Where are they now?What are the take-aways?

Charlie: published author and elite engineering school

Daniel and Sydney: professional connections and attending California Institute of the Arts

Longitudinal study of Bridges students:Most significant finding

• When we privilege talent development the student makes the most progress in the other areas.

• Charlie: technology• Daniel: music• Sydney:art

Caroline, artist, mentor

• Sydney was not the easiest art student to teach at first—she had been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, and she exhibited many of the characteristics of this condition. She was quite awkward socially, and she was very rigid—even stubborn, in what she believed she could and could not do artistically.

• Over the years, I have watched Sydney develop and mature, both as a student and as an artist. She has learned to deal with her Aspergers Syndrome in so many creative ways, she has really turned it into an asset rather than a hindrance. One thing that stood out to me happened about a year ago—She told me that because of her Aspergers , she has always had a hard time making eye contact with people. She has struggled with it and has tried to force herself, but with difficult results. She decided to start drawing eyes realistically, from observation, as a way to learn about eyes, and their importance to expression. She realized that her tendency to draw cartoony eyes was actually being reinforced by her Asperger’s Syndrome. And the best thing about this realization of hers is that it worked. Now, when she observes the world around her, she is not just observing as an artist, she is observing as a kid struggling with Asberge’s Syndrome who is desperately trying to make sense of the people and the world around her. Because of this, she picks up on details, and she observes oddities and inconsistencies in the world that would be lost on most people.

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• Drawings are being considered for an art exhibit at a local Gallery in Culver City. The Japanese style comics (Manga) have been such an inspiration that she is currently studying Japanese (she'll visit Japan this summer) and will be an exhibitor at the Anime Expo 2010.

• Classes over the past five years at Art Center in Pasadena and Brentwood Art School. She continues to sculpt, draw, and create comic/graphic novels.

• Artwork has been displayed at Art Center, Brentwood Art, the Beverly Hills and she created a wall mural for Bridges.

• Accepted into Cal Art's prestigious summer program, Inner Sparks (sponsored by Governor Schwarzenegger). To gain admittance she created armatures and sculptures for a 30 second stop motion movie that she also directed.

• • Asked to produce the drawings to accompany a

psychologist's book on Asperger's Disorder.• • Most recently, one of her characters has been

optioned to be in a computer game.

• Sydney aspires to be a professional animator, and work creating "big" motion pictures.

Edward Hallowel (2005)

I have learned first and foremost to look for interests, talents, strengths, shades of strengths

or the mere suggestion of a talent.Knowing that a person builds a happy and

successful life not on remediated weaknesses but on developed strengths, I have learned to

place those strengths at the top of what matters

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

To a special teacher

When the sun roseFrom under its misty veil,You were there to watch,Like the birds over the sea.When the wind came quietlyAnd rested in your ear,You listened, as the earth would at dawn.

To a special teacher

When the rain fell,You reached out with your handsAnd let it wash everything away,Like waves as they grasp the shore.When the plain brown seed was planted,You could already smell the fragrance of’ The flower that was to come,

To a special teacher

And you were proudAs a good gardener should be.Thank you for believingThat there was a flower waiting insideAnd for taking the timeTo helpAnd watch it grow.

To a special teacher

When the sun roseFrom under its misty veil,You were there to watch,And I am thankful. 

Samantha Abeel

Questions?