Bridging the gap between junior high and high school -- that's the goal of the Project GRAD Summer Bridge program which started on Monday at Sayre High School in West Philadelphia.

The program runs for two weeks, one week at Sayre high School and the next at Community College of Philadelphia. Gail Daniels, the principal at Sayre, explains:

"The goal for our students who are involved in this program is to graduate on time and be ready for higher education."

Project executive director Thomas Butler says getting the college involved was important:

"Students who tend to stay in college are students who have had early exposure to college and early awareness of college, mainly from a parent. A lot of times students don't know they're getting exposure, but the parents are providing the exposure."

The bridge program provides academics and fun for the next two weeks. Butler says it also helps students better navigate when the regular school year begins.