Xia Vang was a development intern at Breakthrough Twin Cities during Summer Session 2018. Check out what she had to say in her interview!

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself! Where did you grow up, where did you go to school, how did you get involved in Breakthrough, etc. Also, where are you going to college and what are you studying?

I grew up Saint Paul, Minnesota and attended Linwood Monroe Arts Plus for elementary and middle school. I graduated from Harding Senior High and am now currently attending the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. I’m majoring in psychology with a double minor in Gender and Asian Studies. I’m a BTC Class of 2016 alum.

2. When and how did you hear about the internship opportunity here at Breakthrough, and when did you decide to get involved?

I was fortunate to get the Marie and Robert Jackson Fellowship, which allowed me to choose any internship that I wanted to do. I decided that I wanted to give back to Breakthrough for helping me get into college. I talked to Daniel Bernal (Senior Program Director) and he referred me to Sandy Landberg (Director of Development). I got a phone interview and landed this position!

3. What were some of your responsibilities in your internship, and what new skills did Breakthrough help you to develop?

Some of my responsibilities included looking for a new Booyah Bash venue, leading College Bound sessions and preparing lesson plans, and researching donor prospects. I also learned how to use the Salesforce database over the summer, which I had never heard of before this internship.

4. Where do you see yourself or hope to be ten years from now?

Before this summer I thought I would be a counselor ten years from now. However, now I think I want to work for a nonprofit organization and maybe do development work. But one thing for sure is that I am planning on getting my Master’s degree after I graduate.

Meet Sumeya Ahmed, a 7th grader at Breakthrough! Sumeya attends Linwood Monroe Arts Plus. Hear what she has to say about her time at Breakthrough! 

1. If someone had never heard of BTC, what is the one thing you would say to help them understand what BTC does?

It’s this program that helps you get ready for the next year and helps you get scholarships. It’s a 6 year program, it’s really fun, and it’s free.

2. What motivated you to be a part of Breakthrough?

I heard about it from Akemi Mechtel (a staff member), who came to our school and told us about it. I knew I needed help to get better, so that’s why I joined. I also had nothing to do over the summer and I wanted to do something.

3. How has BTC impacted you?

It helped me in my math and science coueses a lot.

4. Why have you stayed involved in BTC?

I keep coming back because I want to learn new things and I want to have fun, and Breakthrough helps me do both.

6. What is your favorite Breakthrough Code and why?

“Persist” – even if something is hard you have to go through the hard times, and I’ve been through a lot of those at Breakthrough. I like that even though sometimes it’s hard, my peers are doing the hard stuff with me.

7. If you could give Breakthrough a shoutout, what would it be for?

For helping me get through hard times and hard learning.

8. Is there anything else you would want people to know about how you feel about Breakthrough?

It’s a great program. If you don’t know what you’re going to do for college, it’s going to help you a lot. It also helps you succeed in high school. It gets you ready for your next classes so you can be prepared.

Hear what Roosevelt Yang, a 2018 Summer Session Teaching Fellow, has to say about Breakthrough!

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

I became aware of Breakthrough through another Teaching Fellow who was in the program for three years. She told me that Breakthrough was a great experience and that I should try it. Before I applied I was working at an elementary school as a Behavioral Intervention Specialist. I found that I enjoyed working with kids, so I thought that maybe becoming a teacher was an option for me. This was one of the major reasons that I applied to Breakthrough Twin Cities.

2. In what ways has your teaching experience at Breakthrough helped you develop and grow as an individual?

It has helped me to become more self-aware of the changing world around me. This job has made me realize that as I am getting older the world is changing and kids are not being taught like I was taught. They are learning information at a higher rate as well as in different manners, helping them to retain the information.

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

The one thing that I liked most about my position at Breakthrough Twin Cities was that I got to make a bond with the students. We learned together, and the students came to see me differently than a “regular” teacher. To them I became more three-dimensional, and not just a teacher, but a person that has gone through many different experiences.

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

This job/internship is not normal. You work super hard, for very little. This is not a job for you to get rich. This is a job to watch students grow and change. You will work super hard, and at times it may be a struggle, but the end product of seeing the students be happy and willing to learn is the goal of the job. The job here is to inspire the students to aspire to be better, strive to learn, and ultimately go to college.

Read what Anthony Hansen, a 9th Grade BTC student at Highland Park High School, has to say about Breakthrough!

1. If someone had never heard of BTC, what is the one thing you would say to help them understand what BTC does?

We are learning new things, and learning here is really fun.

2. What motivated you to be a part of Breakthrough?

I thought it seemed cool so I signed up. I thought it would be a good chance for me to learn new things and get caught up for the new school year.

3. How has BTC impacted you?

Breakthrough has taught me a lot and it’s made me do better in school than I did previously.

4. Why have you stayed involved in BTC?

Because I like it and my friends are here so I really want to stay.

5. What is your favorite Breakthrough Code and why?

“Be Breakthrough,” because it means you’re showing the most responsibility and respect for people.

6. If you could give Breakthrough a shoutout, what would it be for?

For helping me improve and making me a more calm person, helping me focus. It has also taught me more responsibility. Breakthrough also helped me want to go to college more.

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.