BridgeBuddy

BridgeBuddy is a mobile-first app (with a web admin portal) that helps schools match senior students with junior students for mentoring, connection, and practical tips. Juniors answer a short onboarding survey about goals (academics, clubs, social, college/career), interests, schedule, and preferred communication style. Seniors list strengths, experiences, and availability. The app creates suggested matches and lets staff approve pairings, then provides structured “micro-prompts” for weekly check-ins (e.g., study habits, navigating teachers, joining activities, stress). Built-in guardrails support school safety: verified school accounts, consent/role-based access, monitored messaging options, and escalation flows to counselors. Schools can run time-boxed programs (first-year transition, new student onboarding, exam season) and track engagement with simple dashboards (match rate, active pairs, check-in completion). The goal is to reduce isolation, improve belonging, and make peer advice accessible to every student—not just those who already have a network.