On May 15 Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School held its annual Bridges Foundation of Excellence Ceremony, an opportunity for teachers, students and parents to honor the achievements of BAVTS students. Included in this celebration were the honorable mentions of high academic performance, perfect attendance records and placements in the SkillsUSA competitions.

Of noteworthy significance was the amount of money given out as scholarships to students by the Bridges Foundation. (See chart below.) The Bridges Foundation recently awarded $50,000 to students for tools and scholarships. In conjunction with other foundations, the Bridges Foundation awarded an impressive number of scholarships that was just short of $500,000.

Brian Williams, BAVTS executive director, offered insight on what the Bridges foundation is and how far it's come from its beginnings.

"The Bridges Foundation first started 13 years ago and at that point we only had $5,000 to give out to these kids," Williams explained. "This year we were able to collect $50,000, which is an amazing feat.

"It's a good feeling to know that we're helping students further their education and achieve the goals they set out to accomplish, especially when it comes to students who may not have had these opportunities otherwise," Williams added.

The following BAVTS seniors received awards:

Stephanie Alvarez, Freedom, Fashion Industries,$3,500 Century Fund Affiliate Scholarship;

Thomas Byrnes, Freedom, Automotive Technology, $3,000 Bridges Foundation Artisan Award;

Hailey Carson, Northampton, Nail Technician. $3,000 Bridges Foundation Scholarship;

Catherine Cole, Northampton, Culinary Arts, $2,000 Elizabeth Thun Affiliate Scholarship;

Franklin Cope, Freedom, Video & Media Arts, $1,500 Adam Fink Memorial Scholarship;

Jake Fink, Freedom, Culinary Arts & Event Planning, $2,000 Bridges Foundation Scholarship; Tyler Hess, Northampton, HVAC, $2,000 Bridges Foundation Scholarship;

Cody Lane, Freedom, Protective Services, $1,500 King, Spry, Herman Freund & Faul, LLC Scholarship;

Genesis LaSalle, Liberty, Culinary Arts & Event Planning, $2,000 Elizabeth Thun Affiliate Scholarship;

Zachary Meixell, Liberty, Automotive Technology, $2,000 Bridges Foundation Artisan Award;

Michael Nieves, Freedom, Academy for Applied Engineering

$3,000 Bridges Foundation Scholarship;

Michael Samuelson, Freedom, Academy for Medical Sciences, $3,500 Elizabeth Thun Affiliate Scholarship;

Kalie Souto, Freedom, Culinary Arts & Event Planning

$4,500 Bridges Foundation;

Louis Temple, Liberty, Electrical Construction, $1,500 Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Albarell Artisan Award, $1,000 Albarell Electric Inc. Artisan Award;

Jacylin VanBilliard, Freedom, Culinary Arts & Event Planning, $1,500 Risbon Family Artisan Award, $500 Bridges Foundation Artisan Award;

Jake Yarnall, Liberty, Building Trades, $1,500 Bridges Foundation Artisan Award;

Caroline Ytsma, Freedom, Academy for Applied Engineering, $4,000 Century Fund Affiliate Scholarship; and

Benjamin Knauss, Saucon Valley, Culinary Arts, $5,000 Walter Dealtrey Distinguished Scholarship.

The Bridges Ceremony pamphlet also highlighted a section in which teachers wrote their personal congratulatory notes of encouragement to their students. In particular, teachers made sure to acknowledge the future aspirations of their senior students, many of whom will attend college or enter the workforce after graduation.

"Bridges" is an appropriate moniker for this formal occasion, since the name reflects the journey across academic, social, and professional roads that BAVTS students have traversed from adolescence to young adulthood.

Another accomplishment was done by Matt Hitcho and Austin Kochenash, led by instructor Jeff Cantrel: they not only won the Pennsylvania State Ford/AAA Automotive Technology Competition, but also earned a spot in the prestigious 2014 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Finals this June. There, the duo will compete for millions in scholarship dollars, the opportunity to earn a job shadow experience with Wood Brothers Racing and the possibility of being crowned "America's Best Student Auto Technicians." Furthermore Austin Kochenash was awarded a $1,000 Edward Haines Memorial Scholarship.

One student asked what winning a scholarship meant to him replied, "I think it's really great what the foundation is doing for me and I'm very grateful for the chance I've been given to pursue my dream.

"My scholarship is going to help me out a lot and it's just overall a good feeling to know that I have this."