Breakthrough Twin Cities provides a six-year college access program to support highly motivated, yet under-resourced students and families in the Twin Cities. In middle school we provide academic enrichment programming during the summer in which college and high-school students become Teaching Fellows and inspire youth to grow and reach their goals. During the school-year and throughout high school, Breakthrough students attend monthly Saturday programming and work on preparing for and applying to college.

STUDENTS REPORT BEING MORE EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING BECAUSE OF BREAKTHROUGH TWIN CITIES

We currently serve 391 students enrolled in grades 7 – 12. 91% of our high school students are enrolled in at least one honors course (compared to 76% of peers in other college access programs), with an average of 2.9 honors courses total.

CLASS OF 2017 ENROLLED IN POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

100% of students in the Class of 2017 greaduated high school in four years. 93% are attending four-year colleges, 5% are attending two-year colleges, and 2% are serving our country in the US Military.

TEACHING FELLOWS REPORT AN INCREASED OR REINFORCED INTEREST IN TEACHING AS A CAREER GOAL BECAUSE OF BREAKTHROUGH TWIN CITIES

During the summers of 2016 and 2017, we employed 83 Teaching Fellows. 60% of them identified as people of color (compared to 5% of teacher in the state of Minnesota). 40% identified as male (compared to 27% of teachers in Minnesota).

TEACHING FELLOWS REPORT THAT THEY INCREASED THEIR TEACHING SKILLS THROUGH OUR FELLOWSHIP

Our 13 Instructional Coaches worked individually to support Teaching Fellows, by giving feedback on lesson plans and observations, and by working to tailor curriculum and instruction collaboratively.