The Butterflies Are Teachers (BAT) program has become a model that is both successful and scalable throughout Bridgeport.  Because of the programs innovative structure and visible benefit to the community and our youth, Groundwork Bridgeport has been working to expanding the program to other cities.

A substantial amount of Groundwork Bridgeport’s funding for the BAT program in recent years has come from a grant awarded by the Tremaine Foundation, a local family foundation.  The Tremaine Foundation takes an active interest in the programs which they support.  Realizing the success of the BAT program across Bridgeport, the foundation wanted to see the program reach out to students in other cities.

Other Groundwork Trusts provided the perfect avenue through which to expand and implement the same program structure in new locations.  Groundwork Bridgeport is currently working with Groundwork Somerville and Groundwork San Diego to implement the BAT program at these other trusts.  Groundwork Somerville has successfully started the program at a local middle school while Groundwork San Diego is still in the initial planning stages.  Visit the websites of the other Groundwork Trusts to see the work of their own BAT programs.

Groundwork Somerville                              Groundwork San Diego

Groundwork Somerville has started the BAT program with select 7th and 8th grade students.  The middle school students receive intensive training as mentors to instruct lessons with 3rd and 4th graders.  The 7th and 8th grade students then continue their experience with Groundwork Somerville through paid summer internships designed to maintain the BAT gardens and learn job skills.  Although Groundwork Bridgeport engages high school students as the BAT mentors, Groundwork Somerville has had great success with the 7th and 8th grade students.