbed in internal conflict, whether over curriculum standards, classroom speech, or district politics. Meanwhile, students, especially those at the high school, are left to navigate college and career planning with little structured exposure to what work looks like in the adult world. That is not a new problem. It is just one the district has ignored. This committee is a step toward addressing it.
Internships may not sound revolutionary, but in a community like Beverly Hills, they can open doors that matter. Law firms, production studios, real estate offices, and tech companies operate just blocks away from our schools. Many are owned or staffed by BHUSD alumni or parents. But until now, there has been no organized effort to bring students into those workplaces. That is a failure of imagination and leadership. Stuart’s committee, if properly supported, could begin to repair that.
Of course, the success of this effort will depend on more than a board vote. It will require coordination, oversight, and a willingness to treat student time as serious. The danger is always the same: a committee that becomes a talking point instead of a working body. If this turns into a series of disconnected events or hollow signups, it will have missed the point. The goal should be sustained, supervised placements where students do real work and get real feedback.
It is also worth noting what this effort does not do. It does not cost the district new money. It does not require hiring outside consultants. It does not impose another program on already overworked teachers. Instead, it asks local professionals to help educate the next generation and gives students a reason to see their studies in context. That is the kind of public/private cooperation Beverly Hills should be leading on.
BHUSD likes to talk about excellence. But excellence requires relevance. It means giving students more than test prep and theory. It means helping them grow into capable, responsible adults. The BRIDGE Committee may not solve every issue in the district, but it points in the right direction. And these days, that alone is a rare and welcome thing.
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