Alumni Spotlight: Havy Nguyen, ’21

May 20, 2026

Alumni Spotlight: Havy Nguyen, ’21

When she first heard about Breakthrough Twin Cities, Havy Nguyen was drawn to the program. She was interested in the 6-year commitment to prepare students for college, that she couldn’t get anywhere else. During her time at BTC, she loved the integration of summer camp elements with educational preparation like college visits, networking, and ACT prep to provide a head start in higher education. She fondly remembers her experience as a student and, even now, enjoys volunteering at BTC any chance she gets!

“After being a student in the summer program, I had the opportunity to be a leader and join behind the scenes as a Program Intern, making long-lasting connections,” she told us.

Havy credits Breakthrough Twin Cities as a key reason she attended the University of Minnesota as an Applied Economics major. She shouted out Wade Peterson, College Counselor at BTC, who went above and beyond to support her in her goal of pursuing college.

While in university, she proudly advocated for voices through the Leadership Minor and Women in Applied Economics organization. She believes BTC not only prepared her academically, but also helped build her foundation in equity and representation within her field. The mentors and peers she met through BTC continue to inspire her to uplift others as she strives toward a career that advances economic, leadership, and social impact.

Where is she now?

Today, she is continuing her education by pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Now a fourth-year teaching assistant at the University, she credits BTC with building the skills that have expanded her experience and prepared her to serve the next generation.

Breakthrough Saturday Recap – April 2026

Apr 24, 2026

April Saturday Session was an opportunity for the BTC community to finally engage with our annual career fair for students after we were forced to postpone it in January. Students got the chance to interact with career representatives from a variety of fields at our Saturday Career Fair. The representatives this year included BTC alumni, donors, and family members, representing careers in finance, medicine, robotics, music, technology, law, politics, and more. Talk to your student about what careers they learned about and how their thinking has or has not shifted around what career fields they might be interested in pursuing in the future.

BTC parents and guardians can plug into Saturday session by:

-asking their students about something specific they learned about any of the careers
-asking their students if they crossed any careers off their list of possible future jobs after learning more about them, and why

Breakthrough Saturday Recap – March 2026

Apr 24, 2026

March Saturday Session provided students with the opportunity to learn more about their legal rights and the US legal system. 7th – 10th grade students heard from volunteers from the organization Street Law, which connects law students with classrooms to lead presentations on a wide range of legal topics. Students learned about their rights in school, a general overview of the legal system, issues related to immigration law and the citizenship process, and more! Ask your student what they learned from our volunteers and what, if anything, surprised them about what they heard. 11th and 12th graders had a college counseling check-in. We wish them the best as college acceptances start to roll in!

Parents and guardians can plug into Saturday session by:

– asking 7th -10th grade students what they learned about our legal system from their Street Law volunteer.

– asking 11th and 12th graders about their college plans and what they checked in about with their college counselor.

Breakthrough Saturday Recap – December 2025

Apr 24, 2026

December Saturday Session provided students with the opportunity to celebrate themselves, their identity, and engage with some fun holiday-themed activities. 7th – 10th grade students heard from either Padah Vang at the Mounds Park Academy site or Zer Vang at the ECC site. Padah is a BTC alum who spoke on her own Breakthrough journey and career path before wrapping up with a message of celebrating yourself and making the most of your strengths, while Zer focused on celebrating the strength that students bring to their community through their own identities and backgrounds. Many great conversations were held, ask your student what they learned about themselves and our community at this Saturday’s session! 11th and 12th-graders dove deep into the college application process through some guest speakers and guided activities.

Parents and guardians can plug into Saturday session by:

– asking 7th -10th grade students what they learned about celebrating themselves and their communities.

– asking 11th and 12th graders about the presentations or their work, learning about the college application process.

Breakthrough Saturday Recap – November 2025

Nov 10, 2025

The November Saturday Session provided students with the opportunity to build community, learn about other cultures, and think deeply about why it’s important to build connections across diverse backgrounds and cultures. 7th-10th grade students participated in a sequence of activities that invited them to engage with each other and share their experiences. Many great conversations were held, ask your student what they learned about themselves and our community at this Saturday Session! Saint Paul 11th and 12th graders received a college application presentation from Luther College, ECC 11th and 12th graders got a presentation covering financial aid, the ACT, and accessing scholarship opportunities.

Parents and guardians can plug into Saturday session by:

– asking 7th -10th grade students what they learned about other cultures, the BTC community, and themselves through the conversations they had in class.

– asking 11th and 12th graders about the college presentation or financial aid, and prompting them to think through any additional questions that might have come from these sessions to ask their college counselors during their next check-in

Breakthrough Saturday Recap – September 2025

Oct 20, 2025

We kicked off the school year with some exciting changes at our September Saturday Session. Students held Town Hall elections to select their classroom representative. This year in addition to attending Town Hall meetings with Breakthrough staff, those representatives will have a greater leadership role in sessions by leading Community Circle and facilitating deeper feedback discussions among students. We also welcomed keynote speakers Dr. Salma Hussein at our Chaska site, and author Bao Phi at Mounds Park Academy. Many of our students had read Bao’s work in school and were excited by the chance to speak with him in person! 11th and 12th graders held a beginning-of-school check in and prepped for the Twin Cities Parternship (TCP) college fair in October.

Parents and guardians can plug into Saturday session by:

– asking 7th -10th grade students what messages or ideas they took away from the keynote speaker

– asking 11th and 12th graders if they plan to attend the TCP fair with a Breakthrough advisor