Under the guidance of seasoned teaching professionals, Americorps Summer Teaching Fellows teach English, math, social studies, or science to classes of ten to twelve middle school students. This summer experience is more summer camp than summer school, designed to make learning meaningful and fun!

“What started as an obligation turned into something I looked forward to every summer,” – Jocelyn, a Breakthrough Student and 2025 AmeriCorps Summer Teaching Fellow. 

During National Mentorship Month, we are reminded of how transformative our work can be. Students enter our program uncertain of its purpose, leave not wanting it to end, and, by the time they are high school graduates, some even return as Summer Teaching Fellows, just like Jocelyn. This past summer, 35% of our Teaching Fellows were also Breakthrough students!

“My love for the Breakthrough program and community has brought me here. This summer is my first year as a Teaching Fellow, and I am beyond amazed by the impact Breakthrough continues to bring. This summer, I have gotten the opportunity to witness how much students are growing academically and as students… Knowing that I am a part of these students’ summer and helping start their journeys fills me with joy.”

“Many of the teachers (AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows) tell us that they were students in this program and that the program helped them a lot in getting an internship and getting into college.” – Student

My name is Da’Keona Jones, an Austin native through and through. I am a proud first-generation college graduate from Texas State University. I’m here to tell you how Breakthrough shined the light on doors my family and I had yet to discover.

A bit about me: I have 2 brothers, 1 sister, and a mother who played no games. I was a loud, proud, and expressive child. My mom has always been my biggest supporter who made sure we stayed focused. She didn’t just say “dream big” — she prays for you and then makes sure you’re equipped to do something about it.  

Every summer felt the same. Until one day my mom was like “Yall not sitting in this house all summer. You need to find something to do.”

That’s when I first heard about Breakthrough. They came to my elementary school in Manor, talking about this summer program that was supposed to be “cool” and “interactive.” To be honest, as a fifth grader, I wasn’t all there — but I was listening and I remember thinking, “Okay, sounds fun… for somebody else.” Because I definitely wasn’t trying to go back to school in the summer.

Despite my initial thoughts, I showed up for that first summer at Breakthrough. Here I was a fresh middle schooler trying to figure out what was going on. Maybe it was seeing all these new students across Manor ISD who wanted to go to college just like me, but something just clicked. 

Maybe it was English class and I remember my teacher Ms. Katie encouraging me in my writing . At the time I was over all her critical questions about my story – like what about this character, and their backstory. Truth is she  

Had helped me find my love for storytelling. My masterpiece was about a girl named Promise. My mom still has that story to this day. 

I also learned a lot in all my other classes – math, science, social studies, and really found how to directly and clearly express my voice. Breakthrough showed me what education could be and that I could create something powerful with clear guidance. Breakthrough was like PBS Kids, you know, keeping you entertained while mom’s at work but low key great educational learning! 

After all the help I got from Breakthrough in my middle school summers and during the school year,  I was set up for success. At Manor Senior High School, the classes felt like light work. I even received my associates degree before even graduating high school because I was taking dual credit classes at ACC, for free. 

Breakthrough didn’t just give me a checklist — they gave me a guide, a plan, a hand, and the confidence to follow through. I applied to over ten colleges and got accepted to several — UT, Texas State, UNT, UTSA, St. Edward’s and more. But in the end, I chose Texas State. Breakthrough literally held my hand through it all. 

Even in college, Breakthrough was still showing me doors. It wasn’t easy. 

Coming from a home packed with personality to an empty dorm room was challenging in many ways. Like many others, being away from home for the first time was uncomfortable but for me this was different. I left what I knew to be home to be surrounded by complete strangers. I felt the pressures of being alone and having doubts about where I was going. 

Being at Texas State took a toll on me … has anyone else here walked up the hills and stairs of Texas State everyday? Come back to me when you do –  It’s a climb. Not to get too metaphorical, but it’s hard! I’d struggle up the hill to the Alkek Library to meet my advisor Claudia just to greet her out of breath.

I can’t tell you how helpful Breakthrough was for me. It wasn’t just the scholarships that created a full ride to college, internships that led to a career, or the strong connections built along the way that made me appreciate Breakthrough the most. It was that they were truly like family, they were my second biggest cheerleader – obviously my mommy is #1, but Breakthrough has always been right there for me.

I kept opening different doors, starting as a major in biology, then psychology. I kept going, one step at a time. I started building my resume. It’s now so good I call it my “sexy resume” — yes, I said sexy — because it’s that good!  I earned my first paid internship through Breakthrough at the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, researching mental health challenges first-gen students face today. My second Breakthrough internship was at Accenture, learning about how to speak the language of the business and project management. I did research, wrote proposals and opened clinics – all of that before I even turned 21. 

Just three years after high school—I walked the stage at Texas State University, earning my B.A. in Psychology and becoming the first in my family, four generations strong in Austin, to graduate from college. Debt free might I add. 

I’m now proud to say I have a career in a field I didn’t even know existed growing up –  I am a SAP Enterprise Resource Consultant at Accenture. Tell me that’s not amazing?  

Breakthrough is the reason I’m equipped to walk into every opportunity with confidence and clarity. Breakthrough is a guide to show you the door of opportunity in life, not only how to find the door, but how to work the doorknob, which key to use, swing it wide open and step through. 

It’s helped my entire family – my brother is a Breakthrough grad and my mom even went back to school. She’s now on her way to becoming a registered nurse.  So when I hear that Breakthrough is expanding to serve 3,000 more students through its Pathways to Opportunity Campaign, I just think — that’s transformational. Because this program doesn’t just change individual lives — it changes an entire family forever. 

My name is Jeremiah Thompson. Now, let’s all go on a journey together. Think back to that weird time called sixth grade. Do you remember that? I got a picture taken the moment Breakthrough came into my life in May 2013, and I was an awkward, gangly, insecure 6th grader. I was 11, attending my first Breakthrough event, an orientation session for all new students and families. My mom and I were blown away at what was shared with us – a 12-year promise to help me achieve my dreams. 

Fast forward 7 years, and I was standing in front of the UT Tower as a high school graduate, celebrating that I will soon go off to college. Now, Breakthrough didn’t make me handsome like you see here, but it was a huge part of my life, so big that I call Breakthrough my second mom. 

So how did this program help that younger Jeremiah?  I’d start with the middle school summer program. Every day for four straight summers, I’d arrive early in the morning to people screaming at me- in happiness not in anger, I promise. Breakthrough staff and summer teachers were there cheering and clapping and, mind you, it’s like 7 AM at this point. Who does that?! They were getting up for us – every day – and that made us want to get up for them. I loved it, loved the energy, and…it was hard work. We studied math, reading, science, and more. I felt proud walking back into my middle school in the fall, saying to other students, “I’ve been grinding all summer, what have y’all been doing?”

I also got to meet my Breakthrough advisors. One in particular, Dorothy Vasquez. I first met Dorothy in middle school. My friends and I were a bit…confident, is the word I’d use. One day when we kept talking over other people, Dorothy paused and told us to remember our expectations. Essentially to knock it off. My friend said, “That’s mean!” Dorothy replied, and I’ll never forget it, “Sweetheart I’m not mean, I’m assertive and I care about you and every student here.” So, when I say Breakthrough is like a second mom, I mean it – sometimes setting boundaries, always caring, and just so happens to be super knowledgeable about college. 

In high school I started to feel a lot of pressure. I’m not just the first in my family to aspire for college, I have four younger brothers and sisters who look up to me. Around that time, my real-life mom, Diana, became ill with a thyroid disease. She’s my whole world and the most loving, kind person in history. That’s when our family joke developed: “Let’s just ask Breakthrough!’ To this day, my mom will respond to any question I have about college, career, and life, “Call Breakthrough, call them now!”

In high school I saw Dorothy and other Breakthrough staff at our many after school workshops. We worked together like a family through everything from tutoring to college essays. My anxiety diminished, the pressure became more manageable, and I somehow was able to submit 15 applications to college. 

Time for a fun fact: college is hard! My first semester dragged me and beat me up! I mean I lost my breath a couple times my first semester!  But the biggest challenge was isolation. I left all my friends behind, started brand new. Breakthrough was there once again. My mom – and my Breakthrough moms – have been there to surround me with love and knowledge. 

Through Breakthrough, I also had opportunities to explore my passions, especially at the intersection of education and business. As a Breakthrough Summer Teaching Fellow, I got a real-world glimpse into the teaching profession working with younger Breakthrough students. Through the Breakthrough Internship Network, I  interned in the Human Resources department at Silicon Labs and loved getting to connect with students through the university relations program. That’s when I realized: my true passion is developing people and helping them reach their goals.

I often wonder what my life would be like if I didn’t have Breakthrough. It would be a series of “what ifs.” What if I didn’t get good grades? What if I didn’t register for the right classes? What if I couldn’t handle the pressure of being the very first in my family to go to college, of being a role model for my younger siblings? What if I screw up? It’s not just about me, it’s about my family, my friends, my entire community. Breakthrough, like any good mom, has made those ‘what ifs’ turn into ‘I can do this.’ Having someone by my side who knows me, is wise, and yes, assertive, when I need them to be has been the greatest gift. 

I am proud to share that I am a first-generation college graduate from the McCombs School of Business right here at UT Austin. I am still pushing forward, now earning my MBA at UT San Antonio, and I love my job at H-E-B. As the Internship and Bridges Program Coordinator, I help support designing curriculum, advocate for change, and help our interns and partners realize their vision for themselves and their career. I get to help others realize their dreams, just like Breakthrough helped me realize mine.  

When I hear about the incredible Pathways to Opportunity Campaign, I’m excited that thousands more students will be able to find a home in the Breakthrough community. That more will be able to envision themselves going to college. That more will be able to defy expectations and realize their dreams. Thank you all for being here today and for listening to my perspective. You all, along with the Breakthrough students give me hope for a brighter future.