At Breakthrough, we believe all children should have equal access to high-quality educational opportunities and effective teachers committed to their students' success.
We are an initiative of San Francisco Day School, a co-educational independent school that values academic excellence for all students, whether in public or in private schools.
To achieve our mission, we offer intensive enrichment and support to motivated San Francisco students with limited educational opportunity. Beginning in 2011, we are making an eight-year investment in each student, to ensure he or she enrolls in a four-year college. In addition, we train outstanding high school and college students from across the country for education careers.
Breakthrough began as Summerbridge, an outreach initiative founded in 1978 at San Francisco’s University High School. As part of a national expansion, a second San Francisco site opened in 1991, and moved to San Francisco Day School two years later.
Known for 15 years as Day School Summerbridge, we changed our name to Breakthrough in 2008 to reflect the year-round nature of our program and to better capture the impact we strive for.
Since inception, we've served more than 750 fifth and sixth graders; trained over 300 aspiring teachers; and provided a meaningful community service opportunity to nearly 1,000 volunteers, including several hundred SFDS students.
In 2011, the San Francisco Day School Board of Trustees approved an ambitious expansion plan for Breakthrough. We now make an eight-year investment in each child, supporting him or her until college matriculation.
I want to go to college because no one in my family has gone. I’ll be the first one.
- Anderson, former Breakthrough student
It’s a program that helps you with everything. Instead of just being home, I’m really getting ahead academically. The teachers are really nice and they make hard stuff seem really fun.
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