Pathways to Opportunity - Breakthrough Central Texas

Together, we expanded Pathways to Opportunity.

In 2025, we launched the Pathways to Opportunity Campaign with an ambitious goal: to raise $30 million and accelerate educational opportunity for thousands of Central Texas students on their journey to and through college.

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community, that goal was not only met, but exceeded in 2026. Together, supporters invested $32.9 million in the future of Breakthrough students, demonstrating a powerful belief in their potential to achieve their dreams and transform their families’ futures.

See the impact of your support:

2025 Progress Report

UNLOCKING THE POWER OF EDUCATION

At Breakthrough, we celebrate more than a successful campaign. We celebrate the determination and achievements of Breakthrough students, who continue to graduate from college at remarkable rates and become the first in their families to earn a degree. Their hard work and success inspires our community’s confidence in our mission and fuels continued investment in educational equity.

Because of this campaign, Breakthrough will triple the number of students graduating from college and double the number of students we serve by 2029, creating life-changing opportunities for thousands more young people across Central Texas.

Thank you for unlocking the power of education and expanding pathways to opportunity for generations to come.

With your support, we were able to make significant progress towards our goals.

Triple the number of Breakthrough students graduating college each year, celebrating 1,100 total first-generation college graduates by 2029

Nearly double the number of students engaged in Breakthrough to 5,500 served by 2029

Admit more than 3,000 new middle school and high school students to Breakthrough over the next five years

Expand the Schoolwide Program to transform high school campuses and bring Breakthrough’s radical long-term commitment to more students

Provide invaluable field experience to 600 Summer Teaching Fellows and Student Advocacy Fellows, fueling a diverse pipeline of future educators and community leaders

Eastside ECHS serves a diverse student body, providing valuable insights that are strengthening our Schoolwide Program model and informing expansion to a new campus.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Gloria Perez, Breakthrough Alum & Pathways Investor

The mission and work of Breakthrough have personally affected me and my family deeply and I’m eternally grateful. This is a small way for me to help move Breakthroughs work forward and support them in serving even more students. With the Pathways to Opportunity Campaign, I hope that Breakthrough will be able to change so many more lives through this campaign and support students in the path that serves them best.

Joseph Ramirez, Breakthrough Alum & Pathways Investor

For me, Breakthrough’s Internship Network gave me the tools and network to launch my career after college! [The Pathways to Opportunity Campaign] will create future opportunities for students to advance their careers and help their families’ growth.

Irma Brand, Pathways Campaign Committee Member & Investor

The Pathways to Opportunity Campaign is unprecedented. We are ambitiously pushing the boundaries, asking our community to step up in a big way and donate 30 million dollars with the goal of enrolling 3,000 new Breakthrough students, tripling the number of first gen college graduates in south Texas.

Walt Penn, Pathways Campaign Committee Member & Investor

The Pathways to Opportunity Campaign is about scaling up and reaching out to double the number of lives we can change for the better. These are real stories about real kids doing great things.

CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Co-Chairs
Mary Beth & Phil Canfield
Robin & Gene Shepherd

Honorary Co-Chairs
Gary Farmer
Ricky D. Green
Carolyn & Jack Long

Irma Brand
Christie & Clinton Bybee
Amber Carden
Brad Johl
Walt Penn
Jessica Slade
Cissy Warner

VIEW OUR CASE STATEMENT

THANK YOU TO OUR INVESTORS

Special thanks to our matching gift donors:

Christie & Clinton Bybee, Mary Beth & Phil Canfield, The Keller Family, and Carolyn & Jack Long.

Clint & Christie Bybee • The Canfield Family Foundation • Dick Clark III Foundation

The Keller Family • The KLE Foundation • Carolyn & Jack Long • The Moody Foundation

Cheryl & Walt Penn • Shepherd 5 Points Family Foundation • Anonymous

Applied Materials Foundation • Gene & Sharlene Austin • Aileen & Mike Aviles

In Loving Memory of Caryl & Art Custer • Michael & Susan Dell Foundation • Susan & Gary Farmer

Foresight Charitable Fund • Timothy Jr. & Rosalind George • Cathy & Mike Godfrey

H-E-B Tournament of Champions • The Harman-Mayes-Sooch Family Fund

John Keller & Laura Hill • Duane & Shannon King • The Michael & Alice Kuhn Foundation

Carolyn Lewis • Diana & Gregg Lowe • Lowe Foundation

LSG Charitable Foundation • Steve & Wendy Martinez • Meinig Family Foundation/Smalling Family

The Prosper Road Foundation • George & Fran Ramsey

Bryan J. Rollins & Kimberly Hill • Mr. & Mrs. Nelson Rusche Foundation

Stephen M. Seay Foundation • Sooch Foundation • Winn Family Foundation

Mary Garwood Yancy & Howard Yancy • Dominick & Mary Pat Zarcone • Anonymous (4)

Kate Turner-Abel & Scott Abel ⋅ Diane Land & Steve Adler ⋅ Janet & Wilson Allen ⋅ Chris & Gretchen Atwell

Austin Community Foundation ⋅ Beacon Nonprofit Consulting

Laura & Kyndel Bennett ⋅ Irma & Jim Brand ⋅ Veronica Bright ⋅ Paula & Robert Butts ⋅ Amber Carden

Janet & David Cooper ⋅ Christina R. Corona ⋅ The Currie-Farabee Fund ⋅ Dalgleish Construction Company

Munira Fareed & Suaad Sait ⋅ Kelly & Scott Ferguson ⋅ Dr. Eva Garza-Nyer & Adam Nyer

Staley & Jack Gray ⋅ Ricky D. Green ⋅ Carrie & Michael Griffith⋅ David & Liesl Groberg ⋅ Clarke & Catherine Heidrick

Caroline & Mike Hinson ⋅ Mary Beth & Dan Jester ⋅ The Johl Family ⋅ Andrea Dinnick & Andrew Kennedy

Becky & Mark Konen ⋅ Revlynn Lawson ⋅ Michael & Mysha Lubke

Eleanor & Ron Luke ⋅ Lou & Kathleen Mabley ⋅ Janet Harman & Kent Mayes

Jeff & Carrie McDowell ⋅ Beth & Chris McKay ⋅ MFI Foundation ⋅ Brian & Karen Nalle ⋅ Nelson Puett Foundation

Jackie & Shawn O’Farrell ⋅ Kacy & Scott O’Hare ⋅ O’Shaughnessy-Rivers Family Fund

One Skye Foundation/Ray & Karen Brimble ⋅ In Honor of Cheryl Penn ⋅ Lee & John Rippel ⋅ Brian Roberts & Sarah Mead

Carmine Salvucci & Steve Brister ⋅ Amanda & Dick Schmidt ⋅ Taylor & Kodi Sisson ⋅ Jessica Slade ⋅ Stahl Family Foundation

Kimberly & Marcus Strenk ⋅ Dulce & Mike Stenglein ⋅ Hannah Temple ⋅ Lisa Terrill

Margot & Grant Thomas ⋅ Topfer Family Foundation

Caitlin & Gavin Turner ⋅ Christa & Robert Tuttle ⋅ The Umblemished Sole

Carol & Adam Wagner ⋅ Cissy & Mark Warner ⋅ Shannon & Jimmy Windham

Holly Wissmann & Fabian Martinez ⋅ Kristen & Patrick Worrall ⋅ Russell & Rebecca Young ⋅ Anonymous (2)

Karen & Barry Aidman ⋅ Carlos Alpuche ⋅ Karen Alpuche Caceres ⋅ Tracy & Jarrett Anderson

Matt & Teri Andresen ⋅ Familia Armenta ⋅ Jamie & Bill Bayless

Tomas Boatwright ⋅ Lynne Rupp & Doug Brothers ⋅ Ann & Bill Burke ⋅ Megan Dion

Emmanuel Emah-Emeni ⋅ Julie Fisher ⋅ Patrick & CeCe Flynn ⋅Natalie and James Gray

Dr. Harry & Idona Griffith ⋅ Cynthia L. Hernandez ⋅ Grace Holland ⋅ Martin & Elizabeth Hunt ⋅ Leslie & David Jaffe

Annie & Justin Jacobs ⋅ Dan & Peggy Keelan ⋅ Lisa Lee ⋅ Coleen Linden ⋅ Live Out Loud PR ⋅ Charles & Leslie Martinez

Claire & David Mathias ⋅ McDowell Foundation ⋅ Danielle McNeely

Emily Moreland ⋅ Chris & Meredith Morrow ⋅ Paulina Mason Murton & Chris Murton ⋅ Cathleen & Eric Naumann

Heather & Jack Nelson ⋅ Valerie & Jeff Newberg ⋅ Kathryn & Bryan Noteboom

Karey & Chris Oddo ⋅ Gloria Perez ⋅ Gregory & Lamonica Perrin ⋅ Sarah Perry

Joseph Ramirez-Hernandez ⋅ Kaitlin & Michael Ramirez ⋅ Yvette Rios & Roger Sandau

Kathryn Ross ⋅ Marco Saucedo Jr. ⋅ Jabrell Scott ⋅ Laurel & Dudley Simmons ⋅ Susan J Zimmerman & Lynn H Slade

The Slayton Family ⋅ Neal & Beth Sutton ⋅ Prince Umanmielen

Jasmin Vara ⋅ Tito & Tere Vidaurri ⋅ David & Bri Walker ⋅ Michele Walker-Moak & Michael Moak

Shan Wang ⋅ Liz Watson & Mayor Kirk Watson ⋅ Monica & Norwood Williams

FOR QUESTIONS OR TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT:

Holly Wissmann
Chief Development Officer
holly@breakthroughctx.org

Michael Griffith
Executive Director
michael@breakthroughctx.org