2025 IN REVIEW

Connect-Us Academy Class of 2025 with their Professional Mentors

Message from Pam Lewis, Executive Director

Pam Lewis with the Connect-Us team at the 2025 soiree

Dear friends,

As we come to the end of 2025, I find myself reflecting on what a great year of programming we had, and also how challenging this year has been for our country, for our communities, and especially for our youth.

Young people are still forming their sense of how the world works and where they fit within it. Many of the structures and systems we rely on to help us understand the world seem fragile and untrustworthy. This leaves a lot of young people feeling anxious, confused, and searching for meaning and purpose.

Everything that we have learned building Connect-Us over the past 10 years – the programming that we have developed to engage young people in creating their future, all the partnerships and mentors that have contributed their expertise – have enabled us to meet this moment.

At a time when so many traditional institutions and “ways of knowing” are failing, Connect-Us is making it possible for young people to thrive.

Every week, our program participants show up wanting to talk about the news and the issues they are facing. They come to Connect-Us looking for a place where they can connect with their peers and wrestle with ideas that help them see the world in a bigger way. We invite them to speak honestly, listen to one another, work collaboratively, and make sense of the world together. Through these activities, they begin to develop an understanding of what they care about, what they have to give, and what might be possible, even in uncertain times.

Thank you for supporting Connect-Us and for believing in this work. As we move into the new year, let’s continue listening to the young people in our lives and finding new ways to support them. We are actively building our future together and we all have a role to play.

With gratitude,
Pam

P.S. It’s not too late to make a year-end donation to Connect-Us! We are close to reaching our fundraising goal for the year and we need your help to get to the finish line.

–––
Pam Lewis
Executive Director
203-864-9129
plewis@connectusct.org

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2025 At a Glance

C-U Onstage! (CUO)

Over 590 community members joined our C-U Onstage! events this year, which included our annual MLK Day show and CUO Talent Show at The Klein Memorial Auditorium.
140 young people participated in the program. They attended auditions, rehearsals, and performance workshops, performing both onstage and offstage to help produce the events.

Connect-Us Academy (CUA)

33 students participated in the 16-week Connect-Us Academy program this year, and we partnered with 80 business leaders from throughout Fairfield County who worked with the young people.
The CUA survey results illuminated the impact of the program on the participants: 100% feel more prepared to find and maintain a job; 100% feel more hopeful about their future and more confident in their ability to succeed in life; 100% feel better prepared for adulthood; and 100% feel they greatly improved their public speaking skills.

Connect-Us Youth Leadership Team (YLT)

The YLT met 34 times this year and produced two major community events, hosting hundreds of people from the Bridgeport community. In addition, the Summer Fellows had more than 320 conversations with young people, adults, business owners, and community members throughout Bridgeport.
28 young people are active members of the YLT and they are currently working on the 2026 MLK Day show. We hope to C-U at The Klein on January 19, 2026!

BRIDGEPORT HAS A DREAM:
BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS FAIRFIELD COUNTY

Cast of “Bridgeport Has a Dream” at The Klein • January 2025

We kicked off the year strong with our annual MLK Day Show, Bridgeport Has a Dream: Building Bridges Across Fairfield County, at The Klein Memorial Auditorium.

Bridgeport Has a Dream featured a multiracial youth cast from across Fairfield County. Dozens of young people stepped onstage at The Klein and shared their dreams for our country. In addition to youth performances from Connect-Us, we hosted performances by the Greater CT Youth Orchestra, K.E.Y.S., The Klein Dance Company, and Neighborhood Studios.

The Connect-Us Youth Leadership Team led the way by reading excerpts from speeches by Dr. King, including Letters from a Birmingham Jail and On Vietnam. Through song, rap, dance, poetry, and letters to Dr. King, our cast honored his legacy of fighting for social and economic justice for all. Parents, families, community partners, and audience members thanked us for creating the show, and they talked about how powerful it was. And the young people were so proud. The experience inspired them. They walked taller. They wanted to learn more history.

We are grateful to those who joined us in celebrating and paying tribute to the great life and work of Dr. King, and we are honored to partner together to continue his legacy. C-U next year!

▶️ WATCH the coverage: News 12 Connecticut

WATCH THE SHOW:

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CONNECT-US ACADEMY

The eighth year of the Connect-Us Academy was a huge success. 33 students participated in the 16-week program this year, and we partnered with 80 business leaders.

Connect-Us Academy workshop at Barnum Financial Group

Connect-Us Academy workshop at Daversa Partners

We want to give a big shout out to our many corporate partners who led workshops and provided mentorship and support to the students:

Barnum Financial Group hosted the mock job interview workshop, where the students learned what companies look for in candidates and were interviewed by members of the Barnum team who provided personalized feedback and tips for being successful. Special thanks to Melissa Poli and the team at Barnum Financial Group.
Bridgewater Associates hosted us for a Resume Writing workshop, where the students enjoyed an engaging and educational experience working on their resumes with team members from Bridgewater. Special thanks to Michelle Treglia and the Bridgewater team.
Daversa Partners led a workshop where the students developed mock executive recruitment pitches for companies like OpenAI, WhatNot, Uber, and DoorDash, and then they presented their pitches to the whole group. Special thanks to Fiona Walley, Dan Bartram, and the team at Daversa Partners.
Fairfield University and Dr. Walter Hlawitschka of the Dolan Business School hosted a "Stock Trading Simulation" workshop where the students learned about the stock market and trading.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. led an "Introduction to Investing & Personal Finance" workshop. The young people learned critical financial health skills, learned about different career paths in banking and finance, and broadened their network of business professionals and mentors. Special thanks to Connect-Us Board Member Kelvin Savage, along with Alayjah Evans, Chris Morton, and Andrei Saunders.
Pullman & Comley, LLC gave the students an opportunity to learn how laws are made –– and they got to pretend they were elected members of the Bridgeport City Council and propose their own law based on a case study. Special thanks to Joshua Cole, Bianca LoGiurato, Joshua Smith, and Karen Wackerman.
Rich Eldh, Founder Emeritus of SiriusDecisions, led the "How to Interview" workshop. The insight, good energy, and excitement Rich brought to teaching the students how to prepare for an interview was amazing. The students appreciated Rich talking with them about how to match capabilities with the company needs, attributes vs. skills and experiences, and asking them to think about their goals and aspirations.
Melody Rollins, former Global Head of Core Institutional Clients at Bridgewater Associates, led a workshop called "Building Your Personal Brand." The students learned their brand is the perception held by the external world and their brand is a combination of their personal attributes, values, and behaviors.
Deb Sawch, Ed.D. led "Business Writing 101," which was hosted at Housatonic Community College. The young people learned about using brevity, structure, clarity, and persuasiveness – among many other things – to successfully communicate in a professional way. It’s always a favorite and most-needed workshop!
Steve Wakeen, CEO of Playbook Coaching, led a workshop called "Becoming an Exceptional Leader." Steve coaches CEOs and top executive teams of multi-million dollar companies on how to become exceptional leaders. He gave our students the same assignment he gives all his clients: Write an “I Am From…” poem. This exercise promotes celebrating who you are and how to lead according to the values you embrace.

“How to Interview” with Barnum Financial Group

Corporate workshop at Pullman and Comley, LLC

Financial Literacy workshop with JPMorgan, led by C-U Board Member Kelvin Savage

Stock Trading Simulation at Fairfield University led by Dr. Walter Hlawitschka

The semester concluded with the Connect-Us Academy graduation on May 8 at CT State Housatonic Community College. We heard inspiring remarks from our keynote speaker Stephanie Thomas, the Secretary of the State of Connecticut, and all of the graduates shared statements about their own growth and development as well. Here are some excerpts:

"Connect-Us has helped me figure out what I want for myself and given me the tools to make it happen. From workshops with financial advisers to mock interviews that prepared me for real-world situations, this program gave me the confidence to move forward. Connect-Us didn't just give me information — it gave me direction. And it reminded me that I'm not doing this alone." – Amily H.
"The Connect-Us Academy taught me that my voice matters. My story matters. And I matter… This isn't just about me, though. It's about all of us, especially the young Black men who need to see people who look like them, who came from where they came from, and still made it. I want to be that example for them. I want to show them that they can make it. I want to show them that there's no limit to what they can do, and that they can become more and strive for greatness." – Christian D.
"Without Connect-Us, I don't know how I would've been able to gain an understanding of how desperately I needed these life skills and experiences… This is the real world, and it comes with real-life responsibilities. I have deep gratitude and appreciation for everyone who has helped me along the way through this program, from the guest speakers to the other students, and to the mentors." – Kejon R.
"A lot of programs say they want to help students like me, but sometimes it feels like the support doesn't go beyond words. So when I first walked into Connect-Us, I expected more of the same. But I was genuinely surprised. Connect-Us didn't try to change us. Instead, they showed us how to grow. They taught me to take up space, to speak up without fear, and to lead with both confidence and respect." – Yaritza N.

The CUA survey results illuminated the impact of the program on the participants: 100% feel more prepared to find and maintain a job; 100% feel more hopeful about their future and more confident in their ability to succeed in life; 100% feel better prepared for adulthood; and 100% feel they greatly improved their public speaking skills.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP TEAM

The Connect-Us Youth Leadership Team (YLT) continues to be a cornerstone of our work, and we are thrilled to be in our eighth year of hosting this weekly program. In the YLT, participants learn community organizing and leadership skills, they practice public speaking and leading discussions, and they play a lead role in producing our annual community events.

We have 28 young people who are active members of the YLT and they met 34 times this year. The YLT also produced our two major community events and helped organize hundreds of people from across Fairfield County to come together to celebrate and support the young people of Bridgeport. They serve as the the producers of these events by acting as team leaders, teaching improv games, and leading warm-up exercises with young people from the other Connect-Us programs, as well as adult volunteers.

C-U Onstage!

This fall, we held two C-U Onstage! auditions––one at CT State Housatonic Community College and one at The Klein Memorial Auditorium. Special thanks to Prof. Geoffrey Sheehan, Professor of Theater Arts at CT State Housatonic Community College for your great partnership! We also held our performance workshop at The Klein, and on November 8, hundreds of people came out for our annual C-U Onstage! Talent Show.

Congratulations to the young people who performed both onstage and behind the scenes to make this community event a success!

PARTNERSHIPS & AWARDS

Pam Lewis with students from Fairfield University’s Black Student Union

In February, the Black Student Union at Fairfield University honored the work of Connect-Us at their annual gala. It was so beautiful to see young people supporting each other and promoting the building of community that promotes unity. They have definitely succeeded. Congratulations and thank you for honoring Connect-Us!

Pam Lewis with Joyce & Rich Eldh, and the recipients of the Connect-Us/UConn Eldh Family Scholarship

In April, the Connect-Us/UConn Eldh Family Scholarship recipients attended the UConn Hall of Fame Business School Annual Dinner and Celebration. The students had a fantastic time networking, and one of the highlights was meeting Trisha M. Bailey, Ph.D., Owner and CEO of Bailey’s Pharmacy & Medical Equipment & Supplies. Dr. Bailey was one of the Distinguished Alumni Inductees. The students enjoyed hearing the speeches from all the honorees and had a great time networking. Go Huskies!

Connect-Us Board Chair Frances Rowland, Pam Lewis, Faith Villegas, and Connect-Us Board member Chariie Adams

In May, the Bridgeport Education Fund held its 31st Annual Inspiration Awards Ceremony. We were very honored that our Executive Director, Pam Lewis was the 2025 recipient of the Arthur & Gladys Lunin Humanitarian Award in recognition of the founding of Connect-Us. Thank you to Faith Villegas, Executive Director of the Bridgeport Education Fund, and the Inspiration Committee for selecting Pam and Connect-Us. Congratulations to all of the awardees!

Pam Lewis, Jeff Wieser, and youth leaders of Connect-Us

In September, Connect-Us volunteered at the Westport Rotary’s Annual Lobster Festival. Thank you to Peter Helt and Jeff Wieser for your support of Connect-Us over the years!

COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ORGANIZING

Over the summer, our weeks and weekends were busy with community outreach and organizing, led by Pam Lewis and the Connect-Us Summer Fellows. We had more than 300 conversations with young people, adults, business owners, and other community members throughout Bridgeport. We invited everyone we met to join the Connect-Us programs and help us get the word out!

During the school year, we partnered with local high schools and spoke at parent meetings, school assemblies, and classrooms––both in person and online––and invited young people in Bridgeport to join our programs. A highlight of the outreach this year was attending the Community Resource Fair at Central High School, where the team enjoyed meeting Bridgeport Schools’ Superintendent, Dr. Avery (pictured below, center).