BREAKTHROUGH STUDENTS ...
... ARE MOTIVATED
Students enter Breakthrough the summer after 6th grade and commit initially for two years. During 7th and 8th grade, they receive a total of 80 extra days of academic enrichment, apply for at least two scholarship opportunities, and pass at least two honors courses in school. Breakthrough students are also provided ongoing, multi-faceted support through high school to college.
... DEMONSTRATE NEED
All of Breakthrough Saint Paul’s students demonstrate need for the program in at least one of the following ways:
- Her/his family is low income or eligible for free/reduced lunch.
- S/he will be in the first generation to attend a four-year college in her family.
- Her/his family is led by a single parent.
- Her/his family primarily speaks a language other than English at home.
- S/he self-identifies as a person of color.
Many students demonstrate need in two or more ways.
| Category | combined GR. 7-9 |
grade 7 | grade 8 | grade 9 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Current Students | 103 | | | 100% | 49 | | | 100% | 30 | | | 100% | 24 | | | 100% |
| demonstrated needs | ||||||||||||
| Eligible for free or reduced lunch | 78 | | | 75% | 41 | | | 84% | 20 | | | 66% | 17 | | | 70% |
| first generation to go to college | 73 | | | 71% | 39 | | | 80% | 10 | | | 63% | 15 | | | 82% |
| single parent family | 38 | | | 37% | 21 | | | 43% | 12 | | | 40% | 5 | | | 20% |
| home language other than english | 55 | | | 53% | 27 | | | 55% | 16 | | | 53% | 12 | | | 50% |
| self-identifies as person of color | 94 | | | 91% | 48 | | | 98% | 25 | | | 83% | 21 | | | 87% |
| other | ||||||||||||
| sibling in breakthrough | 15 | | | 15% | 8 | | | 16% | 4 | | | 13% | 3 | | | 12% |
... REPRESENT DIVERSITY
Breakthrough recognizes that there are many dimensions of human diversity. Racially and ethnically, Breakthrough helps under-represented groups, specifically students of color, to succeed in honors courses and get to college. 91% of our students self-identify as a person of color. See the table below to learn more about the diversity of Breakthrough’s student body.
| Category | combined GR. 7-9 |
grade 7 | grade 8 | grade 9 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Current Students | 103 | | | 100% | 49 | | | 100% | 30 | | | 100% | 24 | | | 100% |
| gender | ||||||||||||
| male | 44 | | | 43% | 18 | | | 37% | 14 | | | 47% | 12 | | | 50% |
| female | 59 | | | 57% | 31 | | | 63% | 16 | | | 53% | 12 | | | 50% |
| primary race | ||||||||||||
| african american | 33 | | | 32% | 21 | | | 43% | 7 | | | 23% | 5 | | | 20% |
| american indian | 1 | | | 1% | 1 | | | 2% | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| asian american | 41 | | | 40% | 17 | | | 35% | 12 | | | 40% | 12 | | | 50% |
| latino or hispanic | 11 | | | 10% | 7 | | | 14% | 3 | | | 10% | 1 | | | 4% |
| caucasian | 9 | | | 9% | 1 | | | 2% | 5 | | | 17% | 3 | | | 13% |
| multi-racial | 8 | | | 8% | 2 | | | 4% | 3 | | | 10% | 3 | | | 13% |
... ATTEND SAINT PAUL SCHOOLS
To apply to Breakthrough, students must be enrolled in an SPPS elementary school. Almost all students (94%) remain in SPPS schools through junior high and high school. For those students that move outside the district, Breakthrough continues to serve them if they can provide transportation and meet ongoing expectations.
Breakthrough Students' Sending Elementary Schools: Summer 2007
| Category | combined GR. 7-9 |
grade 7 | grade 8 | grade 9 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Current Students | 103 | | | 100% | 49 | | | 100% | 30 | | | 100% | 24 | | | 100% |
| Sending Elementary Schools | ||||||||||||
| American Indian Magnet | 5 | | | 5% | 3 | | | 6% | 2 | | | 7% | - | | | - |
| Ames | 3 | | | 3% | 2 | | | 4% | 1 | | | 6% | - | | | - |
| Benjamin Mays | 3 | | | 3% | 3 | | | 6% | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| Bruce Vento | 8 | | | 8% | 3 | | | 6% | 2 | | | 7% | 3 | | | 13% |
| Capital Hill | 8 | | | 8% | 4 | | | 8% | 4 | | | 13% | - | | | - |
| Chelsea Heights | 1 | | | 1% | - | | | - | - | | | - | 1 | | | 4% |
| Como | 9 | | | 8% | 4 | | | 8% | 3 | | | 10% | 2 | | | 8% |
| Eastern Heights | - | | | - | - | | | - | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| Farnsworth | 22 | | | 22% | 6 | | | 13% | 8 | | | 27% | 8 | | | 33% |
| Franklin | 9 | | | 8% | 3 | | | 6% | 2 | | | 7% | 4 | | | 17% |
| Frost Lake | 3 | | | 3% | 2 | | | 4% | - | | | - | 1 | | | 4% |
| Highland | 6 | | | 6% | 6 | | | 13% | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| Homecroft | 1 | | | 1% | 1 | | | 2% | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| Jackson | 1 | | | 1% | - | | | - | 1 | | | 3% | - | | | - |
| Lindwood + | 1 | | | 1% | 1 | | | 2% | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| L'Etoile Du Nord | - | | | - | - | | | - | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| Mississippi | - | | | - | - | | | - | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| Museum Magnet | 2 | | | 2% | 1 | | | 2% | 1 | | | 3% | - | | | - |
| Nokomis | 1 | | | 1% | 1 | | | 2% | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| North End | 3 | | | 3% | - | | | - | - | | | - | 3 | | | 13% |
| Phalen Lake | 1 | | | 1% | 1 | | | 2% | - | | | - | - | | | - |
| Prosperity Heights | 2 | | | 2% | 1 | | | 2% | 1 | | | 3% | - | | | - |
| Webster | 9 | | | 8% | 4 | | | 8% | 3 | | | 10% | 2 | | | 8% |
| World Cultures | 5 | | | 5% | 3 | | | 6% | 2 | | | 7% | - | | | - |
Breakthrough Students' Current Schools: Summer 2007
| Category | combined GR. 7 & 8 |
grade 7 | grade 8 | grade 9 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Current Students | 79 | | | 100% | 49 | | | 100% | 30 | | | 100% | 24 | | | 100% |
| Junior High Attending | ||||||||||||
| Battle Creek Middle School | 9 | | | 11% | 7 | | | 15% | 2 | | | 7% | |||
| Capitol Hill G&T Magnet | 13 | | | 16% | 9 | | | 18% | 5 | | | 17% | |||
| Cleveland Junior High School | 7 | | | 9% | 2 | | | 4% | 5 | | | 17% | |||
| Hazel Park Middle Academy | 8 | | | 10% | 5 | | | 10% | 3 | | | 10% | |||
| Highland Park Junior High School | 8 | | | 10% | 8 | | | 16% | - | | | - | |||
| Humboldt Junior High School | 3 | | | 5% | 3 | | | 6% | - | | | - | |||
| Monroe Achievement + School | - | | | - | - | | | - | - | | | - | |||
| Murray Junior High School | 10 | | | 13% | 3 | | | 6% | 7 | | | 23% | |||
| Open School | 1 | | | 1% | - | | | - | 1 | | | 3% | |||
| Ramsey Junior High School | 5 | | | 7% | 3 | | | 6% | 7 | | | 23% | |||
| Washington Technology M.S. | 8 | | | 10% | 7 | | | 15% | 1 | | | 3% | |||
| Charter School | 5 | | | 7% | 1 | | | 2% | 4 | | | 13% | |||
| Private School | 1 | | | 1% | 1 | | | 2% | - | | | - | |||
| Senior High Attending | ||||||||||||
| Arlington Senior High School | 2 | | | 8% | |||||||||
| Central Senior High School | 8 | | | 33% | |||||||||
| Como Park Senior High School | 4 | | | 17% | |||||||||
| Harding Senior High School | 1 | | | 4% | |||||||||
| Highland Park Senior High School | 2 | | | 8% | |||||||||
| Humboldt Sr H. S. | 1 | | | 4% | |||||||||
| Johnson Senior High School | 5 | | | 22% | |||||||||
| Charter School | - | | | - | |||||||||
| Private School | 1 | | | 4% | |||||||||
... HAVE COMMITTED FAMILIES
In exchange for providing the program tuition-free, Breakthrough expects a major commitment from families as well as students. Parents and guardians agree to participate in several events annually and to ensure their children attend all activities. BSP reaches out to families by making frequent calls home, arranging carpools to events, and providing interpretation for families who do not speak English.
