When we posted our first teacher spotlight back in February, we envisioned expanding the VIP introductions to include the broader community that makes our school so special. Our administrative staff. Our board members. Our volunteers. And one day, even our students. Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Luka, a recent Bridges graduate who is currently enjoying her first year of high school.
Luka started at Bridges as a 6th grader. Her schooling up to that point had included traditional classrooms, social-emotional classrooms, and a short stint of homeschooling.
Inspired by the plethora of celebrity interviews found in the pages of popular magazines, I’m adopting their Q&A format for this and future alumni spotlights. I hope you enjoy getting to know Luka and learning about her journey.
THE INTERVIEW
DAMON: So, Luka, tell me a little bit about yourself.
LUKA: I am a creative person who likes to make art, write, and sing. I love to be around animals and children! I’m a very emotionally intuitive person who loves to spend time with those close to me!
DAMON: Can you share a few fond memories or special interests you had as a child?
LUKA: One of my fondest memories from childhood was on my birthday. I don’t remember my exact age but my family took me to go horseback riding. The feeling of being on the horse as we rode for the first time is something I will never forget!
DAMON: I remember that birthday! It was when you turned 5.
LUKA: That’s right! When I was a child I was obsessed with animals! I’d constantly watch Wild Kratts, and I was always looking for new people to tell animal facts to! I had a toy ring-tailed lemur that I especially loved to mention, always emphasizing the fact that ring-tailed lemurs had prehensile tails. Some of my other special interests were zombies and dragons. I once even made a game combining them to play during recess in third grade!
DAMON: Fun memories! So tell me a little bit about your school experiences before Bridges. Where did you go?
LUKA: Before Bridges I had really struggled with schools. I had suffered through many traumatic experiences that made me believe I hated learning, but in reality I was just scared. Before Bridges I went to many different schools but the most recent one had been Pioneer.
DAMON: Would you be willing to share what, if any, of these traumas followed you to Bridges?
LUKA: When I came to Bridges I remember being terrified. I flinched at the slightest touch or sudden noise. I was afraid to connect with other students, and I was scared to let people down. In the past, I hadn’t had the best record with physical touch at schools. It was mostly painful and frightening.
DAMON: I’m sorry, Luka. I remember that quite well. How did the Bridges teachers and staff address these traumas?
LUKA: Bridges addressed these traumas carefully. They crafted an environment where touch didn’t have to be painful, where sudden sounds didn’t have to be frightening, and where authority figures didn’t have to be feared. They showed me I was safe and allowed me to come out of the shell I hid in. Slowly, I began to realize I no longer flinched at touch, I no longer jumped at loud noises, and most of all I was no longer afraid that a teacher would make me feel unsafe.
DAMON: This makes me so happy to hear! Did any of your traumas follow you to your high school?
LUKA: Now that I’m in high school, I no longer feel and react to my trauma so drastically. While the events that caused the trauma will forever be in my memory, they no longer control my life. I had left the fear mostly behind me and while I still sometimes feel it rear its head, I now know I can handle it. I can move forward without being held back by past traumas.
DAMON: Speaking of high school, did you feel prepared? Academically? Socially? Emotionally?
LUKA: I feel as though Bridges prepared me for high school well. It taught me how to form bonds with my peers, how to set healthy boundaries, how to work through conflicts, and how to feel comfortable enough to be myself. All of this has allowed me to succeed in the social and emotional aspect of high school. For the academic side, I personally felt prepared. Bridges is great at meeting you where you’re at and helping you to grow and learn ways to interact with learning healthily. This gave me the confidence in my intellectual abilities and skills needed to succeed at my new school.
DAMON: That’s wonderful! And as your dad, I remember meeting a couple at a meet and greet for new and returning families the year you started at Bridges. I asked them what grade their child was currently in, and they said their son was an alumni and was now in high school. They shared that when your child is at Bridges, you really see how great it is for them; however, it isn’t until your kid leaves and you get to see them independently navigate a system that formerly short-circuited them that you truly understand the impact a Bridges education provides. That really stuck with me. And after witnessing you thriving at your new high school, I couldn’t agree with them more.
Okay. Enough of me! Next question.
I’m curious if you recall how you first heard about Bridges.
LUKA: You and mom were the ones to hear about Bridges when you were looking into a new school for me. I don’t remember exactly how you found out about it, but I believe you heard about it online.
DAMON: It was actually at a parent coffee at your older sibling’s high school. Another parent asked me which elementary school you went to, and I mentioned that we were trying to figure out a better option for middle school. She recommended we check out Bridges where her youngest, who was currently attending Mt. Scott Learning Center, had gone.
LUKA: I had forgotten that.
DAMON: Thinking back to your shadow day, what stands out in your memories?
LUKA: The memory that stands out most to me was when I was working on reading. It had been the first time I had to use textual evidence to answer questions from the reading, and I remember it was really interesting to try. It was nice to be taught something new without fearing failure.
DAMON: When you think of the Bridges community, what comes to mind?
LUKA: I think of all of the teachers and staff that helped me grow as a person. I think of my friends who accepted me for who I was and felt safe enough with me to be themselves. I think of all of the joy shared within the school.
DAMON: How did you individually contribute to the Bridges community?
LUKA: I contributed to the Bridges community in many ways. I remember how much I loved to create art for the school to use or write letters for events. I once even got my art on the cover of the Top God pamphlet! Another way I contributed was the effort I put into helping others. Oftentimes I would help others with notetaking in science class or give feedback and ideas for a writing project. I just loved the feeling of helping them and seeing the gratitude towards me always made my day. It made me feel as though I was giving back to the community I loved. I also was an ambassador at Bridges multiple times, and I found it incredibly fulfilling to help the school.
DAMON: Knowing what you know today, what would you tell a new student before their first day at Bridges?
LUKA: What I would tell them is simple really. This is a safe place to fail. A place where you can grow and learn without fear. All you have to do is care to learn and you will succeed. Don’t worry too much about whether you’ll make friends or if people will like you. As long as you are kind, people will treat you kindly back.
DAMON: Wow! That’s perfect. Okay, so who is your favorite singer or band?
LUKA: My favorite band is the Crane Wives!
DAMON: And what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
LUKA: I enjoy drawing, reading, writing, swimming, and playing games! I especially enjoy spending time with my pets!
DAMON: Now that you’re a freshman in high school, what classes are you taking? Do you have a favorite or two?
LUKA: In high school, I am currently taking American Sign Language, Biology, Civics, Humanities 1, Integrated Math 1, Drawing, and Tai Chi! I love all of my classes, but my favorite would have to be Civics and Tai Chi. Civics is teaching me so much about the world I live in, and I feel as though it has allowed me to interact with current politics in as healthy a manner as possible. Tai Chi allows me to move my body in ways that are both fun to do and healthy. It allows me to improve my connection with my body.
DAMON: Favorite food?
LUKA: My favorite food is chicken fried rice!
DAMON: I could have guessed that! What about your favorite book or book series?
LUKA: A favorite book series of mine is Wings of Fire! I feel as though it goes into heavy topics in a way that allows you to learn and see these topics in your everyday life in a thoughtful manner. I also love all the world building!
DAMON: If you were a teacher or principal at Bridges, what changes would you make or a new thing would you implement?
LUKA: If I was a teacher at Bridges, I think I would implement more opportunities for tough subjects to be talked about in a safe and guided environment. I believe it is important to speak about heavy topics with kids in an environment where they can learn without being overwhelmed by negativity and arguments that we find online. I believe if we teach people about such situations in an age-appropriate manner, it will be easier for them moving forward when they’ll have to interact with such situations.
DAMON: What high schools did you look into? How did you choose which one was the best fit?
LUKA: I looked at a few different high schools, but to be honest I think I always knew which one I wanted to go to. Northwest Academy is the high school my older sibling went to so I grew up seeing what it’s like to go there and watching the school’s events. It’s an amazing place. When I was looking at schools you and mom wanted me to find one that was a fit for me, but I know you hoped NWA would be that and it was. After I went to the school’s shadow day, I knew that was where I wanted to go. The teachers were passionate and accepting, the classes were challenging but rewarding, and most of all it felt like a place where I could continue to grow as a person. This is why I chose to go to NWA.
DAMON: That is amazing! It has been such a joy to see you truly thrive at NWA, and I feel Bridges played a large part in making that a reality. Well that is all I have. Thanks so much for agreeing to be our first Alumni Spotlight, Luka.
LUKA: Thanks, Dad.