Remote Services and Supports

SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021: Our middle school and high school students are engaging in weekly remote programming, to keep connected to the Breakthrough community, receive academic, college application, and social emotional support, and continue sparking their love for learning. Programming includes:

• Weekly advising, both one-on-one and in group settings
• Weekly hands-on academic enrichment Explorations in STEM, Humanities, Art, and Social Justice
• College and career exposure including facilitated conversations with professionals from different industries
• One-on-one college planning, including financial aid, essay writing, and application supports
• Social emotional supports and continued connection to the BTGB community

SUMMER 2020: Breakthrough’s hallmark Summer Program was delivered virtually for the first time in organization history! 40 returning Teaching Fellows brought prior Breakthrough teaching experience and established relationships with students. Programming including:

• Synchronous daily online instruction in Humanities and STEM using Zoom, Nearpod, and Kahoot.
• Community Meetings for students to feel connected to the Breakthrough community and celebrate their learning
• Daily advisory check-ins with Teaching Fellows for students to connect in smaller groups
• Virtual clubs every afternoon, including anime, dance, poetry, music, and mindfulness
• Summer Learning Kits that included a Robotics activity and two novels – Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America and The First Rule of Punk.

Click here to see a short video from the summer and to feel the energy our students and Teaching Fellows brought to the virtual classroom everyday.

SPRING 2020: In response to the school closures due to COVID-19 in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, BTGB provided immediate supports to our students and families:

• Community Zoom Calls connected students, Teaching Fellows, and staff as a community
• Weekly Resource Emails & 1 on 1 Calls ensured students and families had access not only to educational services but to physical and mental healthcare, daily meals, emergency financial supports, reliable technology and more
• For the first time in organization history, BTGB developed and launched online supports for academic, social emotional, and college access to keep our students on a path to success.
  

Resources for Students and Families

We are updating city-specific resources to support families in navigating the many disruptions to routine and stability in this time.