During a hot, sunny July afternoon, Washington State football student-athlete Brennan Jackson took a break from preparing for the upcoming season by playing kickball and basketball with youth from the Pullman YMCA at the playground of a local elementary school.

"When I was a kid I remember seeing people playing sports at the highest level," Jackson recalled. "I wanted to know who they were and to be friends with them. Going to the YMCA and playing with those kids it made me think about how I was as a child. It was super cool making their day."

While Jackson was enjoying games with the kids, women's basketball freshman Michaela Jones was helping the senior citizen community.

"We went to a lady's house and helped clean up her yard," Jones said. "It's neat to have those opportunities and I look forward to doing more of that."

And soccer freshman Molly Myers was at the Whitman County Humane Society helping to renovate a play area for the animals who shelter there.

"It was cool to be a good inspiration for WSU Athletics," Myers said. "That's what people will remember. I'll definitely remember it."

Making memories by serving the Pullman community was just a small part of what Washington State University student-athletes accomplished during the Summer Bridge program. The program is called "Summer Bridge" because of what it symbolizes, serving as a bridge from high school to college.

Summer Bridge is part of the Washington State University Summer Advantage Program, which is billed by WSU as "an opportunity to adjust gradually to the new academic demands of college life."

"The biggest goal is to help the student-athletes transition into college," said Brittany Thackery, Academic and Transitions Advisor and the coordinator of the Summer Bridge program.

Within the athletic department, the program has grown since its inception in 2001 when four student-athletes participated. In 2018, 56 student-athletes were part of the program.

 "It's a small sample for what they are going to be doing in the fall," explained Thackery. "For them, it's a really big advantage being here - taking two classes, tutoring, working out with their strength coaches - so when the fall comes it's less of a burden on them when they start."

This summer, Thackery added a community service component to the program.

"We live in a college town and it will be people from the community who will be attending their events," Thackery explained. "Let's show them we appreciate their support. Even though they haven't played a game yet they saw how their service impacts the community in a positive way."

Adjusting to the academic workload and the challenges it presents is a significant aspect of the program. The 56 new student-athletes earned a 3.20 GPA during the summer.

"It opened my eyes," Jackson said. "You hear stories about how you're not going to have any time in college. The program showed you do have time as long as you manage it correctly. It was good baby steps about how college life is going to be."

And those time management skills will pay dividends during the competitive season.

"You definitely have to put time aside to study," said Jackson. "Having tutors helped a lot building study habits, which will be beneficial during the season when our time will be more condensed."

"It was really beneficial," said Jones. "It was so nice to get to get our feet wet and get that experience while taking classes and workout with our team."

"When you graduate high school you're at the top," Myers said.  "Coming here you have to start all over and learn better study skills than you had in high school. That's a big one, because you have to study a lot more. Having the tutors helping us was big."

The benefits of Summer Bridge were not limited to preparing for competition, adjusting to the academic workload of college classes, or serving the community.

It was a bonding experience, as well.

"The first two weeks, football was at this table, baseball was at this table, soccer was at another spot," Myers said, describing the scene at the Gray W Legends Lounge, where the student-athletes ate. "By the third week everybody was together."

As they enter the season, Jackson, Myers and Jones and the rest of the summer bridge student-athletes are ready to take on the challenges the academic year presents.

And because of Summer Bridge they will be meeting the challenges together.

"We built a relationship with all the athletes and that was pretty cool," said Myers.

"You understand that Washington State is really a family," Jackson said.