2012-2013 Annual Report
Our Program and Context While roughly 1 of every 2 high-income students in our country will graduate from college, only 1 in 7 of their lowerincome peers can say the same. Strikingly, even low-income students with above-average test scores have a college graduation rate lower than more affluent classmates with worse test scores (National Center for Education Statistics). Regionally, only 27% of Latino students in Orange County graduate high school with the A-G requirements necessary for even qualifying to apply to a California State University. Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano is determined to reverse this trend. Through academically rigorous summer and after-school programs, we increase educational opportunities for motivated, low-income middle school students so they can realize their potential to excel in high school and be the first in their family to go on to college. In Breakthrough’s unique Students Teaching Students model, promising 7th through 9th grade students engage in academically rigorous coursework taught by high achieving college students, while a supportive community sustains them on their path to college. Middle school students enrolled in Breakthrough commit to three intensive summer sessions in core and elective academic courses. Additionally, they engage in year-round extracurricular programming that continues into high school. Breakthrough is also designed to encourage talented high school and college students to pursue careers in education and choose to teach in communities with the greatest need. Teachers at Breakthrough are outstanding high school and college students from around the country. They receive intensive teaching training and ongoing support from master teachers. By serving both students and teachers, we ensure that we are addressing the educational needs of low-communities both short- and long-term (some of our students have even gone on to become Breakthrough teachers!). Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano is funded through charitable gifts from local businesses, corporations, foundations and individuals. As one of the just a handful of organizations that works with the underserved population of San Juan Capistrano, we are passionately working to end inter-generational poverty in our community. Investing in education not only reduces dependence on the social safety net; a college degree can end poverty in a family line forever (Bureau of Labor Statistics). We realize the stakes are too high for anything other than an extraordinary effort.
Mission Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano has a unique dual mission: 1. To increase academic opportunity for highly motivated, underserved students and put them on the trajectory of a successful college path. 2. To inspire and develop the next generation of teachers and educational leaders.
Overview of Services
6-year, year-round programs including three intensive six-week summer sessions and after-school programming College and high school aged teachers to create a transformational relationship & learning environment Tuition-free academically rigorous curriculum College prep counseling (ACT/SAT, applications, school selection and financial aid) Support parents as they navigate their students’ educational choices
Historical Figures Summer Program
7th Grade
8th Grade
College Bound
Total
2006 22 22 2007 24 22 46 2008 24 24 48 2009 27 24 51 2010 21 27 30 78 2011 29 22 25 76 2012 30 31 19 79 2013 27 30 27 84 Total number of Breakthrough SJC students served from Summer 2006-2013 = 204 Summer Program 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Intern Teachers Trained 6 12 16 16 16 19 17 19
Total number of Breakthrough SJC Summer Intern Teachers trained = 121
2012-2013 In-Session (School Year Program) During 7th and 8th grade, Breakthrough SJC students attend In-Session at Marco Forster Middles School from 3:25-4:30pm every Tuesday and Thursday. The main goal of In-Session is provide academic support that will ensure success in middle school classes. On Tuesdays, Breakthrough students meet their advisors to work on homework or study for upcoming assessments. On Thursdays, students take a supplementary math course that aligns with the objectives being covered in their Marco Forster Middle School math class. To ensure students are on the college path, Breakthrough SJC staff performs bi-weekly grade checks for all middle school students. This school year, Breakthrough SJC served 29 7th graders 30 8th graders 17 high school students that served as In-Session teachers. o 7 In-Session teachers were Breakthrough students who decided to give back to the program because of their positive experience as Breakthrough middle school students. o 12 were St. Margaret’s Episcopal School students. o 3 were San Juan Hills High School students. o 1 was a Dana Hills High School student. o 1 was a Capistrano Valley High School student. In-session Successes In the Fall Semester 43% of 8th Graders had above 3.7 GPA (23% increase from 2011-2012) o 83% of 8th Graders had a B average or higher In the Fall Semester 62% of 7th Graders had above a 3.7 GPA (89% increase from 2011-2012) o 90% of 7th graders had a B average or higher 97% of parents surveyed responded that Breakthrough SJC has helped them become better equipped to advocate for their child’s education
In-Session Timeline and Events Date(s)
Event and Description
October 4, 9, 11, 15
In-Session Teacher Orientation Breakthrough In-Session teachers received training from Director, Lorena Martinez on the structure of In-Session, how to tutor effectively, and how to deliver lesson through the school year.
October 10, 2012-
In-Session Parent Orientation Breakthrough 7th and 8th grade student and families were invited to St. Margaret’s Episcopal school to discuss the purpose, goals and expectations of Breakthrough InSession.
October 16, 2012–May 14, 2013
December 15, 2012
In-Session Every Tuesday and Thursdays from 3:25-4:30 at Marco Forster Middle School *with exception of all St. Margaret’s and Capistrano Unified school breaks and holidays Breakthrough SJC Holiday Party Breakthrough student and families were invited to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School to celebrate everyone’s hard work prior to leaving for vacation.
December 18, 2012
February 25, 2012
Breakthrough SJC and St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Admission Event Breakthrough partnered with the Admissions Office at St. Margaret’s to inform and guide Breakthrough students interested in applying to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. 7th Grade Spring Kick Off Breakthrough 7th grade student and families were invited to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School to discuss upcoming events and opportunities such as the Jack Kent Cook Scholarship.
February 27, 2012
8th Grade Spring Kick Off Breakthrough 8th grade student and families were invited to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School to discuss the transition to high school, A-G requirements, open enrollment and visiting days at local high schools and course planning for 9th grade.
March 4, 2013
March 23, 2013
May 29, 2013
Jack Kent Cook Young Scholars Program Application Workshop Workshops where Breakthrough students were guided through Phase One of the JKC scholarship. Swallow’s Day Parade Breakthrough students showed of their BT- Spirit by marching in san Juan Capistrano’s Swallow’s Day Parade. 8th Summer Orientation Breakthrough 7th grade student and families were invited to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School to discuss summer logistics and take a math pre-test to determine the math class they will be taking over the summer.
May
30th
College Bound Summer Orientation Breakthrough 8th grade student and families were invited to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School to discuss the transition into the College Bound (high school) program, summer logistics and take a math pre-test to determine their summer math class
2012-2013 College Bound (High School Program) Overview of Program In a transition year for BTSJC’s College Bound program, we saw an increase in the number of students reached by our programming throughout spring semester while laying the groundwork for a more comprehensive model to hit the ground running in the fall. In February, we held an evening meeting at our offices to solicit feedback on the program which was attended by 17 students and their families. After the several poorly attended grade-level meetings that followed, we pivoted to meeting students in their schools during lunch—and tallied significantly greater turnout totaling 47 students across schools (nearly half the total number eligible, an increase from the 36% served in the previous school year).
These meetings—a chance to check in with students academically and socially while making them aware of upcoming opportunities—have continued monthly throughout the spring. Additionally, they have been augmented by weekly tutoring at the Breakthrough offices, a college visit to Soka University, and a planned beach bonfire to cap off the school year. Arrangements to continue meeting on school sites for next year are already in the works, with plans for more specific academic and parent presentations on topics like the college search and meeting A-G requirements. By May, students who wish to continue with this model of programming will commit via enrollment contracts, including the 22 8th graders who have already expressed a desire continue their Breakthrough involvement into high school. # students who returned contracts in Spring 2013 rising 9th 10th 11th 12th 20 7 10 0
BTSJC 1st Graduating Class (2012) 2 year college 40% 4 year college 25% College Accepted 65%
Colleges our students are attending Beloit College California State University, San Marcos California State University, Dominguez Hills California State University, Fullerton Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Humboldt State University San Francisco State University Truckee Meadows Community College Wheaton College St. Olaf College Saddleback College Orange Coast College
2013 Student Recruitment
Overview: Through engagement with Marco Forster middle school, Breakthrough recruits high-achieving, committed 6th graders and their families to submit competitive applications for entrance to the program. Students are then evaluated on the basis of several factors to judge academic potential and commitment.
New Student Recruitment Events o In-Class Recruitment Presentations: BTSJC’s Director presented to all 6th grade students at Marco Forster Middle School by conducting full-hour sessions in all social studies classes. o Parent Sessions: BTSJC’s Director held two parent sessions to recruit for and explain the program to community parents. o Lunch Sessions: BTSJC’s Director followed-up by attending Middle School lunch for four days to further recruit for the program and explain the application process. o Check-ins: BTSJC’s Director followed up by conducting short presentations again in all Marc Forster 6th grade Social Studies classes. o Partnerships: BTSJC’s director met with the local Boys’ and Girls’ Club’s Director and Assistant Director to expand the reach of recruiting messaging.
Breakthrough Student Recruitment Highlights o 2013 40 6th graders applied to Breakthrough SJC, 27 (68%) were accepted o 28 New Students Accepted 89% of students met at least 4 of 5 Breakthrough Need Criteria 93% of students met at least 2 of 5 Breakthrough Need Criteria
Breakthrough Need Criteria
Free/Reduced Lunch First Generation College Graduates First Language Other than English Students of Color Single Parent Household
Percent of Students 84 96 88 92 12
Areas for Growth o Partnerships: Though BTSJC’s Director was able to meet with the leadership of the Capistrano Valley Boys’ and Girls’ Club, a strong recruitment relationship has not yet been established. It would be very valuable to have the Club help recruit effectively so that every high-achieving, low-income student in the community is encouraged to apply to Breakthrough. o Increase recruitment of male students
2013 Student Orientations In 2013, Breakthrough Staff decided to hold grade specific Student and Family Orientations rather than only hosting New Student Orientations. During Orientations, students took pre-tests for Math and English, reviewed Breakthrough SJC’s Disciplinary Stairway, Parents filled out important papers such as medical release forms and students had the opportunity to vote for the Academic Electives and Explorations that would be offered during the 2013 summer. In addition, Breakthrough staff delivered grade specific information to students and their families.
Date(s) Wednesday, May
29th
Thursday, May 30th
Event and Description Incoming 8th Grade Orientation Incoming College Bound Orientation Breakthrough incoming College Bound students and families were introduced, for the first time to Breakthrough SJC’s Assistant/College Bound Director Bryan Boyce. Bryan reviewed with parents the importance of starting high school strong and encouraged students to be leaders of the Breakthrough SJC Summer Program.
Saturday June 1st
New Student Orientation Students and Families were introduced to the Breakthrough Basics (expectations, events over the summer, culture of Breakthrough, etc. In addition, students and families took a tour of facilities at St. Margaret’s that Breakthrough would use over the summer.
Successes o 100% attendance at New Student Orientation o 100% of students and families attending 2013 Summer program completed all required paperwork to enroll in the summer program
Areas for Growth o Send map of campus to new parent’s prior to Orientation and have volunteers stand around campus to greet and escort students and families (new parents were lost and it wasn’t until 15-20 minutes after the meet’s starting time staff realized parents were at a different location). o Have students complete paperwork prior to the meeting and use meeting as a time to answer questions and review questions (for example, paperwork could not be thoroughly completed since parents did not have information such as insurance information with them). o Have incoming 8th and College Bound students take pre-tests during In-Session
2013 Teacher Orientations In order to ensure Breakthrough SJC provides the highest level of training to its college and high school intern teachers, Breakthrough SJC once again participated in Breakthrough Collaborative Improving Teacher Training Initiative (ITTI). ITTI is a model of teacher training, coaching, and evaluation that many Breakthrough affiliates use with its summer staff. The practices selected for inclusion in ITTI are built on, but not limited to, the comprehensive meta-research of Dr. Robert Marzano (2007) and the practical, proven methods of Dr. Fred Jones (2007), including:
Active Participation Visual Instructional Plans Say-See-Do Teaching
Classroom Management Strategies Lesson Development Teacher Excellence Rubric
In addition to ITTI workshops, Directors also developed site specific workshops to inform intern teachers of the unique culture of Breakthrough SJC. Workshops included: History & Mission of Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano Who Are Our Students Visit to Marco Forster Middle School to meet with Carrie Bertini (Principal) San Juan Capistrano Community Visit (teachers visited neighborhood students live in, the local library, and got to eat chips and salsa at Ricardo’s Place, an avid BTSJC supporter) Teacher Orientation took place from Wednesday June 12th- Friday June 21st.
Breakthrough SJC Summer 2013 Students’ involvement with Breakthrough SJC starts with our 6 week, 40 hour per week summer program. It is in this intense experience that students discover that learning is fun and that it’s cool to be smart. Academic preparation, positive risk taking and community are all fundamental outcomes of Breakthrough SJC’s summer sessions. This summer Breakthrough SJC served:
84 students 19 Intern Teachers 4 Junior Teachers (BTSJC high school students) 27 student volunteers
Our 2013 summer program consisted of:
Core classes in Math, Science, Literature/Writing and Social Studies to prepare students for future middle school and high school courses. Academic Electives that provide a well-rounded education in everything from Astronomy to Economics to Public Speaking. Fun Explorations that allow students to explore hobbies and sports such as soccer, ultimate frisbee, rubix cube and art. Field Trips and College Visits! BTSJC Special Events such as Spirit Day, Olympics and Celebration!
Timeline of Events July 1, 2013 - Parent’s Night July 3, 2013- Field Trip for College Bound students (rising 9th graders) July 5, 2013- Field Trips for 7th & 8th Graders July 12, 2013- Career Presentation (Structural Engineering) July 13, 2013 – Student Lead Conferences July 16, 2013 – Visitor’s Day July 18, 2013 – College Visit for College Bound students (University of California-San Diego) July 19, 2013- College Visits for 7th and 8th Graders (USC and Pomona College) August 2, 2013 – Last day of Academic Summer Session/Post-tests administered August 3, 2013 – Celebration
Summer Leadership Team:
Director- Lorena Martinez Assistant Director- Bryan Boyce Dean of Students- Audrey Wilson Mentor Teachers o Blair Dyer (Social Studies) o Cat Nolan (Math) o Lynn Sanchez (English) o Erin Bratcher (Science) Algebra Camp Teacher - Cat Nolan
Student Successes Seventh graders read Sherman Alexie’s novel “The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, eight graders read Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game” and ninth graders read “Black Boy” by Richard Wright. 7th grade social studies students improved a whopping average of 1.46 points of a scale of 5 in writing document-based essay questions -- a feat none of them had attempted before this summer! 8th graders posted a 20% increase in physics knowledge from their pre- to post-assessments. All students improved an average of 15% on the nationally recognized MDTP math assessment after learning new content ranging from pre-algebra to geometry, and all the way up to algebra II! 98% of students completed the summer program, an increase from last year's 97%.
On average, every single student in the Breakthrough summer program strongly agrees with the statements "I am confident in my future college and career plans" and "I know that participation in Breakthrough will help me achieve my long-term goals."
Student Stories This fall, Stephanie Saavedra is a rising senior at St. Margaret's Episcopal School. Stephanie first became involved with Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano in 2008 when she was a 6th grader attending Marco Forster Middle School. At first, Stephanie did not really have a passion for learning and her mother was the main person who wanted her to join the program. However, at Breakthrough SJC Stephanie learned education can be fun and she was inspired and motivated by all her Breakthrough college intern teachers. This summer, Stephanie will continue her journey with Breakthrough by serving as an English teacher. She is excited to meet her students and help them gain a love of learning. She wants her students to know that they can reach their goals by working hard. Stephanie is consistently on the Headmaster's Honor Roll at St. Margaret's Episcopal School and she will surely be a positive role model to other Breakthrough students like herself. Stephanie plans on applying to Macalester College in the fall of 2013.
Citlali Perez is an 8th grade Breakthrough students. She joined Breakthrough SJC because she wanted to prepare herself for college and get to meet exciting college aged Breakthrough teachers. With the help of Breakthrough Citlali was able to achieve a 3.8 gpa at her middle school, Marco Forster. In addition to being involved with Breakthrough, Citlali is also a Road Runner Ambassador and she is a member of AVID, musical theater and is a Reading Buddy at her middle school. A highly motivated, yet underserved student Citlali will be the first in her family to attend college. She hopes to attend Brown University and would like to be a psychiatrist so she can help others. Breakthrough SJC helps students like Citlali from the moment they join the BT community in 6th grade until they graduate from high school. Teacher Successes On a 5.0 scale, BTSJC intern teachers rated the leadership of the program at a 4.6 (84% increase from 2012 and above the national average). On a 5.0 scale, BTSJC intern teachers rated their overall satisfaction with the program at a 4.87 (31% increase from 2012 and above the national average). Six former Breakthrough students returned to serve as teachers this summer -- two as intern teachers, and four as junior teachers. Their skill and commitment testify to the enduring and cyclical impact of BTSJC programming. It's truly a gift that keeps on giving. Four summer teachers came from prestigious Ivy League schools. 13 of them came from the greater Capistrano Valley community, including seven who attended Marco Forster middle school and one who will be student teaching at San Juan Hills this coming fall!
Every single teacher this summer responded that their experience with BTSJC increased their commitment to the teaching professional.
Teacher Quotes "While I may not have had the opportunity to have a deep life conversation with each and every one of the students this summer, I feel confident that I at least met each student and knew every single person by their name (and some even by anecdotes provided by other teachers). In my opinion, it’s this small knit community that truly makes BTSJC so amazingly wonderful, because after 6 weeks—and for some, 3 summers—together, you genuinely feel like you are a part of something greater than just a summer program, but you feel a part of a family." --Jess
I struggle to put into words the extent to which Breakthrough has impacted my life. As someone hoping to make a difference and passionate about helping those less fortunate in our country, BTSJC has provided and avenue for myself personally to truly make a difference in the lives of others. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t learn something from the incredible students I had the privilege of teaching or my astounding fellow teachers who I am lucky to call my colleagues and friends . . . Thank you so much for this opportunity this summer. Thank you for taking a chance on me. For sticking by me, for supporting me. I don’t really want to leave BTSJC . . . I came to Breakthrough to teach, I never knew I would learn so much." – Grant
"Again, this was probably the best experience I’ve had, not just during the summer, but ever!" – Jose
"Being a Breakthrough teacher is a lot like the process of applying to college. You work so hard all of the time and sometimes you are unsure if you are doing the right thing or if it is really worth all the effort. Reading the post-assessments at the end of the summer is like finally receiving all of the acceptance letters; you recognize all the success you have achieved and you realize that you wouldn’t change anything you did to get you to the spot you have reached." - Rachel
"Thank you for an experience of a lifetime. I did not believe that a summer program like this could really change me, but it definitely has." - Kevin
Table 1: Student Demographics (Summer 2013) Category
Number
Latino
7th Grade 8th Grade Students 9th Grade Students Total Students
27 30
24 (89%) 30 (100%)
27 84
African American
Asian
Caucasian
Other
Male
Female
0 (0%)
1 (4%) 0 (0%)
19 (70%) 17 (57%)
0 (0%)
0 (0%)
0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
8 (30%) 13 (43%)
22 (81%)
2 (7%) 0 (0%) 5 (19%)
6 (22%)
21 (78%)
76 (90%)
0 (0%)
1 (1.3%)
8 (8.7%)
0 (0%)
27 (32%)
57 (68%)
Table 2: Breakthrough student need criteria (Summer 2013) Grade Free/Reduced First English not Generation Primary College Language 7th Grade 90% 100% 93%
Student of Color
Single Parent
100%
10%
8th Grade
83%
90%
72%
83%
21%
9th Grade Total
84% 86%
89% 93%
84% 83%
100% 94%
16% 16%
Table 3: Teacher Demographics (Summer 2013) Category
Number
Latino
African American
Asian
Caucasian
Other
Male
Female
Intern teachers Junior teacher Total Teachers
19
8 (42%) 4 (100%) 12 (52%)
1 (5%) 0 (0%) 1 (4%)
1 (5%) 0 (0%) 1 (4%)
7 (37%) 0 (0%) 7 (30%)
2 (11%) 0 (0%) 2 (10%)
5 (26%) 1 (25%) 6 (26%)
14 (74%) 3 (75%) 17 (74%)
4 23
Breakthrough SJC 2013 Total Intern Teachers: 19 Gender Male Female Primary Race African American American Indian Asian Latino Caucasian Multi-racial Other Teacher Demographics First in family to go to college Breakthrough student/alumni Education At Time of Application High school College undergraduate Education Experience Education Major Before Breakthrough New Breakthrough Teacher Returning Breakthrough Teacher Colleges Ivy League Top 50 (National University Ranking) Top 50 (Liberal Arts Ranking) Other Summer '13 Average GPA
Number Percentage 5 14
26% 74%
1 0 1 8 7 1 1
5.30% 0% 5.30% 42% 37% 5.30% 5.30%
8 2
42% 11%
3 16
16% 84%
4 15 4
21% 79% 21%
4 11 4 4
21% 58% 21% 21% 3.47