Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake 25th Anniversary Stories
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
Addison Anderson
Teaching Fellow 2016-2022
Blake Class of 2019
Currently teaches fifth grade in Illinois
LearningWorks
As Addison thinks about her path to becoming a fifth grade teacher in the Lindop School District just outside of Chicago, she traces it back to her experience teaching at Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake. “I had so much fun,” she says of the summer and school-year sessions she spent teaching math skills to sixth, seventh and eighth graders. “I knew I wanted to keep doing this.”
Addison says she returned to the program year after year because of the students. She adds that she learned more about herself and more about the world every time she interacted with them. She also notes BMB’s commitment to recruiting students of color for the teaching fellowship and says it was powerful “because it helped me see myself in the future of education.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
Aubrey Whitaker
Teaching Fellow, Minneapolis 2024
Teaching Fellow, New Orleans 2021-2023
Currently an English major and Education Studies minor at the University of Oregon
LearningWorks
“My favorite norm that is truly embodied at BMB is ‘Students Teaching Students.’ Although I was the one standing in front of a class teaching, the students taught me how to be a better teacher and a better person.
“I can honestly say that this program has changed my life for the better. I have learned so much about my place in society and the position I hold as an educator. I learned about the public school systems across the states, and how much we are in need of teachers who are culturally responsive. This took a lot of self analyzing and learning, and although sometimes difficult, it has made me understand so much more than what I thought I signed up for. Every single day I learned something new and made connections with my mentors and peers that I will carry with me throughout my life. Not only did I learn about life in the classroom—I also learned how life outside of the classroom affects everything.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
The Baker Family
Adia, Student 2011-2013
Toni, Student 2019-2022 & Department Intern 2023 Tracy, Student 2022-present
“We first learned about the program from the kids’ grandfather who had worked at Minneapolis Public Schools. We didn’t really know anything about the program when our oldest Adia started but when it came time for the other two kids to participate, we had fallen in love with it so much that we forced them into it. Though they were all hesitant to join, they all fell in love with the program after starting.
“For our kids, BMB has given them more confidence to ask questions and challenge the system. It has created that safe space for them, which is such a positive experience unlike any other. I know the kids bring that learning into their public school and their lives with their friends.
“The teaching is done very well, as are the program norms like ‘It’s Cool to be Smart’. It’s a great message to kids. Our kids embraced that instead of shying away from it because of Breakthrough Minneapolis.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
*formerly LearningWorks
Chris Sanders
Teaching Fellow 2021-2024
Summer Staff 2025
Currently a graduate student at Hamline University
“The greatest benefit I’ve received from the BMB program is professional development. During my second year, I taught social studies. I created a course called Black History: An Emphasis on Joy and Resilience and taught about different periods of Black history but focused on the ways Black people have always practiced joy and resilience. I was able to use and elaborate on this curriculum for my Educational Studies capstone project. I submitted this work to a Black Studies conference and was accepted, so I was able to share this body of work with a larger audience. None of this would have been possible without my experience teaching it at Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
Deja Wilson
Teaching Fellow 2017-2019
Currently an educational diagnostician in Houston, Texas
LearningWorks
As a pre-med major at Baylor University, Deja had a clear plan for her future. When she applied for a BMB teaching fellowship, she just wanted to do something to keep her busy over the summer that would allow her to come back to her hometown of Minneapolis. Little did she know that decision would dramatically change her path in life.
The program opened her eyes to a different way that education could be delivered, and the students showed her that she could do it. Not only did she make lifelong friends through her time in the program, but after one summer as a teaching fellow, she changed her major to education. After graduating from Baylor, she worked as a general and special education teacher and then decided to specialize in diagnosing and supporting children with learning differences.
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF Elias Ramirez-Croman
Student 2014-2016
Teaching Fellow 2018-2020
*formerly LearningWorks
Recently earned a B.S. in sociology from the University of Minnesota
“Attending BMB as a student had the biggest impact on me through the culture it cultivated—the teachers went out of their way to create an atmosphere so overwhelmingly positive and lighthearted that it forced me to snap out of my teen angst. It felt like what school should be: a celebration of students, their curiosity and their interests. The academic aspects of the program are important, but the ways they were taught made them so indelible.
“When I think about my favorite memories as a student I remember all the team competitions, the teachers bursting into song and dance, science experiments in the courtyard, throwing pie in teachers’ faces to learn about Pi, and being ambushed by an impromptu water balloon fight in the parking lot. Breakthrough teachers and their supporters make learning fun and whimsical, and I hope they continue to for years to come!”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
The Ellison Family
Isaiah, Student 2000-2002
Elijah, Student 2006-2009 & Department Intern 2011 Amirah, Student 2008-2010
“Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake has a way of making learning fun and creative while maintaining a strong academic rigor. For each of our children, the impact was unique to them,” says Kim Ellison.
“For Isaiah, being around teachers and students that looked like him, and were young, empathic and fun was really impactful. For Elijah, seeing other children who learn like him but don’t want to be pointed out for being smart made him comfortable to be who he is. And the program helped Amirah embrace her individuality. For all of them, it opened their eyes to different possibilities. Seeing the impact it had on our children made me a supporter and champion of the program, because all children should have access to these opportunities.”
Keith Ellison shares: “The program imbues students, aspiring teachers and all participants with a spirit of curiosity and creativity. It’s a fun learning experience, which encourages children to want to learn and to teach. My children, now adults, are succeeding in life and in their careers, in part, because of Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
Eva Motolinia
Student 2012-2014
Summer Intern 2017
Blake Class of 2018
Currently works as an employment specialist for Reach for Resources in Minneapolis
“The BMB norms of ‘It’s cool to be smart’ and ‘It’s cool to be you’ have stayed with me. Young women tend to shrink themselves or pretend to not be as smart as we really are, but not at BMB. I learned to take up space, to speak up and to be myself.
“Not only does the program offer incredible enrichment opportunities, but it does so free of cost. I am now operating within the nonprofit sphere— helping marginalized communities access employment—because I experienced firsthand the benefit of free services to help me improve my wellbeing. To say that I wanted to ‘give back’ would be too simplistic. I wanted to be just like those teaching fellows that played a pivotal role in my life. Programs such as BMB are a public service or a public good necessary to uplift Minneapolis.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
Jame See Yang
Teaching Fellow 2018-2019
Staff 2019 & 2024-present Currently works as academic services director for BMB
LearningWorks
“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. As a first-generation college student from an immigrant family, I knew the obstacles and hoops I had to jump through to get to where I wanted to go. BMB’s mission to support students and families with a similar background really resonated with me.
“After I left the program, I went into classroom teaching. So much of my teaching persona and style came from BMB training. It taught me to have students at the front of everything I do and my classroom reflected that.
“So many students and families need guidance and support to help them navigate the education system. BMB is more than just a summer program or a teaching fellowship. It is a place where connections are built and relationships are fostered. Through my experience with BMB, I was able to form unforgettable bonds and pass down my wealth of knowledge to the next generation. I hope that will continue to happen for the next 25 years.”
Currently studying environmental science at Tuskegee University
“The program created a strong foundation for our son Jasir academically and personally. It was a space that nurtured confidence, curiosity and cultural pride. The relationships he built and the mentorship he received left a lasting imprint, shaping him into the focused, compassionate young man he is today.
“BMB is more than an enrichment program—it’s a community that uplifts, educates and truly sees each child’s potential. The environment is personable, nurturing and genuinely invested in every student’s success. We truly believe the program helped pave the way for our son’s success and sense of purpose.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
Jayme Dyer
Teaching Fellow 2005
Currently teaches biology at Durham Technical Community College
“Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake taught me that I love teaching! Before BMB I knew I loved biology, but I didn’t know whether I wanted to teach. Teaching at BMB was the first time I experienced the ‘hook in my gut’ that has driven my career ever since.
“It’s such a powerful program for students and teachers alike, which is why my partner and I continue to donate to BMB every year.
“To this day, I keep a framed picture of the 2005 cohort of students along with a note from a former student.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
*formerly LearningWorks
Jeff Trinh
Teaching Fellow 2001
Currently teaches physics at Blake’s Upper School
While in college, Jeff, a physics major, saw a flyer for BMB’s teaching fellowship. Though not an education major, he liked working with kids so he thought it could be an interesting summer experience. Little did he know it would be a transformative decision.
“Just like BMB’s norm ‘students teaching students,’ the kids taught me what I wanted to do with my life,” says Jeff, who credits BMB as the “best professional development experience I have ever had.”
Jeff also met his wife Kim, another BMB teaching fellow, in the summer of 2001.
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
*formerly LearningWorks
Jocelyn McQuirter
Student 1996-1999
Volunteer 2008 & 2020
Currently works with Hennepin County and recently wrote a children’s book, Biggest Rainbows in the Sky
“BMB was part of my early sparks of wanting to become a teacher. It made education accessible and engaging. While I ended up obtaining my Master’s in Education, my career path brought me to the classroom, connecting with youth and families beyond the traditional teacher capacity. The way BMB invested in me is the kind of way I choose to pay it forward for future generations.
“For the next 25 years, I wish for BMB’s vitality. I hope the program continues to benefit from the investments that sustain the quality experience each student, teacher and administrator deserves. I hope young people have the chance to live out their dreams with BMB playing a part of the puzzle that helped get them there.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF Kennedy
Student 2016-2019
*formerly LearningWorks
Rance
Currently attends Howard University, majoring in Supply Chain Management
“One of the things I liked most about the program was its motto: ‘It’s Cool to be Smart, It’s Cool to Care, It’s Cool to be You.’
Growing up as a Black girl in Minneapolis, there were programs to get involved with but none that focused on being an academic scholar, so it was hard to find people like me. BMB taught me that sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone to find your people. I found my people at BMB.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
*formerly LearningWorks
Louise Ba
Teaching Fellow & Volunteer 2017-2024
Blake Class of 2020
Currently a Master of Public Policy candidate at the University of Minnesota
“The biggest impact of Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake for me has always been the students. One year I ran a mock trial class. I saw the students blossom into the young lawyers, politicians and actors they desired to be. And I saw—and heard in their feedback—how impactful it was for me, as a young Muslim woman of color in public service, to be there for them in that moment.
“There were so many moments when I got to learn from the students, topics that made their eyes shine with care and excitement, and I felt so honored that they were trusting me with their authentic selves. BMB is a magical place that I love and will always cherish.”
CELEBRATING
25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
Maggie Miles
Student 2017-2019
Currently studying at Normandale Community College, will attend Macalester College next year
“As a Minneapolis Public School sixth grader, I was super excited to be accepted to Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake. I liked the small class sizes and personalized learning I received. As someone who is neurodivergent, BMB really helped me get ahead of my academics in school, which made school less of a struggle. It really helped me.
“BMB helped me build my confidence—confidence in my academics, in myself and in my future. Confidence that I can go to college and be successful.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF Marcus Berg
Student 2008-2010
Teaching Fellow 2016-17
Blake Class of 2014
Dartmouth College 2018
Currently works in the field of education
LearningWorks
At BMB, Marcus Berg saw teachers who looked like him, understood him and inspired him. “They were role models,” he says. “And because they believed in me, I started to believe in myself. I started to see myself as an academic.”
After college, Berg taught through Teach For America at Hiawatha Academies in Minneapolis. “LearningWorks and Teach for America have really helped me see how important it is to be culturally responsive to your students,” says Marcus. “Knowing your community, knowing each student, understanding their background and embracing what each person brings to the classroom—these are all things that made a difference for me. I want to bring that perspective into my teaching.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
Nick Palombo
Teaching Fellow 2007-2010
Staff 2011
Instructional Coach 2000-2004
Blake Class of 2008
Currently teaches at St. Paul Academy
LearningWorks
“I joined Breakthrough Minneapolis as a teaching fellow during my junior year of high school, and it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the energy and passion of the place. It was my first experience teaching, and it played a significant role in my life’s trajectory. Since then, I have taught in public, charter and private schools.
“I wish people could visit the program to see how a typical day unfolds. At times, this place can feel surreal. It is a place that combines the best aspects of school and summer camp. For example, on a given day, I was teaching students about building model boats in science, running a video game journalism class where we played and reviewed games, and then running outside for a water balloon fight.
“Students are able to see what school can feel like when they are enthusiastic learners in a place that supports them.”
CELEBRATING
25 YEARS OF
Patrick Barry
Teaching Fellow 2001-2003
Staff Member 2003-2006
Currently teaches English at Blake’s Upper School
LearningWorks
Patrick describes his time with BMB as formative and the basic premise of the program as powerful—a community that celebrates the idea of learning for learning’s sake. He says BMB gave him a space, at a critical time in his life, to figure out who he was and how he could be.
“The foundation of my teaching came to be because of BMB,” says Patrick. “It gave me the permission to be passionate about the content and to not only bring my full self to the classroom, but to support students to do the same.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF Patty Cichantek
Student 2012-2014
Teaching Fellow 2018-2020
AmeriCorps Promise Fellow & Staff 2024-present
Currently earning a B.A. in Education and working at BMB as manager of student services
LearningWorks
“As a middle school student, Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake was my first experience having a teacher that was a person of color who shared my culture. Not only was that empowering as a student, but it showed me that if I wanted to go into education, there was a place for me—I could do it.
“That reality led me to return to the program as a teaching fellow where I was able to test the waters of teaching. The skills I walked away with from that experience gave me more confidence, as I returned to school to finish my degree in education. BMB has prepared me for classes that I haven’t even enrolled in yet.
“After finishing my degree, I hope to return to teach in Minneapolis Public Schools.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
Paupau Darboe
Student 2017-2019
Currently studies interior design and architecture at the University of Minnesota
“I think about Breakthrough a lot and even keep a folder in my room filled with pictures and projects I worked on when I was in the program. It was such a memorable experience.
“As I look back, I realize just how much I gained from being in the program. Not only did it help me prepare for college from an academic perspective, but it helped me prepare socially. It helped me understand and practice things like knowing how to explain your thinking, how to understand different perspectives and how to create strong study habits.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
Rohan Mittra
Teaching Fellow 2018-2022
Blake Class of 2022
AmeriCorps Fellow 2022-23
Currently attends Macalester College
LearningWorks
The first time Rohan saw the colorful BMB mural at Blake’s Upper School, he knew he wanted to learn more. He was immediately drawn to the program’s mission and motivated by the norm “students teaching students” that allows young people like him to mentor middle schoolers.
Rohan saw how all of the program’s norms inspire students, but he says they also impacted him in powerful ways. For example, “challenge by choice” helped him realize he could do difficult things. “Call your own lines” made him feel better about mistakes; he started seeing them as the consequence of stretching his experiences rather than an indicator that he wasn’t good enough. He recalls, “The norms helped me, and I saw them help others.”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
Ruth Durrell
Teaching Fellow 2018
Staff Intern 2019
B.A. in Educational Studies and Sociology, Washington University in St. Louis
Currently works in technology in St. Louis
When Ruth describes their time at BMB, they use words like “impactful,” “phenomenal” and “life changing.” They credit the program for confirming their desire to work with young people and help them to plan for the future.
Ruth recalls one student from the program who continues to be an inspiration. He was a seventh grade English Language Learner who struggled to read a chapter book. He would spend hours reading at night so he wouldn’t fall behind in class. At the end of the summer, he gave Ruth a note that shared how hard it had been in the class but “because I did it, I know I can do it again.” Throughout their career in education, these stories reinforce what Ruth knows—that when students have access to programs like BMB, they shine.
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
*formerly LearningWorks
Shucayb Harir
Volunteer & Department Intern 2023-2025
Currently a member of the Blake class of 2026
“Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake truly changed my perspective on education. This fall, I’m applying to colleges and for most schools, I’m applying as an Education/Urban Studies major—mostly because of the work I did with Breakthrough.
“I’m really grateful to have spent these last few years with this program; with Breakthrough, I gained confidence and learned to advocate for myself. The kids taught me so much about what it means to be a leader, and I hope to continue to work on myself through higher education. I also wouldn’t have been able to visit colleges without Breakthrough, so thanks for giving me a taste of the liberal arts college experience (shoutout to Macalester and St. Olaf).”
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF
LearningWorks
The Vang Family
Ia Vang, Teaching Fellow 2012-2013 & Staff 2019-2021
Laichia Vang, Student 2013-2014
Aniya Vang, Student 2020-2022
Nick Vang, Student 2021-2023
Cheemeng Vang, Student 2022-2024
The Vang family’s connection to Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake started when Ia applied to be a teaching fellow while at Carleton College. BMB’s focus on education and social justice spoke to her. “BMB held a space for students to be themselves and feel a sense of belonging,” Ia says, “That helps academically because when you feel you belong, you strive to do better. BMB was powerful in that way.”
BMB launched Ia’s career in education. Since then her niece, nephews and sibling have joined as students. Ia shares: “We come from a household with two refugee parents who worked very hard to get by. Education was so important to them, and they knew we needed extra support to go to college. BMB gave us that support.”
That support is also important to Ia’s niece Aniya who says, “my favorite thing about BMB is the community—the diversity of students and staff, student shoutouts, and being recognized for being ourselves was powerful. I will cherish it forever.”
