The Trenton Bridge to Employment (BTE) was a partnership between Trenton Central High School, James Kerney Mercer County Community College (MCCC), and Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, L.P., a local Johnson & Johnson operating company. MCCC designed the BTE program to provide early intervention, remediation, and guidance for pre-college students in grades 9 through 12. Targeting students who demonstrated an interest in science and technology, but whose academic records reflected poor performance, including many students in the Upward Bound program and GED classes, MCCC provided students with an intense and practical program of study in the sciences. The program featured a four-week, intensive “summer institute” designed to provide participants the opportunity to explore aspects of science and technology, as well as engage in site visits, hands-on investigative techniques, and on-going activities with mentors from Janssen. Each of the three consecutive summer institutes focused on the application of chemistry, energy, motion, manufacturing, finance, and marketing. Student summer projects focused on soap development in year one, artificial limbs technology in year two, and solar powered vehicles in year three. In addition to the “summer institute”, the BTE program nurtured student interest in science and technology throughout the school year with an after-school remedial science and math curricula. All activities were directly aligned with New Jersey’s science skill standards.
