We were honored to have our Executive Director, Beven Byrnes, featured in a live interview on FOX 12 Now with Greg Nibler, a weekday livestream highlighting breaking news and important local conversations.
During the interview, Beven, a lifelong Portland resident, mother of four, and passionate student advocate, explained that neurodivergence includes learning differences such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, and more. She emphasized that belonging is foundational to learning, and that Bridges is built around small class sizes, relationship-based support, and helping students develop confidence and self-belief — because “that’s when academics can happen.”
Beven also emphasized the importance of representation, pointing to the newly released Autistic Barbie, developed by Mattel in collaboration with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. She noted that inclusive representation “provides opportunities to see others through a lens of compassion and ourselves reflected in different ways,” sparking meaningful conversations in classrooms, homes, and communities.
As the only middle school in Oregon exclusively serving neurodivergent learners, Bridges continues to create a place where students discover their strengths, build advocacy skills, and recognize that they belong — because, as Beven shared, “This Barbie and the work we do at Bridges sends the message to our kids that you matter just as you are.”
