30th Anniversary Alumni Spotlights
Alumni Spotlight: Abinibola Onabolu
Onabolu fondly remembers her time in the BTGB community, and its effect on her growth mindset.
Alumni Spotlight: James Barker
Barker thanks Breakthrough for the motivation and energy he brings to his career in education.
Alumni Spotlight: Garrett Rolph
Rolph celebrates Breakthrough for its role in jumpstarting his development as a teacher.
Alumni Spotlight: Dewayne Green
Green reflects on his enduring Breakthrough spirit and cherished program memories.
Alumni Spotlight: Pauline Wan
Wan recalls how the Breakthrough experience has shaped her current teaching career.
Alumni Spotlight: Wendy Martinez
Calixto connects her caring approach to teaching high school students with her Breakthrough experience.
Alumni Spotlight: Chip Weber
Weber reflects on the community values he’s gained from his time with Breakthrough,
Student Testimonials
Thens, Boston Campus Class of 2019
My Breakthrough community has shown me how important and powerful it can be to have a group of supportive people around you long-term. I want to make sure other people have the support they need to overcome life’s challenges. – Thens, Breakthrough Boston Campus class of 2019
Elizabeth, Founding Breakthrough Somerville Student
Breakthrough is a positive, funny, loving community, and an amazing family. I now know that I’m going to succeed and make it to college, stay ahead in my classes, and make my Breakthrough family proud. - Elizabeth, Breakthrough Somerville Campus class of 2024 My...
Christopher Shimizu, Breakthrough Student
"I reflected on my life to try and find something I was passionate about, and I realized that while I did not know it at the time, Breakthrough has had a huge impact on my life." - Christopher Shimizu, Breakthrough Student Alum, Class of 2016 My name is Christopher...
Kevin Xiong Breakthrough Student
" After two summers, I grew from a quiet and soft-spoken middle school kid into a student with high expectations – for my teachers, for my peers, and for myself." - Kevin Xiong, Breakthrough Student Alum, Class of 2017 I often tell others that I became a part...
Thens Duviella, Breakthrough Student
"In school, you don’t always have a chance to communicate with lots of different people but in Breakthrough, everything we do is focused on how we all make up one strong community." - Thens Thens Duviella, Boston Campus, Class of 2019 My name is Thens Duviella and I...
Teacher Testimonials
Alumni Spotlight: Abinibola Onabolu
Onabolu fondly remembers her time in the BTGB community, and its effect on her growth mindset.
Alumni Spotlight: James Barker
Barker thanks Breakthrough for the motivation and energy he brings to his career in education.
Alumni Spotlight: Garrett Rolph
Rolph celebrates Breakthrough for its role in jumpstarting his development as a teacher.
Alumni Spotlight: Dewayne Green
Green reflects on his enduring Breakthrough spirit and cherished program memories.
Alumni Spotlight: Pauline Wan
Wan recalls how the Breakthrough experience has shaped her current teaching career.
Alumni Spotlight: Wendy Martinez
Calixto connects her caring approach to teaching high school students with her Breakthrough experience.
Alumni Spotlight: Chip Weber
Weber reflects on the community values he’s gained from his time with Breakthrough,
Celebrating 30 Years of Breakthroughs: Josh Gresham-Connor
Pausing to acknowledge Breakthrough’s 30th anniversary year is bittersweet. I am so incredibly proud of this program that has been such an important part of my life AND a little resentful of the reminder of just how old I am these days! I’ve been involved with Breakthrough since 1994 and have seen, first-hand, how this joyful, intentional, and transformative community impacts the lives of students and teachers.
Teaching Fellow Spotlights: From Students to Teachers
Dewayne is a Cambridge student alum (class of 2017) and a current soon-to-be senior at Lesley University and will be joining us for his second year as a Teaching Fellow in Somerville. What are you looking forward to most about this summer?I’m most looking forward to...
Alexandra Chang, Teaching Fellow
"I had always loved school and teachers, but I was on the fence about a career in education. Joining Breakthrough was the catalyst. - Alexandra Chang, Founding Teaching and current Instructional Coach, Boston Campus Breakthrough’s Summer Program was filled with the...