Meet Olivia Gonzalez, a Breakthrough Twin Cities Summer 2018 Teaching Fellow!

 1. How did you become aware of Breakthrough, and why did you decide to get involved as a Teaching Fellow?

 I first heard about Breakthrough from my cousin who taught at Breakthrough Birmingham and a good friend of mine from high school who taught at Breakthrough Houston. Their stories of being in the classroom for a summer and the impact it made on them intrigued me. I decided to get involved this past year as I shifted my career goals and started to consider teaching. I have always loved working with kids and believe that access to a good education is extremely important; I saw Breakthrough as a way to actively make an impact in an area I care deeply about.

 2. What do you enjoy most about your job as a Teaching Fellow?

Being able to interact with the amazing students at BTC was my favorite part of being a Teaching Fellow. Throughout the summer, I watched my students learn, grow, and become more comfortable with being at Breakthrough. Their transformations were so beautiful, and although I was technically teaching them, I felt as though I learned so much as I watched them grow!

 3. What advice or suggestions would you give for someone else who wants to get involved with Breakthrough or apply to be a Teaching Fellow?

Anyone ready to get involved with Breakthrough should be ready to have their life changed. This program is such an incredible catalyst for growth, both for the students and the Teaching Fellows. For people considering becoming a Teaching Fellow but not sure if education is for them, I recommend to just go for it and apply. I believe this experience is invaluable regardless of what career one may end up in.

Yer Xiong, one of our 2018 Summer Session Program Interns, has written a poem about Breakthrough entitled “Breakthrough, my Dearest Friend.” We would like to share it with all of you! Yer is also a current high school student at Breakthrough and commented that “the best part of being involved with Breakthrough as a Program Intern was having a direct impact on students’ lives.” She also had the chance to co-teach a Choreography Dance elective this summer. In the future, Yer plans to pursue a college degree and keep in contact with all the friends she has made at Breakthrough. Check out her poem below!

 

Breakthrough, my Dearest Friend

The first time I heard of you, you carried everything that consisted of my dreams
Everyone who met you shouts and sings all the ways that you are great
You are praised by 12 year olds because of your excitement
You are remembered by 20 year olds because of your influence

I got to know you myself and they were right
You made me laugh and you made me cry
You made me dance and you made me sing
You introduced me to the world
2 amazing years

On his own he befriended me, Life is what he goes by
Life was the uninvited friend at the party
but is there anyways because he knows you
I apologize for letting him take me from you

After one year, I am here again,
I see that you’ve grown into something so different but still the same culture
You still put smiles on faces as if they are stickers
Your vibe still fills the room like a happy smoke

Seeing another view of you was a challenge
Realizing there was so much more to you than corny jokes and funky dance moves
I forget that you are just as me as I am just as you
You stumble sometimes and you hurt sometimes
You rage sometimes and you cry sometimes

As I got to see you struggle,
I became a great part of you
As I got to see you smile and grow,
I became a greater part of you

My heart is filled with gratitude for you
Your growth inspired me to rise and bloom
I am now a better me

Breakthrough Twin Cities wishes you a very happy Fourth of July! Independence Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the values we all hold as Americans. It is also a chance to consider the diverse set of experiences each of us has had. Many Breakthrough students are first-generation Americans. Their families came to the US seeking freedom, justice, and educational opportunities. Breakthrough is proud to have these students and families as part of our community.

We would like to highlight two of our accomplished Breakthrough students who are first-generation Americans. Lay Lay and Let Let are twin sisters who were born in a Thai refugee camp after their parents fled their war-torn home country of Burma. In 2009, when they were seven years old, Lay Lay and Let Let immigrated with their family to the US to begin a new life in a land of opportunity.

Lay Lay and Let Let exemplify what Breakthrough is all about! They are academically accomplished, emotionally aware, socially mature, and heavily involved in their communities and extracurricular activities. These resilient teenagers have learned to navigate and thrive in a new country and also serve as advocates for themselves and champions for their families.

Like so many young immigrants, Lay Lay and Let Let faced the challenges of learning English, a crucial skill in their immigration journey. With zeal to master English, they have both immersed themselves in Breakthrough’s writing intensive courses—each attending 120 hours of instruction over the past three summers. Their efforts culminated in a personal narrative essay capstone project for the Breakthrough Leaders program.

While we are happy that Lay Lay and Let Let have adjusted so well and are a part of the Breakthrough community, we want to acknowledge their feelings about their native country. Lay Lay and Let Let lament the lack of visibility that their native country’s civil war has garnered on the world stage. Moreover, they fear the Karen people and culture will vanish. They are committed to preserving the rich traditions of their heritage and are active with their family in the Karen Cultural Organization of Minnesota.

We recognize the tremendous accomplishments of these two young women and all of our immigrant students and their families. It takes determination and resiliency to adapt to a new life in a new country, and we are grateful to have people with these qualities in our program. We will continue to ensure that our immigrant students and their families are welcomed, valued, and supported on their path to academic achievement.

Have a great Fourth of July everyone!