Summerbridge, which operates at the Newman campus, is one of a handful of local efforts to open the doors of the college admission process to public school students in Orleans Parish. School officials do not know how many New Orleans public school graduates have enrolled in college but recent Board of Regents figures show most are ineligible for the state's most accessible free tuition program. Summerbridge, which started in 1989, intercedes with students at the middle school level in hopes of improving their ability to perform well in the TOPS core classes. Director Anna Zorrilla said a strong performance in middle school can channel students to a high school that will prepare them for post-secondary education, either one of the public magnet schools or a parochial or private school where possible. Students continue working with Summerbridge through graduation. Summerbridge offers after-school, Saturday and summer sessions aimed at boosting scholastic abilities. Zorrilla estimated it costs $2,000 per student per year to run Summerbridge, which does not charge tuition. Funding comes from charitable donations ranging from the corporate level to individuals, she said.