ATLANTA JUNIOR BRIDGE Bridging the gap between learning fun and healthy competition

AGENDA 1.Introduction 2.Program Details 3.Structure, Officers & Teachers 4.Corporate Sponsorships

What Is Atlanta Junior Bridge? Atlanta Junior Bridge (AJB) is a non-profit corporation offering children and young adults the opportunity to learn and play bridge. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations to us are fully tax deductible. Funded by private and corporate donations, AJB provides teachers and materials to organizations in the greater Atlanta area that sponsor free bridge lessons and playing facilities.

Why Take This Approach? Bridge is an activity that has no social, physical, geographic or economic boundaries. Learning and playing bridge is a vehicle to join our diverse community in a single pursuit. Bridge levels the playing field.

Why Take This Approach? It is a well documented fact that children are graduating from our high schools with less ability to comprehend math, logic and critical thinking Recent research done by Dr. Christopher Shaw in Illinois has proven that Bridge can be used to bolster their capabilities in these areas

Research From Iowa Test Of Basic Skills (ITBS) ITBS 15 Bridge 86 Non-Bridge DIFFERENCE SUBJECT Students Students DIFFERENCE DIVIDED BY AREA Avg. SS GAIN Avg. SS GAIN IN SS GAINS NON BR GAIN READING % LANGUAGE % MATH % SCIENCE % SOCIAL % STUDIES Note: Detailed research report is provided in the attached package Source: Iowa Test Of Basic Skills (ITBS)

Benefits of Bridge Research of critical thinking activities, such as Bridge, indicates that children show improved scores in math, reading, logic and comprehension, as well as improved short term memory retention. Bridge also provides an opportunity to improve softer skills such as communicating and working towards a common goal with a partner Lastly, Bridge offers children an opportunity to socialize in a secure environment, away from distractions

Benefits of Bridge Duplicate Bridge is a game of mathematics. The game is a vehicle for introducing but not limited to the following concepts: Numbers and Operations Data Analysis Probability and Statistics Problem Solving Reasoning with partial information Communications

Benefits Of Bridge Children who have a natural propensity towards mathematics will find the game of Duplicate Bridge both challenging and rewarding. For children that dont, Bridge provides a fun way to improve their skills in critical thinking and mathematics.

Learning Bridge will be taught at schools and other sponsoring agencies by qualified bridge teachers, followed by playing time. Intense, 5-day courses will be held through Summer Camps. These camps are two hour classes in which the children are taught the basics of bridge. In geographic locations where school classes and summer camps were held, we have continuing classes for children who would like to pursue their interest.

Summer Camps 2006

Playing Playing sessions are held after each class Local games are organized under ACBL rules and AJB supervision, and managed by ACBL accredited directors AJB has established once-a-month youth games at local duplicate clubs in Marietta, Norcross and Marietta

Tournaments Atlanta hosts several ACBL tournaments each year. During the course of these events, a special junior game is organized and conducted AJB has established a Georgia State Youth Open Pair and Swiss Team State Championship which is held annually AJB is the organizer and host of the first Youth North American Bridge Championships to be held in Atlanta in Summer 2008 These tournaments and games are sanctioned by ACBL and Master Points are awarded

Corporate Structure Atlanta Junior Bridge works closely with the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) the governing body for Duplicate Bridge. Along with those affiliations on a national level, the local governing bodies consist of the Duplicate Bridge Association of Atlanta, Unit 114, District 7, and the Mid Atlantic Bridge Conference. Program participants will play in games sanctioned by the ACBL and supervised by ACBL certified directors.

Current Corporate Sponsors

Sponsorship and Grants Atlanta Junior Bridge needs assistance to continue its 2008 classes and camps. AJB expects to hold thirty classes in the metro Atlanta area in 2008 (15 in January-May and 15 in September-December) AJB expects to hold eighteen summer camps in 2008 Each class/camp will teach approximately 16 children and will cost $650.00/class