College-preparation program builds on progress in S.F.
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Local students at under-resourced schools get help aimed at success in college
11/18/2007 -
More than 100 locals kids are now enrolled in Breakthrough, a program aimed at helping students succeed in high school and get ready for college.The free-tuition program targets students who attend under-resourced schools. Its main component is an intensive six-week summer session in which middle-school students focus on math and literacy.
In Santa Fe, Breakthrough partners with Santa Fe Preparatory School, which hosts the summer session.
Breakthrough has grown from about 25 seventh-graders in 2004 to 105 students in grades 7-10 and will continue to expand until its oldest students are seniors in high school.
"Our foundation is set," said Michael Multari, a history teacher at Prep and director of the local Breakthrough program. "Now we're just building on that."
Lydia Johnson, director of strategic partnerships with Breakthrough's national office, said the development of Santa Fe's program prompted officials to choose it to host the national directors' conference last week. "In its five years, it has become a strong, model program," she said.
Founded in 1978, Breakthrough is based in San Francisco and serves about 2,200 students at 34 sites, including one in Hong Kong.
The program uses a students-teaching-students model. College students serve as teachers to the middle-school students. About 90 percent of Breakthrough's students are members of minorities, 77 percent qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch and 70 percent will be the first in their family to attend college.
Here in Santa Fe, the program recruits students from Agua Fría, Kearny, Kaune, Nava, Chaparral, Salazar and Tesuque elementary schools, as well as Ortiz Middle School, although students from other schools can apply, Multari said.
"For us, what's so important is that through Breakthrough we are able to provide a rigorous, college-bound curriculum to a broad range of kids," said Jim Leonard, head of school at Santa Fe Prep.
The small, private school provides about $60,000 per year in funding for Breakthrough. Private donors and the Santa Fe Public Schools help pay for other needs as well as for food and transportation.
Students who apply are asked to commit to the program for the six years it will take them to finish high school. Multari said his staff also looks for youngsters who are self-motivated and want an academic opportunity. Finally, although it isn't a requirement, Breakthrough is aimed at first-generation college-goers.
Teri Vaisa, an associate superintendent who was principal of Kearny Elementary when Breakthrough began, said she's seen former students excel because of it. "I've seen quite a few kids just blossom into amazing young adults through this program," Vaisa said.
Contact John Sena at 986-3079 or jsena@sfnewmexican.com.
