Breakthrough is proud to celebrate a continued partnership with the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of Greater Austin (PBKAAGA), which is helping expand access to higher education for our students. This year, PBKAAGA has awarded fourteen scholarships to outstanding Breakthrough high school seniors—each of them the first in their family to pursue a college education—empowering them to attend the college of their choice this fall.
We are deeply grateful for this collaboration, which provides critical support as students take the next step toward college.
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2026!
Read more about the Scholars below:
Philena
Philena is a dedicated A/B student with a 3.9 GPA who has completed dual credit throughout her 4 years of high school, demonstrating her commitment to academic excellence and college-level rigor. Beyond school, she plays soccer, which has strengthened her discipline, and runs her own crochet business, where she gained experience in entrepreneurship. She also works part-time as a customer service representative, building strong communication skills and problem-solving abilities. Philena plans to attend college and pursue a career as a rheumatologist, where she hopes to help patients living with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Phoebe
Phoebe is captain of the Manor New Tech Girl’s Soccer team and has been playing on the varsity level for all four years of her high school career. In her free time, she enjoys baking and cooking, playing piano, cello, soccer, and reading. After college, she hopes to pursue a career in neurology.
Cristina
Cristina accomplished so many things in school. Being 5th out of 945 students in her school, she takes good care of her grades and enjoys being involved in school activities. But something Cristina is most proud of herself in accomplishing is being set on what she wants to do after school and what she sees herself doing—being part of a community where she gets to help people, having a loving heart towards them, and being part of the change in families’ lives. Becoming a NICU nurse is a career that Cristina sees herself doing in the future. She has a huge passion to become one, and one day, she will achieve it. She is proud of who she will and can be.
Cesia
Cesia is a first-generation breakthrough student and 2x superintendent scholar award recipient, recognized for sustained excellence in her school district. As President of the National Honor Society (NHS) at her school, she led with service and pioneered the nursing home service-learning site in her community. Her commitment to equity extends beyond just her campus. Every month, she hosts donation drives of essential supplies to underserved communities, demonstrating that impact cannot be bound to geography. Believing in the power of collective growth, she strives for her peers to maximize their potential and bear a fruitful garden of knowledge as a result of joining her school’s underclassmen mentorship program, serving as a mentor to guide 9th and 10th graders through coursework and communal interactions. Aspiring to become a nurse so she is able to bring equity into the healthcare field, she is aware of the multiple disadvantages countries face regarding health, and she strives to close that gap. Cesia wants to be a nurse that breaks the cycle of negative reflexivity within patients, a nurse who reminds patients that they’re more than what’s written on their chart. Kelly Carbajal-Jaimes (Del Valle Early College High School).
Avril
Avril is a senior at LASA High School. She’s an active student and community member. She plans to major in Art Management, combining her passion for visual arts and entertainment with her strengths in organization and leadership as she works toward becoming a film producer. Through high school, she was able to deepen her experience in film production through accomplishments like being the youngest Media Producer at MCM Austin Church, winning various film awards, and earning scholarships for different film programs. Academically, she has been recognized as a member of the National Honor Society and has won an AP Scholar award, given to high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP Exams. Through her dedication to both the arts and academics, Avril aims to create meaningful stories that inspire and connect communities.
Janethza
Janethza was born and raised in Austin, Texas, and currently attends the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. She is a motivated student with the long-term goal of attending law school and using her education to advocate for others. Janethza plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin starting in the fall of 2026, where she intends to major in Government in order to build a strong foundation for a future career in law. In high school, she has balanced academics, leadership, and service. Janethza serves as a Dance Officer on the Velocity Dance Team, works year-round as a lifeguard for the City of Austin, and volunteers at the local animal center, along with other clubs and honor societies at school. Through these roles, she has developed responsibility, teamwork, and leadership skills while staying committed to her academic goals. Janethza is passionate about leadership and service and consistently looks for ways to support her school and community. Her commitment to academic excellence, service, and future work in law reflects both her ambition and her dedication to creating meaningful impact. Janethza is determined to use her education to expand opportunity and advocate for communities like her own.
Abel
Abel is a student at LASA high school. He is on the soccer, football, and golf team. Abel loves staying busy even if that means helping his family or being involved with school. He plans to attend Penn State for aerospace engineering and is excited for this next chapter in his life.
Dalia
Dalia is a senior boarding student at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. Although home is about 30-40 minutes from school, she has learned to live by herself since freshman year of high school. This provided ample opportunities to try new sports, meet new people, and become involved in her community. Additionally, Dalia’s academic performance has progressed significantly, and she feels confident in her ability to tackle challenges in college. She has obtained Honor Roll since sophomore year and is on the path to graduate with Honors. As she steps into a new chapter of her life, Dalia hopes to study Business while exploring different communities around campus and abroad.
Ricardo
Ricardo is a member of the Del Valle Community who has participated in many programs such as UT Summer STEM PathWay and Code2College. He is also a member of a few groups like Red Cross which assist the Del Valle community, such as assisting at events at their elementaries and picking up trash at nearby parks and the community campuses. After school, Ricardo plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin and major in mathematics to later earn a PhD as he aims to become a high school or college professor, if not both.
Kevin
Kevin is a first-generation Mexican-American student who ranks first in his class and balances strong academics with leadership. As a varsity team captain and tutor, he supports both his teammates and classmates while holding himself to high standards. He plans to attend a four-year university and pursue a career in engineering that allows him to give back to his community.
Brandon
Brandon is a student who wears many hats in his life, from leadership in the residential community to leadership in musical ensembles. Through his time as a high school student, Brandon has had many ups and downs that he learns from all the time, and he wishes to continue learning academically, socially, and as an overall human being during his time in college. He aspires to go through medical school and become a Neurosurgeon to help and support members in his community when one needs someone most. Although there is much more learning to do personally and academically, Brandon wishes to never stop learning as it brings him joy living in the moment and combating the tasks of life with a positive attitude.
Jaswanth
Jaswanth is currently a senior at Manor New Tech High School. He has qualified to be a National Merit Semifinalist and competed in a health science competition with HOSA. Despite tinkering around with different career plans, towards the end of his high school years, Jaswanth discovered a passion for medicine. He plans to enroll at the University of Texas at Austin as a Biology major and become a family physician.
Adity
Adity is a senior at Manor New Tech High School and ready to take the next step toward her dream of becoming a nurse. She serves as president of Student Council, Key Club, and HOSA, and she is captain of her soccer team. Outside of school, Adity volunteers in the ER at Dell Ascension Seton Medical Center and helps provide free heart screenings with the American Heart Association. Through the City of Austin STEAM internship, she helped develop an app to promote free water sources in her community. At UT Austin, she plans to dive into nursing courses that will teach her not just the science of medicine, but the art of patient care. Eventually, Adity plans to use her nursing degree to advocate for policy changes that make preventive care accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it.
Zyra
Zyra is a dual-credit student athlete dedicated to her academics and overall growth. She works to maintain a high GPA while balancing advanced high school classes, college courses, athletics, extracurriculars, and personal responsibilities. These experiences have built discipline, resilience, and a strong work-ethic. Zyra has a passion for using her skills to help others, and she plans to continue doing this as she pursues a career in medicine.
