Year in Review, 2013-2014

Breakthrough Providence

Breakthrough Providence has a dual mission: to create a pathway to college for low-income,

academically motivated middle school students in Providence Public Schools, and to encourage talented high school and college students to

pursue careers in education.

http://www.wheelerschool.org/breakthroughprovidence

216 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906

(401) 528-2127

“I always had a positive opinion about Breakthrough Providence because my brothers both attended the program. Coming into Breakthrough I was shy, but now I’m not afraid to cheer or to do a skit in class or raise my hand in math class. Breakthrough was fun and I will never forget it.”

Faith Exavier Breakthrough Student ‘13

8th Grade Class of 2014

Student Name High School Enrollment Adedamola Abujade Classical High School Samuel Adetona Classical High School Roger Barth Classical High School Cisco Batista Classical High School Sky Bennett Classical High School Jasmine Bermudez Highlander Charter School Tyler Bucknam Classical High School Alexander Cardarelli Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex Tatyana Cisnero Alvarez High School Theresa Duarte E-Cubed Academy Faith Exavier Classical High School Jehlani Galloway Classical High School Gisselle Germosen TAPA Melane Goncalves TAPA Dionna Greene Beacon Charter High School for the Arts Elijah Harrison LaSalle Academy Gian Karlos Jusino Classical High School Brandon Khamsomphou Classical High School Jessica Kinnie Classical High School Christina Kuy Classical High School Jodiana Lombardi The Met Tonyalee Lugo Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex Rosa Medrano Hope High School Liliana Metts Paul Cuffee School Farid Opere-Toyin Classical High School Rudy Reyes Classical High School Jonathan Ricaldy Classical High School Emily Rojas Classical High School Jazmin Sican Central High School Ahmad Smith Bishop Hendricken High School Brandon Torres Highlander Charter School Ariel Troncoso Paul Cuffee School Marcus Vazquez Bishop Hendricken High School

48% Classical HS

18% open enrollment

public schools

27% public charter

schools

6% parochial

schools

Quick Facts about our students

83 7th and 8th grade students participated in our programs

375 hours of academic enrichment and leadership

development programming

were provided to students

beyond the school day

93% average daily attendance during the Summerbridge

Program

84% average daily attendance during the School Year

Program

83% of the 6th grade students that started the program in

2012 completed the two-

year program in 2014*

* 6 students withdrew from the program, and 1 stu-

dent moved away.

Student Demographics

54% female

46% male

49% Latino

28% Black/African American

12% Multiracial

7% White

4% Asian/Asian American

1% Native American

92% eligible for free or reduced lunch

76% first generation in family to attend a 4-year college

Melane Goncalves visits Brandeis University during Summerbridge’s College Day.

Rudy Reyes reads a poem at Celebration 2013.

Students work on paintings during a Saturday Program workshop on fingerprinting.

High School Class of 2014 Breakthrough Class of 2010

Student Name College Enrollment Olatunbosun Abujade University of Rhode Island Babtunde Akinkuowo University of Rhode Island Timothy Brelsford Community College of Rhode Island Israel Colon Community College of Rhode Island Clifford Cosek Community College of Rhode Island Troy Gonsalves Lasell College Jeremy Gonzalez Community College of Rhode Island Jaijuan Grant U.S. National Guard Isabel Gutierrez Rhode Island College German Guzman University of Rhode Island Josenia Henriquez Philadelphia University Ellianah Jimenez University of Rhode Island Mya Kemp University of Rhode Island Robert Logan Rhode Island College Blake Lopes University of Rhode Island Darny Mao Providence College Brandon Morales Rhode Island College Stephanie Navas Rhode Island College Maria Ogundolani Sacred Heart University Kehinde Oladosu University of Rhode Island Taiwo Oladosu University of Rhode Island Toluwalase Onigbanjo Georgia Southern University Abdul-Lateef Orulebaja University of Rhode Island Ondina Perdomo U.S. Airforce Amber Pettaway Eastern Michigan University Eddriz Pimentel U.S. Army Kevin Quiroa not enrolled in college (1 more year of high school in Guatemala) Cristian Rivera Rhode Island College Jamilex Rodriguez Rhode Island College Africa Smith University of Rhode Island Yocelin Smith U.S. Airforce Rainha Soares University of Rhode Island Christcyra Sok Smith College Jayda Strother University of Rhode Island Allen Tat Northeastern University Thomas Vadis University of Rhode Island Maija Whelan Rhode Island School of Design Bryan Zapata Coastal Carolina University

97% of 2010 BTP

graduates graduated

from high school in

2014.

Of those high school

graduates, 89% are

enrolled in college.

Members of the SB Class of 2007 at Classical High School.

“Before I started Breakthrough Providence I was a little disappointed I had to give up my summer for an academic program. Once I started I realized I had made a good choice. Being a part of Breakthrough has helped my social skills. I have become less shy and I am more confident.”

Ashley Lima Breakthrough Student ’14

2013-2014 Afterschool Program teachers and mentors.

Breakthrough Faculty and Staff 2013-2014

Teachers & Tutors Jen Aitken, Brown University Lizzy Banta, Brown University Patrick Benedossa, Providence College Ananya Bhatia-Lin, Brown University Giselle Bonilla, Providence College Jason Bourdier, Alvarez High School (A) Ariana Callender, The Wheeler School Victor Chang, Brown University Aleda Chhoeun, Alvarez High School Ashanti Dorsey, TIMES2 Academy (A) Trevor Ensign, Quinnipiac University Anselmo Fuentes, Brown University Amanda Garcia, Columbia University Howard Gonzalez, Brown University Rebecca Greenberg, The Wheeler School Jonathan Gunasti, The Wheeler School Alejandra Guzman, Brown University Marina Hernandez, Brown University John Hughes, The Wheeler School Gaby Jassir, Brown University Iman Jenkins, Brown University Haesung Jeon, Brown University Evert Justice Finger, Brown University August Kahn, The Wheeler School Sarah Kawash, Kenyon College Lillian Kong, The Wheeler School Shadura Lee, Brown University Richie Leng, Brown University Patrick Madden, Brown University Kethu Manokaran, The Lincoln School Darny Mao, Classical High School (A) Joshua Marcus-Blank Washington University, St. Louis Amanda Marderosian, The Wheeler School Natasha Markov-Riss The Wheeler School Sydney Menzin, Brown University Catherine Metcalf, The Wheeler School Sophie Miller, The Wheeler School Tiikeya Monteiro, Classical High School (A) Andrew Nelson, Northwestern University Kristen Nowak, The Wheeler School

Nicole Nowak, The Wheeler School Janaisa Ortega, The Greene School (A) Michael Ortiz, Community College of RI Asha Owens, Brown University Jonah Parker, The Wheeler School Ploy Promrat, The Lincoln School Jada Pulley, Brown University Camila Ramirez, Classical High School (A) Brittany Richer, Rhode Island College Ashley Robideau, University of RI (A) Nashaly Salazar Martinez, Classical High School Reegan Smyth, University of Southern California Gabriel Spellberg, Brown University Jenna Spencer, Brown University Rafael Torres, Alvarez High School Emma Un, Smith College Alejandra Urena, Alvarez High School Jay Verma, LaSalle Academy Andrea Vielma, University of Washington Alexis Villani, University of Rhode Island Aria Whelan, The Lincoln School (A) Mentor Teachers Kathleen McKenna, Retired teacher Alicia Pari, Providence College Sandra Lewis, Retired teacher Elianny Camilo, Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy Student Support & Office Staff Adam Rodriquez, Boston University Elizabeth Balogun, City Year RI Sasha Brenman, Barnard College Sunaina Rao, City Year RI Thank you to our numerous volunteers who provided tireless hours of service to Breakthrough! (A) = Breakthrough Student Alumni

Quick Facts about our teachers

61 high school and college students participated in

our programs

350 hours of training, observation, and

professional development

were provided to teachers

throughout the year

48% previously taught at

Breakthrough and returned

to teach again

15% graduated from BTP and returned to teach or work

in the office

41% are on a pathway to a career in education

Teacher Demographics

67% female

33% male

38% White

11% Black/African American

26% Latino

18% Asian/Asian American

7% Multiracial

44% high school students

56% college students

Students show their work at a Saturday workshop on chromatography.

8th grade students analyze gender role norms in mass media during a Saturday Program workshop.

Karla Flores and Raycine Richards use photography as a medium during their mini-course lesson.

Milestones

JUL ‘13 Four students from Brown University’s Urban Education Policy Program begin data collection to unearth BTP’s best practices related to our “students teaching students” model.

FEB ‘14 Our Board Members convene for a strategy meeting to discuss the priorities and direction of BTP.

OCT ‘13 Executive Director Dulari Tahbildar begins participation in a Professional Learning Community on Expanded Learning Opportunities and Career & Technical Education Pathways as part of the New Ap-proaches for Urban Districts project for Providence Public Schools.

AUG ‘13 Congratulations to Program Director Vicki Santos Silva on the birth of her son, Jonathan Filipe.

NOV ‘13 Twenty 7th and 8th grade BTP students enroll in our Tutoring Program to receive one-on-one academic support.

SEP ‘13 We recruit a record-breaking number of outstanding high school and college students to teach in one of our school year programs.

DEC ‘13 We welcome community leaders to observe BTP and reflect on the need for quality out-of-school-time programs for middle school students.

JAN ‘14 Our in-college alumni return to Wheeler for a nostalgic Winter Break Alumni Night.

Left: Students celebrate victory during Olympics Day. Right: Afterschool Program teacher Jada Pulley discusses strategies for finding the power in words.

FEB ‘14 Our Board Members convene for a strategy meeting to discuss the priorities and direction of BTP.

NOV ‘13 Twenty 7th and 8th grade BTP students enroll in our Tutoring Program to receive one-on-one academic support.

DEC ‘13 We welcome community leaders to observe BTP and reflect on the need for quality out-of-school-time programs for middle school students.

JAN ‘14 Our in-college alumni return to Wheeler for a nostalgic Winter Break Alumni Night.

MAR ‘14 An Application Review Committee begins the review of applications from 6th grade students across the city. We double the number of students accepted from PPSD’s traditional public middle schools.

APR ‘14 Several BTP students attend the Youth Forum for Providence Mayoral Candidates, hosted by Young Voices and the Providence Student Union, to learn about the candidates and express their opinions about the issues that matter most to young people.

MAY ‘14 BTP Directors evaluate two Alvarez High School students who taught at BTP as part of their school’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program through the Providence After School Alliance.

JUN ‘14 We hire Lindsay Paiva to begin in the Fall as our full-time AmeriCorps*VISTA Students Teaching Students Institute Coordinator.

Left: Students celebrate victory during Olympics Day. Right: Afterschool Program teacher Jada Pulley discusses strategies for finding the power in words.

Students explain their carnival game to participants during Summerbridge's Math Carnival.

What is it really like to be a

Breakthrough Teacher?

Breakthrough Providence: What does Spirit mean to you? Brittany Richer: To me, spirit is energy, passion and excitement - not just for learning but for peo-ple. Spirit is most certainly a student returning to a poem so that it can be revised for performance or students working side by side planning their math carnival event. But it is also the teachers greeting the students with big smiles and cheer each morn-ing as they arrive off the bus. It is a high five on the basketball court in the middle of a game. It is snaps from an audience to encourage a shy stu-dent at the talent show. Spirit is what defines the Breakthrough community.

BTP: Why “students teaching students”? BR: Learning happens best in a safe, supportive environment—and if students are teaching students, it means everyone has something to learn, everyone has room to grow. When everyone acknowledges that there is room to grow, it becomes a safe space to try new things. Trying new things means pushing beyond comfort zones, like teaching for the first time or stepping on stage to perform. When everyone is learning, everyone knows how uncomfortable and challenging it can be, which means there is more empathy to go around.

BTP: What aspects of Breakthrough most shaped the kind of educator you are today? BR: My experience with Breakthrough continues to shape me as an educator today. I had the option of teaching English at the high school level, but because of my two summers with Breakthrough, I have chosen to focus my career on middle school stu-dents. My Breakthrough spirit is seen in my classroom now when I teach my kids how to give each other “kudos” or when I lead a “jello” cheer on a field trip bus ride. Break-through has inspired me to plan active, rigorous lessons with student voice at the cen-ter. Just as my co-teachers and I did as summer program teachers, I design learning experiences where students discuss issues of identity, social justice, and have the opportunity to share their writing with audiences beyond our classroom walls.

Brittany Richer Breakthrough Teacher ’12, ‘13 Student, Rhode Island College

What is it really like to be a

Breakthrough Teacher?

Breakthrough Providence: Which aspects of Breakthrough most shaped the kind of educator you are today? Richie Leng: Breakthrough gushes with spirit and enthusiasm; it is a foundation for the relationships between everyone in the community and seeps into everything we do. As an educator, I have to have my game face on and my best foot forward; if I’m nervous or unprepared, my students will know it. Looking at my work from a positive lens and pushing myself to be in the moment has always worked for me. That spirit and enthusiasm then carries into my work and attitude in other areas in and out of education. Also, the amount of support that I received as a student teacher helped build my confidence and provided me with the kind of support that helped me rethink teaching and learning. Having a space that allowed me to take creative risks allowed me to bring out my unique ideas and talents.

BTP: Why “students teaching students”? RL: I believe that inherent within the “students teaching students” model is an ac-knowledgment that teachers are not perfect producers of learning and administra-tors of knowledge, nor are students blank slates to be impressed upon. A highly collaborative and supportive environment allows for the free flow and exchange of ideas and feedback. Student teachers, mentor teachers, staff, and students have someone supporting them at every level of the organization.

BTP: What makes Breakthrough different from other programs like it? RL: Breakthrough shines because of its focus on collaboration and support. Com-pared to other programs which may follow more traditional mentor-mentee rela-tionships, someone can find themselves a teacher, student, and mentor in different roles and in some cases, all at once! The barriers between staff, teachers and stu-dents are incredibly low; the open environment allows for free exchange of ideas and opportunities for feedback.

Richie Leng Breakthrough Teacher ’13 Student, Brown University

“I find that it’s incredibly educationally effective when we the teachers create an environment at Breakthrough where it is okay to be silly, free and open. It sets the tone for comfort so the students’ ideas grow that then translates to great academic work.”

Patrick Madden Breakthrough Summerbridge Teacher ’13

Summer 2013 teachers show off their Breakthrough Spirit.

Full Circle

Every time someone asks me about my experi-ence at Breakthrough Providence, my face light-ens with a smile, and I will say “It was a break-through experience.”

Support. Growth. Transformation. These are the three words that capture the essence of my experience at Breakthrough Providence. Without this program, I would not have developed from a timid student to a leader within the greater city ofProvidence. I credit Breakthrough Providence for fostering me into the person I am today.

Prior to being a Breakthrough student, I had been

comfortable enclosed in my own shell. I accepted that I was a shy and quiet student, and I carried this perspective of myself into the first few weeks of the program. I remem-ber stepping off the bus every morning feeling overwhelmed by the spirit, cheer, and enthusiasm from teachers and students. I questioned myself if I had the capability to do the same, but I would answer no. It was my advisor who encouraged me to give cheer-ing a try. I hesitated at first, but little did I know, I started to crawl out my shell. I found myself cheering along with teachers and peers during the morning bridge, and I grew accustomed to the spirit in and outside of class. I came to unveil this spirited side of me that I thought ceased to exist. Spirit was essential to Breakthrough’s culture because it created a safe space to develop and understand oneself. As a growing individual, look-ing back upon my experience as a Breakthrough student, it made me realize that there was much more to myself than I thought. Moreover, the opportunity to teach at Breakthrough Providence gave me a challenge to foster self-growth. It was not an easy task being a teacher. I vividly remember experienc-ing anxiety in the midst of explaining concepts to my students. My voice would shake with every utterance of a word. I felt entrapped and hindered by my own nervousness. I knew I had to change for the sake of my students, my team teacher, and myself; so I took the initiative and sought help and support from my mentor teacher. Within this process of developing professionally and personally, I had to make and learn from mis-takes in order to push through and become more comfortable and confident as a teach-er. My students were the ones who taught me how to teach and how to become more confident as I was teaching them. This was the collaborative effort of the student teach-ing student model.

Darny Mao Breakthrough Student ’10, Teacher ’13

Thank you to our donors July 1, 2013—June 30, 2014

$25,000 + Carter Family Charitable Trust Letitia & John Carter Rhode Island Foundation Ms. Abbot B. Stranahan & Mr. David H. Ward Stranahan Foundation TriMix Foundation $10,000 + Mr. and Mrs. Allyn Copp Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Mancini Otto H. York Foundation Partnership Foundation Raymond T. & Ann T. Mancini Family

Foundation $5,000 + Anonymous (2) Bank Rhode Island Entelco Foundation GTECH Nortek Foundation June Rockwell Levy Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Stephen L. Schweich Mr. and Mrs. Paul Sorensen $2,500 + CVS Charity Classic, Inc. The ELMS Foundation Jill & Larry Goldstein Ms. Catherine Hibbitt Susan & David Hibbitt Lubrano Family Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John J. McConnell, Jr. Pelson Foundation Mark Pelson & Katherine Harrison Pelson Providence Shelter for Colored Children Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth W. Robinson Mr. Mark A. Scheel Schwab Charitable Fund Textron Inc. United Way of Rhode Island

$1,000 + The Breakthrough Collaborative Jody Brown & Kit Staton Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Coleman De Ramel Foundation Helena & Bill Foulkes Mrs. Carol J. Grant & Mr. Charles S. Otto Hope L. and David M. Hirsch Fund Mr. and Mrs. David M. Hirsch Holy Apostles Church Ms. Patricia A. McLaughlin Dan & Joanna Miller Murray Family Charitable Foundation Ocean State Charities Trust The Honorable Patricia S. Schroeder & Mr.

Jim Schroeder Mr. & Ms. Scott W. Schroeder Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Schweich $500 + Bonnet-Eymard Family Fund Dr. & Mrs. Jacques Bonnet-Eymard Mr. & Mrs. Murray S. Danforth III Jenn and Tim David-Lang Jeremy A. & Julie Duffy Mr. Roxburgh Rennie Jonathan & Vichara Santos Silva Dulari Tahbildar & Keith Catone Up to $499 Ms. Francisca Adon Mr. Shereef Ahmed Ellen & Jeffery Alexander Reverend David A. Ames & Dr. Carol Landau Ms. Norma Anderson Anonymous Linda Atamian & Brian O'Connor Mr. & Mrs. Anthony N. Benedosso Mr. Kyle Bennett Ms. Jocelyn Bissonnette Dr. & Mrs. William Braden Suzy Williams and Robert Brown

Up to $499 cont’d Mr. Thomas Carothers Mr. and Mrs. William Catone Barbara & Anthony Cervone Ms. Marisa Chock Keally Cieslik Edward & Audrey Clifton Mr. Clarkson A. Collins IV Ms. Zoe Cooper Mr. Daniel P. Corley & Ms. Elizabeth M.

Beach Marcie Cummings Ms. Christine Cuthbertson Dr. Janet David Mr. Jonah David Patricia David, M.D. Dr. and Mrs. Simeon David Ms. Paula M. Davy Mr. & Mrs. Robert DeBlois David & Liyue Deng Ms. Theresa Duarte Mr. George Economo Mr. Donald Ensign Gary and Rosanne Esposito Jody Fazzano Patricia Fleury Mr. Thomas D. Getz & Ms. Margaret Finn Mr. Joseph Gibson Mr. and Mrs. Frederick E. Gillett, Jr. Mr. Michael Goldstein Mrs. Diane Gooding Ms. Ruth Guerara Ms. Britta Han Mark and Heidi Harris Marc R. Harrison and Family Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Huerta Mr. James Huguley Ms. Gabriella Jassir Mr. Gian Karlos Jusino Ms. Megan Kawatachi Miriam Graves Kenney Heather J. Kilmartin Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Kimmel Ms. Emily Kirkland Ms. Sokhodoit Kuy Dr. Carol Landau

Ms. Sally E. Lapides Ms. Sandra Lewis Dr. Allyn T. Londregan, Ph.D. The Marderosian Family Ms. Kathleen McKenna Ms. Kathryn McKenna Ms. Maura Medrano Ms. Sydney Menzin Abja Midha Ms. Catherine P. Mitchell Ms. Joanna Naples-Mitchell Ms. Katharine Naples-Mitchell Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Nelson Mr. Brian D. O'Connor Ms. Adebimpe Odofin Ms. Stephanie K. Ogidan Preston Mary Oglesby & Pat Oglesby Adeola Oredola & Simon Moore Mr. & Mrs. Curt F. Ostrow Mr. Kurt Ostrow Ms. Farah Paul Miss Megan E. Pelson Mr. & Mrs. William C. Prescott, Jr. Ms. Charlene Queen Ms. Teresa A. Rodriguez Mr. Jesus Rojas Mr. Ari Rubenstein Ms. Carla Shalaby Mr. Jason St. John Ms. Judith Storch Mr. and Mrs. Chivy Sun Mrs. Soeum Sun Dr. & Mrs. Umesh Tahbildar Mr. & Mrs. William T. Tumber, Jr. Ms. Natasha Warikoo Mr. Adam Weinstock & Ms. Candice Manson Weinstock Mr. John G. Wolf Gift-In-Kind Donors Caserta Pizza Cox Communications

If you notice an error, please call 401-528-2127.

Revenue & Expenses July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014

Revenue

Expenses

Salaries & youth stipends $ 203,310

Student Activities & Special Events $ 27,673

Curricula & Classroom Supplies $ 2,491

Recruitment, Training, & Professional Development $ 2,360

Office Supplies & Equipment $ 1,180

Fundraising & Public Relations $ 4,559

Facilities Rental $ 4,895

Membership Dues $ 45

Payroll Taxes $ 15,553

TOTAL $ 265,683

Net Surplus/(Deficit) $ (38,337)

Annual deficit covered by temporarily restricted fund balance.

Temporarily Restricted Fund Balance, as of 6/30/14 $ 100,212

Market Value of Endowment, as of 6/30/14 $ 402,686

Foundations $ 141,412

Individuals $ 60,764

Corporations $ 21,500

TOTAL $ 223,676

Kyle Bennett Manager, Annual Fund Campaign United Way of Rhode Island Jeremy Duffy (Chair) Managing Partner Isle Partners Carol Grant Senior Vice President, External Affairs First Wind Mark Harris Director, Aerie Program The Wheeler School Jacquelyn Mancini Associate Hinkley, Allen & Snyder Patricia McLaughlin Director, Institutional Advancement The Wheeler School

Dan Miller Head of School The Wheeler School William Prescott Former Head of School The Wheeler School Jonathan Santos Silva High School Designer Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy Amy Schroeder Founder/Partner The Schroeder Consulting Group Michele Sczerbinski Diaz Director of Leadership Gifts and Planned Giving The Wheeler School

Elianny Camilo, Program Director for Student & Family Programs Jessica Lamadieu, AmeriCorps*VISTA Program Associate Vicki Santos Silva, Program Director for Teacher Education Dulari Tahbildar, Executive Director

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