Starting in Middle School
13-year-old Deante Phillips recently enjoyed his first summer in Breakthrough Atlanta’s High School Readiness Program. For six weeks, Phillips bettered his educational knowledge and skills. Phillips said he often knew some of the lessons his teachers introduced in class because he had learned them over the summer.
The High School Readiness Program prepares middle school students to excel socially and academically. The program is free and focuses on rising seventh through ninth-grade students in school districts throughout the metro Atlanta area.
For three summers, students attend the six-week summer program, taking reading, math, and STEM classes. They are also offered creative electives in photography, coding, public speaking, sports, and more.
During the school year, students attend Super Saturdays once to twice a month, where they learn about non-academic skills through interactive activities and field trips. These skills include critical thinking and making wise choices.
Breakthrough Atlanta CEO Monique Shields emphasized that college preparation starts earlier than expected, with middle school being crucial for building strong reading and math foundations.
Shields said it’s also equally important to focus on socio-emotional learning, like self-awareness, self-control, and how to handle conflict.
“When I see kids, I see potential, always, for greatness,” said Shields.
Phillips said he was nervous when starting the program but now admits to enjoying his educational experience at Breakthrough Atlanta more than his everyday schooling.
“Breakthrough is actually a great program…for your scholar,” said Phillips. “Breakthrough Atlanta is fantastic.”
Phillips is excited to attend the next summer programming and has an interest in becoming a mechanical engineer.
The Breakthrough program was originally founded under the name Summerbridge in 1978. It was designed as a six-week summer program to combat summer learning loss for middle schoolers at the University High School in San Francisco.
Support Through High School
As students grow in their educational careers, they continue to receive support from Breakthrough Atlanta. The six-year program starts in middle school and extends into high school where students receive hands-on college preparation and resources.
Breakthrough Atlanta’s College Prep Program supports ninth through 12th-grade students and parents navigating the path to college. The programming consists of:
- Small-group workshops with college recruiters from across the country
- Access to college fairs
- Financial aid counseling
- Discounted SAT/ACT prep courses
- Individual college counseling
- Weekly scholarship opportunity bulletins
- Pre-college (summer) experiences
Breakthrough Atlanta is partnered with The Scholarship Academy, which matches students to scholarship opportunities. Shields said 63% of their students earn a degree.
Fellowship for College
Breakthrough Atlanta’s AmeriCorps Teaching Fellow is a nine-week program that gives undergraduate college students a head start on their careers as educators. Through a grant from AmeriCorps, the residency allows Teaching Fellows to practice skills applicable to school and professional settings while receiving competitive pay. Teaching fellows complete 300 hours of service as teachers, mentors, role models, and learners.
According to a press release, approximately 75% of the teaching fellows indicate that they are more likely to pursue a career in education because of their internship at Breakthrough Atlanta.
Teaching fellows gain first-hand teaching experience through instructing middle school students in Breakthrough Atlanta’s Summer Program. The fellowship is open to college students of all majors.
Breakthrough Atlanta has a dual mission to increase academic opportunity for highly motivated, underserved students and get them into college ready to succeed; and inspire and develop the next generation of teachers and educational leaders. According to the Education Data Initiative, 6.7% of Georgia graduates earn education degrees.
“We’re giving our teaching fellows a leg up…that is well paid,” said Shields.
Student Applications
Students heading into seventh, eighth, and ninth grades during the 2025-2026 school year can apply for the Breakthrough Atlanta High School Readiness Program. Applications close in April 2025. Apply here.
Undergraduates with a passion for working with students and a deep interest in social justice are encouraged to apply for Breakthrough Atlanta’s Summer 2025 AmeriCorps Teaching Fellowship. Early applications are due on January 16, 2025, and the regular deadline is February 27, 2025. Apply here.
