Breakthrough Collaborative

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Breakthrough Collaborative
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type = Education
founded_date = 1978
founder = Lois Loofbourrow
location = San Francisco, CA
origins =
key_people =
area_served =
product =
focus =
method =
revenue =
endowment =
num_volunteers =
num_employees =
num_members =
subsib =
owner =
Non-profit_slogan = Students Teaching Students
homepage = [http://www.breakthroughcollaborative.org/ www.breakthroughcollaborative.org]
dissolved =
footnotes =

The Breakthrough Collaborative (formerly Summerbridge National) is a collaboration of programs across the United States and in Hong Kong - all functioning independently from one another - that aims to effect positive change in urban schools. It attempts to attain this goal by offering high-potential, under-served middle school students the opportunity to participate in its rigorous academic enrichment programs throughout the summer and school year. Students make a commitment to participate in the program for multiple years and in turn, Breakthrough provides many services to students and their families ranging from academic enrichment to one-on-one tutoring to high school and college preparation. Additionally, all Breakthrough classes are taught by highly qualified high school and college students from around the country who are interested in the field of education. Through the teacher development program offered by Breakthrough, these young educators become potential candidates for professional teaching positions after college. Starting in 2003, teaching at Breakthrough sites was consistently named a Top Ten Internship in America by the Princeton Review and a 1999 Stanford University report stated that "72% [of Breakthrough teachers] went on to work in other educationally related careers or internships after teaching at a Breakthrough site."

Breakthrough originated in 1978, founded by Lois Loofbourrow at San Francisco University High School. Since then, numerous sites have opened, all in various sized urban areas. The sites are joined together under the umbrella organization, the Breakthrough Collaborative, based in San Francisco. Sites function either through public-private partnerships with an independent educational institution or maintain their own 501(c)3 status.

Since its inception in 1978, Breakthrough programs around the world have generated thousands of student and teacher alums. In 2003, the Summerbridge Breakthrough Alumni Network or SBAN was formed through the efforts of alumni. SBAN is based out of Atlanta, but holds annual conferences around the United States.

In March 2006, the 22 host schools of Breakthrough programs were awarded the Klingenstein Leadership Award by the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. Breaking from the tradition of giving this prestigious award to an individual, 26 independent schools received the 2006 award. Past recipients include William Durden, Diane Ravitch, Robert Coles, and Howard Gardner. In 2007, the Johns Hopkins University Center for Summer Learning awarded Breakthrough Collaborative and one of its affiliate sites, Summerbridge Pittsburgh, with the Excellence in Summer Learning Award for exemplary mission, performance, and infrastructure in out-of-school academic support.

List of Breakthrough programs

:"This list is current, as of 2008."
*Breakthrough Atlanta, Atlanta, GA (at The Lovett School)
*Breakthrough Austin, Austin, TX (at University of Texas at Austin)
*South Florida Summerbridge, Boca Raton, FL (at St. Andrew's School (Boca Raton, Florida))
*Breakthrough Cambridge, Cambridge, MA (at Kennedy-Longfellow School)
*Breakthrough Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH (at Cincinnati Country Day School)
*Breakthrough Kent Denver, Denver, CO (at Kent Denver School)
*Breakthrough Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX (at Fort Worth Country Day School)
*Breakthrough Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL (at Pine Crest School)
*Summerbridge Hong Kong, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
*Breakthrough Houston, Houston, TX (at Episcopal High School)
*Breakthrough Long Island, Locust Valley (Long Island), NY
*Breakthrough Manchester, Manchester, NH (at The Derryfield School)
*Breakthrough Miami, Miami, FL (at Ransom Everglades School, Doctor's Charter School and F.S. Tucker Elementary School)
*LearningWorks at Blake, Minneapolis, MN (at The Blake School)
*Breakthrough New Haven, New Haven, CT (at Hopkins School)
*Summerbridge New Orleans, New Orleans, LA (at Isidore Newman School)
*Breakthrough New York, New York, NY (at The Town School)
*Breakthrough Norfolk, Norfolk, VA (at Norfolk Academy)
*Summerbridge Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (at Sewickley Academy)
*Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (at Germantown Friends School and St. Joseph's University)
*Providence Summerbridge, Providence, RI (at Wheeler School)
*Breakthrough Sacramento, Sacramento, CA (at Sacramento Country Day School)
*Breakthrough San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (at San Francisco Day School)
*Summerbridge San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (at San Francisco University High School)
*Breakthrough San Jose, San Jose, CA (at Hoover Middle School)
*Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA (at St. Margaret's Episcopal School)
*Breakthrough Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM (at Santa Fe Preparatory School)
*Breakthrough St. Paul, St. Paul, MN (at Mounds Park Academy)
*Breakthrough Washington D.C., Washington D.C.

Notable figures who participated in Breakthrough programs

*Eric M. Anderson Ph.D (Political Science) Researcher
*Meilani Clay (Poet)
*Njema Frazier, Ph.D (Physics) Physicist at US Department of Energy
*Daniel Handler (Author)
*Alvin Hosenfeld (Best selling writer of Lick or Ish and Cashews in the Midst)
*Shaniqua Jones (Broadway Singer)
*Tracy Chiles McGhee (Lawyer)
*Joseph Melendez (Player for the Washington Wizards)
*Marilyn Metz, M.D.
*Kate Monahan (student, revolutionary, rapper under the alias KMonster, one-quarter of the rap group THP)
*Dax Shepard (Actor)
*Karen Shepard (Texas Teacher of the Year 2006)
*Joshua Sides Ph.D (History) Professor
*Justin Taylor (Actor)
*Joel Vargas, Ph.D (Education)(Leader in Education Policy)
*Vendela Vida (Author)

External links

* [http://www.breakthroughcollaborative.org Breakthrough Collaborative] official website
* [http://teachbreakthroughs.org TeachBreakthroughs] Breakthrough teacher blog
* [http://www.sbalumni.org SBAN] Summerbridge/Breakthrough Alumni Network website