Breakthrough teachers undergo a steep learning curve. In summer 2011, they made average gains of 14 percentage points on our teacher excellence rubric, which measures skills like lesson planning and instructional technique. The opportunity to learn a craft while simultaneously making an impact has put our summer teaching position on The Princeton Review’s list of Top Ten Internships for college students for many years running.

The Stanford longitudinal study found that 73% of Breakthrough teachers continued to work in the field. In fact, 79% of summer 2011 teaching interns are considering a teaching career, while 68% are interested in educational leadership positions. Among the next steps for our most recent college graduates: the Citizen Schools National Teaching Fellowship; Teachers College at Columbia University; and Teach For America. Around the Bay Area, former Breakthrough participants are teaching at schools like Metropolitan Arts and Technology High School; pursuing graduate degrees at the Stanford University School of Education; and leading educational non-profits like Spark.