I first volunteered at Covenant School over the summer, a couple weeks before I started my college career. At the time, the school was just opening and hadn’t seen any students yet. Alongside the small group of students I was volunteering with, I helped paint hallways, build shelves, and scrape film off the old windows.
I had no idea how significant Covenant would become to me or how it would shape my college journey.
Covenant School is a tuition-free private school with a mission to “create an education model that addresses the cycle of poverty that plagues our students’ communities and replace it with a cycle of hope, determination and success.”
I continue to volunteer there each week as a tutor; it has been incredibly rewarding to watch the students’ attitudes towards education transform. The students are in 5th, 6th and 7th grade, but many of them struggle with basic reading and comprehension skills. It’s eye-opening—and concerning—to realize that these kids have been in school their whole lives yet still face such challenges and seem to have gotten little education at all.
Bridgeport public school system is currently ranked #161 out of 165 in Connecticut, according to the U.S. News & World Report. My experience at Covenant School has highlighted the issues within the public school system in Bridgeport and makes me wonder where these students would be if they hadn’t had this opportunity to attend Covenant.
Lack of education can have profound effects on a person’s health, influencing almost every aspect of well-being over a lifetime. Studies consistently show that people with lower levels of education are at a higher risk of poor health outcomes and often have shorter life expectancies. Education affects health directly by impacting an individual’s access to resources, job opportunities, and financial stability.
One major effect is the correlation between education and health literacy. Individuals with limited education may not fully understand health information or lack the skills to navigate healthcare systems effectively. This can lead to issues with understanding medical instructions, managing chronic conditions, or recognizing the importance of preventive care.
For instance, a person who struggles to comprehend information on nutrition, exercise, or medication may have a harder time making informed health choices, increasing their risk of conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Education also affects mental health. Those with limited educational opportunities often experience higher levels of stress and anxiety, largely due to the socio-economic hardships they face. The stress associated with poverty can lead to or exacerbate mental health issues such as depression, substance abuse, and chronic stress, all of which are linked to physical health problems like high blood pressure and weakened immune function. This lack of health coverage and job security means they are less likely to access preventative healthcare services or seek timely medical assistance.
Ultimately, education opens doors to better health awareness, higher-quality jobs, and healthier living environments. In areas like Bridgeport, where public schools struggle, these health disparities are often magnified, trapping individuals and entire communities in cycles of poverty and poor health outcomes.
Despite these challenges, Covenant School represents a beacon of hope for its students and the community. Covenant School follows the NativityMiguel model, originally created in 1971 with the goal to create tuition-free education for low-income children who demonstrate the discipline and desire to learn in a challenging academic environment. Between this model and sponsors, Covenant school is able to create a more supportive educational environment for children to learn.Â
But there are more children, in not only Bridgeport, but low-income towns and cities all over the United States that face a lack of education and need support. If other schools around the world follow this approach, they can help close the educational gap between high- and low-income communities.
One of the reasons I keep returning to Covenant, even though there are other places I could volunteer, is the principal, Dave Olson. He is truly passionate about his work, pouring his heart into the school and doing everything he can for the students. His dedication is inspiring, not just to me as a volunteer, but to the students, who want to come to school every day because they know someone cares about them.
Volunteering at Covenant has shown me that a positive educational environment can truly change lives and, in the process, uplift an entire community. Having someone who advocates for and cares about you can profoundly impact life outcomes. Advocates—whether they are teachers, mentors, family members, or community leaders—offer guidance, support, and encouragement that can build confidence and resilience in individuals, especially young people. This support fosters resilience, allowing young people to see beyond immediate obstacles and envision a path to a brighter future.
Katelyn Sullivan is a sophomore at Sacred Heart University, majoring in Health Science.