2025 Impact Report - Breakthrough Houston

2025

IMPACT REPORT

AUGUST 2024 – DECEMBER 2025

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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends and Partners, At Breakthrough Houston, we walk alongside students whose ambition is clear long before the systems around them are. Too often, students move through middle school and high school without the preparation, guidance, or resources that make college feel attainable, let alone achievable. As they progress, the college search grows more complex, financial aid more confusing, and the margin for error narrower. Even after admission, a relatively small financial gap can delay enrollment. Once on campus, sustained unmet need and lack of ongoing guidance can quietly unravel years of hard work.

These barriers begin early and compound over time. In Houston, fewer than one in three adults holds a bachelor’s degree. The challenge is not aspiration. It is sustained preparation, informed decision-making, and the kind of long-term support that doesn’t disappear when a student crosses a threshold.

Twenty years ago, I first experienced this work as a Breakthrough Teaching Fellow. In middle school classrooms, I saw what happens when rigorous instruction meets near-peer mentorship. Students begin to believe that college isn’t just possible, it’s meant for them. That early belief becomes the foundation for everything that follows. It is why our model begins in middle school and stays with students through college graduation.

The results speak to what sustained commitment makes possible. Today, 95 percent of our seniors matriculate to college. Every student in the Class of 2025 was accepted to at least one financially fit institution with no more than a $5,000 unmet annual gap. Six years after high school graduation, 90 percent of Breakthrough Houston’s Class of 2019 earned a college degree, compared to 22 percent statewide.

But behind every percentage point is a student who stayed the course. A first-generation college student who navigated financial aid with confidence. A quiet kid who found his voice, discovered a passion for protecting the environment, and is heading to Harvard on a full ride. These are not outliers. They are what becomes possible when preparation meets opportunity and when someone stays in the room long enough to see it through.

Thank you for being part of this work.

With appreciation,

Sarah Guerrero Executive Director, Breakthrough Houston 2

HOW WE ARE UNIQUE We equip students who demonstrate remarkable promise and financial need to discover what’s possible, access and attain a college degree, and build lives of choice and purpose–making a 10 year commitment to each student from middle school through college graduation.

WE SUPPORT THE FULL JOURNEY.

WE START EARLY.

We make a bold 10-year commitment so students don’t just attend college — they thrive: financially prepared, clear on their purpose, and shaped by real-world experience.

Breakthrough Houston begins in middle school, before academic paths narrow and before students are filtered out by early screeners that shape who has access to college opportunities later on.

WE ARE DEEPLY STUDENT-CENTERED.

WE DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF EDUCATORS.

Each student’s path is shaped by individualized advising and decision-making support, with Breakthrough Houston coordinating a network of partner programs and opportunities around each student.

Fellows are high school and college students who serve as teachers and near-peer mentors for Breakthrough’s middle school students, gaining real classroom experience and leaving inspired to become educators and education advocates.

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BY THE NUMBERS

58%

will Be First-Generation College Students.

86

%

qualify for Free or Reduced Price Lunch.

808 13

Full Time Staff

4

Students Served

166 Volunteers

110

Teaching Fellows

ABRAHAM’S STORY ABRAHAM ZEPETA

CLASS OF 2026 | HARVARD UNIVERSITY Abraham joined Breakthrough Houston as a quiet middle school student still finding his voice.

This fall, he will begin his next chapter at Harvard University, where he plans to study music and environmental science.

“Walking on a college campus as a middle school student made higher education feel accessible. It wasn’t just a dream — it became a possibility.

By mid-October of my senior year, my applications and financial aid forms were complete. While others were overwhelmed, I was ready — because Breakthrough had prepared me.

It inspired me to give back to the communities that helped raise me. It wasn’t pushing us just to achieve. It was pushing us to explore.

Every acceptance letter felt like a shared achievement.”

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MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM In middle school, Breakthrough Houston helps students develop a clear college-going identity while building the academic skills and habits they’ll need to thrive. Through a six-week summer program—featuring joyful academics, engaging electives, daily social-emotional learning, leadership development, and near-peer instruction from Teaching Fellows—students build essential skills that strengthen their confidence, resilience, and ability to navigate academic challenges. During the school year, structured programming reinforces learning, deepens cohort connections, and sustains momentum toward high school readiness.

92

%

of students developed new academic skills by the end of summer.

“Before joining BTH school was hard for me because I never had the time to understand the subject very well and I was scared to ask the teacher for help. But since joining BTH that hasn’t been a problem for me because the teachers are really helpful, I have more time to learn, and I’ve been able to understand everything more.

BTH does motivational speeches and dances that hype me up every morning that makes me more energetic to answer questions and participate during activities and class.”

EVERADO VAZQUEZ 7th Grade | Breakthrough Student

88

%

of students formed strong relationships with their Teaching Fellows over the summer.

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88

%

of students identified a trusted adult they could talk to about their success.

77

%

of students grew in reading and/or math during the summer.

87

%

of students grew or maintained grade level skills in reading and/or math during the summer.

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HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM Breakthrough Houston walks alongside students throughout high school, providing a structured, strategic college-access program tailored to each grade level. We meet students where they are — offering tutoring, socio-emotional support, and 1:1 advising designed around their individual needs.

By senior year, students build compelling applications and work closely with a senior advisor to craft authentic essays that fully reflect their achievements, growth, and aspirations. The result: students who are prepared, confident, and positioned to matriculate to colleges that match both their aspirations and their financial needs.

99 % 95

%

financially fit* college acceptance rate. *No more than $5,000 annual financial gap.

college matriculation rate for the Class of 2025.

15,097,624

$

scholarship and financial aid dollars secured.

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JAKE RUIZ Class of 2025 | Vanderbilt University “Stepping outside my comfort zone has been one of the biggest changes for me. When I first started BTH, I was really shy, sensitive, and uncomfortable speaking up. Breakthrough gave me a space to reflect, communicate, and connect with people who understood me. I got to hear others’ experiences and share my own, which helped me grow a lot. Before College Bound, FAFSA felt like a different language. I was overwhelmed by the forms, the tax documents, all of it.

Breakthrough Houston walked me through how to complete it so that I understand it myself.

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Breakthrough QuestBridge Scholars.

35

%

I opened the [QuestBridge] email at school while I was walking back to class and saw that I matched with Vandy. I was in shock. I ran to the restroom to call my parents. My mom got really emotional. It was such a relief to know I could go to college without always worrying about money, I would be able to go to a new state where I could have new experiences, and that I would be able to pursue my goals.

I feel really confident in the direction I’m headed. It feels like a bucket list, and I’m slowly checking off my goals.”

QuestBridge Match rate, compared to the 14.4% national average.

57

out of

84

rising seniors completed their college application essays, Common App, and college list in the summer before the school year began, as part of a targeted strategy.

The QuestBridge College Match is a highly selective, full-scholarship program that connects exceptional, low-income seniors to top colleges nationwide. Students receive a guaranteed four-year scholarship covering tuition, housing, meals, and other expenses.

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COLLEGE COMPLETION PROGRAM Breakthrough Houston makes a lasting commitment to students from enrollment through graduation.

We address the academic, financial, and personal barriers that so often stand between talented students and a college degree. Students receive one-on-one coaching, persistence advising, and financial aid guidance, as well as direct financial assistance for the unexpected costs of college life: travel, technology, housing, and health.

“My experience with Breakthrough Houston has been transformative, shaping not only my perspective on education and community, but also empowering me to recognize and pursue my own potential for success.”

ANDREA HERRERA

100%

persistence rate for the Class of 2023.

We measure the persistence rate for college freshmen returning for their sophomore year as an indication they are likely to persist through graduation.

Class of 2023 | Wesleyan University

77

344

$

223 students attend 77 unique colleges and universities nationwide, including 32 schools in Texas and 45 schools out of state.

average distribution made to 84 students to keep them on track when unexpected expenses threatened their progress, covering needs such as flights home, winter gear, and medical costs.

90%

of the Class of 2019 graduated college. Our students are 3x as likely to earn a postsecondary degree than other greater Houston area students.

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ABRAHAM’S ELLIOT SALASSTORY

BREAKTHROUGH HOUSTON ALUMNUS | ENGINEER, LOS ANGELES

Elliot came to Breakthrough Houston unsure of what he was capable of. A candid conversation with a staff member became a turning point, one that helped him see his own potential. By his final summer, he won the spirit stick.

Today, Elliot is an engineer in Los Angeles with his sights set on becoming an astronaut, and he credits Breakthrough Houston with helping build the foundation that made that possible.

“My dream is to be an astronaut, and with Breakthrough, I believe it is bringing me closer to that dream. I wouldn’t be where I am without it. Back then, I was a kid from a tough neighborhood — I wouldn’t have believed this was possible.”

“Breakthrough prepared me to learn the qualities of being a leader — someone who is responsible, who has grit, and who can stand out in the room for the right reasons.”

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TEACHING FELLOWS PROGRAM Breakthrough Houston’s Teaching Fellows program engages high school and college students as teachers and mentors who fuel our middle school program. Through intensive training and direct classroom teaching, Fellows build real classroom skills and leadership skills — inspired to carry that commitment forward as the next generation of educators and education advocates.

95

%

deepened their leadership skills.

95

%

would recommend Breakthrough to a friend interested in education.

76

Maribel Hernandez discovered her passion for teaching as a Breakthrough Houston Teaching Fellow, where she taught 9th grade Literature in 2017 and 2019 while studying Latin American Studies at Davidson College. Years later, she returned to Breakthrough Houston as Dean of Faculty, this time supporting the next generation of Fellows the way she had once been supported. The leadership experience she gained through Breakthrough helped prepare her for her current role as Assistant Principal.

89

“I really developed my ability to balance holding people accountable while also leading with empathy, and I don’t think I would have been as ready for leadership without that experience.”

%

grew their love of teaching.

%

feel better prepared to pursue a career in teaching if they choose.

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MARIBEL HERNANDEZ Teaching Fellow 2017–2019 | Assistant Principal in Houston ISD

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rick Moore (Chair) Corporate Business Development, Chevron Dan Alig Head of School, St. John’s School Yasmin Bilger Education Advocate Bill Boyce (Former Chair) Partner, Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP Grant Butkus Managing Director, Kimmeridge Gisela Cherches Education Advocate Ganesa Collins Educator, St. John’s School Robert Eschweiler Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank Nancy Fischer Senior Vice President, Constellation Energy

Gayatri Garg Chief Business Officer, Jindal Healthcare Todd C. Litton President, Lead Texas Forward Allison Miller Attorney, Steptoe LLP Joseph Morrel Partner, Porter Hedges LLP Melanie Ringold Head of Legal-Americas, Invesco Josh Schaffer Attorney, The Schaffer Firm Jennie Simmons Partner, Troutman Pepper Locke Josephine Smith Education Advocate Nicholas Swyka Advisory Director, Simmons & Company International Allie Veselka Executive Director, J.P. Morgan 13

FINANCIALS AUGUST 1, 2024 – DECEMBER 31, 2025

FUNDING SOURCES

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AmeriCorps The Awty International School

Étoile Academy Charter School POST Houston

St. John’s School Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS AUGUST 1, 2024 – DECEMBER 31, 2025

Foundations

51%

Individual

15%

Corporate

10%

AmeriCorps

15%

In-Kind

9%

CORPORATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS The Awty School

EOG Resources, Inc

JPMorgan Chase & Co

Beck Redden LLP

Goodman Financial Corporation

Porter Hedges LLP

CenterPoint Energy Chevron Constellation Energy Costco Wholesale Corporation

Houston Striders H-E-B Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Salesforce St. John’s School Target Corporation

FOUNDATIONS Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Annunziato Family Foundation Beauchamp Foundation The Brown Foundation, Inc. The Clayton Fund, Inc. Crum Foundation The C.T. Bauer Foundation ExxonMobil Foundation

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The Faykus Foundation

The Lubrizol Foundation

Gardenia Foundation

Major Family Foundation

George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation

Marek Family Foundation

The Guill Family Foundation Houston Endowment, Inc. The John M. O’Quinn Foundation Kinder Morgan Foundation

Marvy Finger Family Foundation Moody foundation The Powell Foundation Rockwell Fund, Inc. The Susan Vaughan Foundation Tapeats Fund

INDIVIDUAL DONORS Mussadiq Akram

Jared Crane

Dan and Jenine Alig

Katie and Kevin Dalrymple

Nina Andrews

Mary S. Dawson and Jack Dawson

Karen Arnold Laura and John Arnold Kathryn and Mark Artlip Nancy and Scott Atlas Jean-Pierre Baizan Drs. Aparna and Dave Balachandran Alexis and Blair Barlow Lauren and Max Barrett Dr. Heather Beck Liz and Steven Bender Yasmin and Michael Bilger Bailey Dalton-Binion and Greg Binion Hunter Bollman Roxane Reardon and Brian Bolster

Wendy and Alistair Dawson Carolyn and Platt Davis Kristen Wong Dhesi and Nick Dhesi

Kate Kirkland

Anna and Brad Eastman

Rachel and Alex Kramer

Kim and Ray Ehmer

Jennifer and Chris Laporte

Annie and Campbell Eifler

Drs. Alexandra Simotas Laskaris and Aris Laskaris Papasakellariou

Sidney and Rodney Eifler Sherrie Eisenman April and Robert Eschweiler Twana Griffith-Faykus and Chadwick Faykus Jen Fink

Sarah and Carey Ford

María and Bill Boyce

Monica Fulton

Brendon Boyd

Sarah Galfione

Courtney Brooks

Denis Garcia

Mary Brown

Will Garwood

Courtney and Charles Burger

Chris George

Molly & Grant Butkus

Kathleen and Martyn Goossen

Allison and Ivan Chavez Alex Cherches Gisela and Igor Cherches Marina and Alan Christensen George E. Cire Jr. Michael Clarfeld Ashley Clinton Ganesa Collins Allison and Dan Connally Carly and Darren Craig Gayatri Garg and Charlie Craig

David Karohl

Adrienne and David Draper

Jane and James Bonham

Laura and John Chapman

Sesha Kalapatapu

Naveen Kharb

Josh Fixler

Anne Chao

Leigh and Chris Joseph

Carolyn and Chris Dorros

Blayne and Davis Bonham

Shelly and Nitin Chandra

Mary Catherine and Bailey Jones

Ann and Thomas Kelsey

Nancy Fischer

Tay Carey

Gina Jolley

Andrew Dodson

Jill and Stirling Bomar

Jeffrey Butt

Jenny and Christopher Johnson

Annie and Bob Graham Lauren and Robert Gray Veronica and John Griffin Brooke and Jeff Gunst Kristen Habich Robert Harris Kathy and Bill Heinzerling Matt Hennessy Katherine and Lex Hochner Kelly and Frank Hogan Michelle and Brandon Holcomb Sarah and JC Howell D’Hania Hunt David Jernigan Catherine and Matthew Johnson

Mark Lawrence Mindy LeBlanc Bryant Lee Lori Lees Suzanne Elmilady and Todd Leffler Meghan Leggett Megan Lembcke Kelly and David Leonard Rachel and Gary Levin Shelli and Steven Lindley Franna and Ted Litton Dr. Jennifer and Todd Litton Blair and Bryan Loocke Rebecca Luks Marty Lundstrom

Marjorie Nogueira

Tameka Stegall

Jamie and David Oliver

Elizabeth and Andrew Stepanian

Chantel Olufsen Cabrina and Steven Owsley Alfiya and Salvador Pareja-Fernandez Marsha and Charles Parker Shibani Shinde Patil Waverly Peakes John Pearson Lizzy and Carter Perrin Kim Pinyopusarerk Kathy and John Pipkin Robert Plumb Colin and Dr. Sangita Pogge Kathryn and Andrew Principe

Erin O’Leary Stewart and James Stewart James Stewart Jr. Shazia Sultan Alicia and Matthew Summers Laura Sussman Jacob Swenson Jenni and Nicholas Swyka Shannon Swyka Myrenda Takashima Meghan Watkins Thompson Chayden Tibbitts Kevin Tofsky

Mary Kate Raffetto

Luis Torres

Henry Richardson and Monsour Taghdisi

Bryan Trammell

Katharine Rider Melanie and Daniel Ringold Tiffany Roland

Melanie Trent Stephanie and Frank Tsuru Susie and Payson Tucker

Carolyn and Jake Sabat

Drs. Lynette and George Van Buren II

Sarah and Philip Sampson

Allie and Sam Veselka

Julie and Tony Sanchez

Celia and Larry Veselka

Vanessa and Eduardo Sanchez

Ian Virga

Emily and Josh Schaffer Charlie Schwartzel

Kristen and Joe Lyons Kirk Manes

Dr. Jennifer Segal

Stan Marek

Jeri and Marc Shapiro

Mario Lopez Martinez

Ayesha and Kevan Shelton

Victoria Matthews

Jan and Tom Simmons

Scottie and Christopher McCord

Ashley and Jonathan Sloan

Erin Leslie Meadows

Lisa Sternschuss

Sarah Punches

Ashley Dominy and David Scott

Jackie and Travis McDermott

Patience and Adam Stern

Denise and Elliott Smith Josephine and Richard Smith

Leslie Viswanathan Fernando Vizcaino Rachael and Jason Volz Molly and Coert Voorhees Katherine Vukadin Jeremy Wang Drew Ward Dionecia Warr Jacob Weems Randa and K. C. Weiner Robert Weylandt Anne Whitlock

Ruthie and Adam Miller

Mary and Charles Soderstrom

Allison and Patrick Miller

Aydin Soheili

Megan and Jason Williams

Janice and Rick Moore

Amira and Brad Staller

Dr. Monica Williams

Emily and Joseph Morrel

Allison and Spencer Stasney

Wendell Wyckoff

Jamie and Nolan Moullé

David Stearns

Jennifer and Ron Zach

Kim Nguyen

Natalie Steen

Liz and Andrew Ziccardi

Catherine Wile

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BREAKTHROUGHHOUSTON.ORG @BREAKTHROUGHHOUSTON 3100 TIMMONS LANE, SUITE 360, HOUSTON, TX 77027 16