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.
VIEW OUR CASE STATEMENT
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

THANK YOU TO OUR INVESTORS

We are honored to recognize the early investors who believe in Breakthrough’s bold vision and helped lay the foundation for our Pathways to Opportunity Campaign. Your generosity has made it possible to launch this effort with incredible strength and momentum.

Together we write the next chapter of impact for our students and families. A final listing of donor names will be updated at the conclusion of this campaign.

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 •  Susan & Garr Farmer

Foresight Foundation •  Timothy Jr. and 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 • Lowe Foundation • Diana Lowe • Gregg Lowe • Steve & Wendy Martinez

Meinig Family Foundation/Smalling Family • Michael & Susan Dell Foundation 

LSG Charitable Foundation •  The Prosper Road Foundation • George & Fran Ramsey

Bryan 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)

Wilson & Janet Allen ⋅ Kate Turner-Abel & Scott Abel  ⋅ Chris and Gretchen Atwell ⋅ Beacon Nonprofit Consulting

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

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

Andrea Dinnick & Andrew Kennedy ⋅ Munira Fareed & Suaad Sait ⋅ Kelly & Scott Ferguson ⋅ Staley & Jack Gray

Carrie & Michael Griffith ⋅ Ricky D. Green ⋅ David & Liesl Groberg ⋅ Janet Harman & Kent Mayes

Clarke & Catherine Heidrick  ⋅  Mary Beth & Dan Jester ⋅ The Johl Family ⋅ Becky & Mark Konen ⋅ Diane Land & Steve Adler

Revlynn Lawson ⋅ Michael & Mysha Lubke ⋅ Eleanor & Rob Luke ⋅  MFI Foundation ⋅ Lou & Kathleen Mabley

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

Dr. Eva Garza-Nyer & Adam Nyer ⋅ Jackie & Shawn O’Farrell ⋅ Kacy & Scott O’hare ⋅ O’Shaughnessy-Rivers Family Fund

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

Carmine Salvucci & Steve Brister ⋅ Amanda & Dick Schmidt ⋅ Taylor & Kodi Sisson ⋅ Jessica Slade ⋅ The Unblemished Sole 

Kimberly & Marcus Strenk ⋅  Dulce & Mike Stenglein ⋅ Lisa Terrill  ⋅ Margot & Grant Thomas ⋅ Topfer Family Foundation

Gavin Turner ⋅  Christa & Robert Tuttle ⋅  Carol & Adam Wagner ⋅ Cissy & Mark Warner ⋅ Shannon & Jimmy Windham

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

   Karen & Barry Aidman  ⋅  Tracy & Jarrett Anderson ⋅  Matt & Teri Andresen  ⋅  Familia Armenta  ⋅ Jamie & Bill Bayless  

Laura & Kyndel Bennett  ⋅  Tomas Boatwright  ⋅   Lynne Rupp & Doug Brothers ⋅  Ann & Bill Burke

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

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

Annie & Justin Jacobs  ⋅   Dan & Peggy Keelan  ⋅  Lisa Lee ⋅  Colleen Linden  ⋅  Charles & Leslie Martinez

Emily Moreland ⋅  Chris & Meredith Morrow  ⋅  Cathleen & Eric Naumann  ⋅  Heather & Jack Nelson  ⋅  Valerie & Jeff Newberg 

Paulina Mason Murton & Chris Murton  ⋅  Kathryn & Bryan Noteboom  ⋅  Karey & Chris Oddo  ⋅  Gloria Perez  ⋅  Gregory Perrin

Sarah Perry  ⋅  Joseph Ramirez &  Sierra Ramirez-Hernandez ⋅ Kaitlin & Michael Ramirez ⋅  Kathryn Ross  ⋅ Marco Saucedo Jr.

  Laurel & Dudley Simmons  ⋅    Jabrell Scott  ⋅  The Slayton Family  ⋅  Neal & Beth Sutton

Prince Umanmielen ⋅  Jasmin Vara  ⋅ Tito & Tere Vidaurri  ⋅  Michele Walker-Moak & Michael Moak

Shan Wang  ⋅  David & Bri Walker  ⋅   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