about us

Back in 2017, Alaskan teacher Kelly Minks founded Bilingual Bridges with a determined mission: revolutionizing support for English learners. Kelly decided to make a change with the harsh reality of inadequate resources, a shortage of bilingual materials, and insufficient training for instructors in her school and across the nation. Through Bilingual Bridges, she aims to break down barriers by offering high-quality curriculum and impactful tutorials to ensure that every English learner receives the quality education they deserve.

Consequently, Kelly began challenging her colleagues and school administrators with two simple, yet profound, questions:

1. With school-based bilingual programs dwindling, where could the growing number of English learners find academic support in their native languages and English?
2. Without access to bilingual tutors, family members, or friends, who could help English learners understand challenging homework assignments?

Unfortunately, people often responded to these questions with shoulder shrugs, eye rolls, and frustration. Nevertheless, determined to find a solution beyond the traditional K-12 school system, Kelly envisioned an innovative approach. Subsequently, she built Bilingual Bridges, an online tutoring platform that connected language learners with bilingual teachers through live, online lessons via Zoom—well before Zoom became a household name! (We’ve since upgraded to Lessonspace!)

However, Kelly did not do all of the work alone. She united a remarkable team of certified, bilingual teachers who wholeheartedly embraced her vision. Together, they harnessed their collective expertise to scale Bilingual Bridges, thus providing students around the globe with the support they need to thrive. Fast forward to 2024, Kelly is shattering barriers by leveraging community partnerships, evidence-based curriculum, and high-impact tutoring to ensure all students have access to a quality education in their native languages and English.