Recent Grads
Current High Schoolers
Beyond Breakthrough works with alumni throughout their journey. The spotlights below highlight alumni who have worked closely with the Beyond team while they navigate high school.
Briana Finley
BPS Midtown (Cliffs), 2022 | Lutheran High School East, 2026
Take your work very seriously, because it really shows when you apply it to colleges
and are trying to figure out what you
want to do in life.
Jada Johnson
Don't play with that GPA. You should try and go to tutoring and ask questions. That will make your life a lot easier.
It's a lot of work. I've started my college classes this fall. And I already finished AP testing.
Back in, like, middle school and elementary school I was really close with my teachers, and now I only have one or 2 teachers that I'm close with. I'm used to being close with all of them.
A lot of people don't have any idea where they're going to go for college, or what they want to do, or how they're gonna get there. You guys help a lot with that.
Why is Beyond Breakthrough special?
"It helped me with a lot, like finding colleges that I like and looking for stuff that interests me. Also going on a trip and seeing a real college campus - going outside of the city and seeing new stuff, that also helps."
Genice Manning
BPS Glenville, 2021 | St. Martin De Porres High School, 2025
Beyond Breakthrough helped me go to a great high school that is soon going to lead me to a great college, which will lead me to a great life.
Shaniya Campbell
Right now I'm an honor student. I take college credit plus, otherwise known as CCP. So I do half high school, half college right now.
Science class with everyone’s favorite science teacher. Her class was always funny, and she always made sure that we were engaged. She often changed our seating charts so we always talked to new people, we always made new friends. She made science interesting.
Focus on yourself and your future. Even if you're not completely sure of your path, whatever opportunity is the best opportunity - take it.
It’ll be an adjustment. Freshman year is not easy. I saw my first C ever! It was challenging for me, but I wanted to go somewhere where I was challenged.
I feel seen even after middle school. I felt like I was really supported because I love the community that I had at Breakthrough. I grew up there. I've been there from kindergarten all the way to 8th grade. I spent my whole life in Breakthrough.
Why should alumni work with Beyond Breakthrough?
"Beyond Breakthrough is so genuine. They genuinely want you to grow beyond high school. I would want any alum to be a participant, or to speak to you at least once, because it's really refreshing to hear that even after middle school, y'all still care."
Khyla Bolden
BPS Glenville, 2021 | Mastery School of hawken, 2025
Take advantage of this [Beyond Breakthrough] network and immerse yourself in it because it’s going to be really helpful, and you're going to absolutely love it!
Trinity Custom
I’m taking on more college classes that put me on a psychology track for social work.
Science class. I like how [the teacher] taught, she was a great teacher. She taught it in ways that I could understand, and I stayed focused on the topic she was teaching.
Don‘t get distracted. Distraction leads to chaos, and chaos leads to just not getting on a good career path
You get a little more freedom. I take CSU classes, so I get out early or I get late arrival. In middle school I didn't get that.
It works great for us because alumni don't have to stress ourselves out with finding opportunities or scholarships or having to find out like, when's the next college visit.
Why is Beyond Breakthrough special?
"You get put into programs that help kids figure out where they want to go, based on high school or college or career plans. It’s a huge perk."
Braylon Rose
BPS Woodland Hills, 2022 | Benedictine High School, 2026
Beyond Breakthrough presented opportunities I probably wouldn't have seen by myself. I got to go Ohio State for a day. That's a dream school. It really gets me out there to see world in a different light.
Forging their paths
Hear From College Students
Beyond Breakthrough works with alumni throughout their journey. The spotlights below highlight alumni who have worked closely with the Beyond team while they are attending college or exploring career opportunities
A'Miracle Green
I would tell them to leverage their relationships, to make sure they shadow the schools or the high schools that they want to attend. I got the opportunity to shadow St. Martin while I was attending Breakthrough and that really helped with me wanting to attend St. Martin.
Continue to leverage Beyond’s connections.
Beyond has helped me in my early career and in my personal endeavors, and keeping up with the alumni network is something everyone should do.
This was sixth grade at Citizens Leadership Academy. At the end of each quarter or each trimester, we had a celebration of learning. And that was my favorite part of being at Breakthrough, where we could showcase what we learned during school.
It was just a lot of fun.
I got the opportunity to go on a bus tour, visit other HBCUs. I stuck with Alabama State University because it felt most like home.
How has Beyond Breakthrough supported you?
"I get to connect and network with other alumni. I go to events, recently a bowling event, to meet alumni from other schools and see classmates I went to school with. It’s a great way to stay in touch and see new faces."
Myleah Avant
BPS Woodland Hills, 2014 | Laurel School, 2019
Howard university, 2023
I don't know too many people where their middle school still checks in on them, emails or texts asking how you are, if you need help with like master programs, things like that. Beyond Breakthrough does.
Pasauell Nance
Right now I am a freshman psychology major at Bowling Green State University. When I got to college I was more so trying to expand my writing skills because I write poetry. So I wanted to come here to be a creative writing and education major. Then I ended up switching to psychology because I fell in love with the brain.
8th grade basketball season. We had one of the most up and down seasons ever. Our season was going downhill because of Covid. But it brought us all together. Even though we had a bad season, we still had fun. We all got to play with each other. It was so great just being around them.
Everything is going to change. I thought, everything's going to be the same, because I'm just going to a different building. I had to realize, I'm in a different environment. I'm around different people. Other people have different expectations for me. I'm not a kid anymore.
I can say, take advantage of the times you have now. Don't abuse the time that you have, because this time in middle school goes by fast. So it's like you can be in 6th grade now, and you look up, you’re into 8th grade.
How has Beyond Breakthrough helped you?
"Beyond Breakthrough has wonderful, wonderful people to work with. These people are willing to help you, regardless of what you have going on. If you're struggling, you can always reach out to them. If you're struggling with your work, or you're struggling to get things for college or get things in general. They're willing to help. If you want to talk to somebody, you can talk to them."
Javion Robinson
BPS Glenville, 2021 | Mastery school of hawken, 2025
Bucknell University, 2029
[Beyond Breakthrough] really helped me out, whether it was getting through the tough spots of senior year, getting my medical reports, or even helping me pay for college for my first semester.
Kerry Hinton, Jr.
Right now I am a freshman finance major at North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University. NCAT had been on my list since I started thinking about college.
Basketball and math classes. My 7th or 8th-grade math teacher, Mr. Harges was my favorite. Unfortunately, he passed, but he holds a special place in my heart. I just liked his teaching style. He made math fun for me. And he was interactive with the class. Made me really like math.
Beyond Breakthrough is there to help. They’re looking for the success of your future, so any problems that you have, you can look to Beyond for guidance. They will be there to help, they're here for your success. They're good people.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Your teachers are there to help you. So stay positive and don't stress a lot because they're not gonna set you up for failure. They want the best out of you. They may tell you to do stuff that you're not gonna like, but it all helps out in the end. You just gotta trust the process.
How has Beyond Breakthrough helped you?
"I love Beyond Breakthrough. Y'all help me so much. I remember my mom telling me that you [BB] emailed her late in the night, and it was after the date where y'all will help, and y'all provided for me. Helped me get my tuition paid so I could actually be in school. And it's real welcoming. You're part of my family now."
Micah Caldwell
BPS Midtown, 2015 | Laurel School, 2019
Morgan State, 2023
The [Breakthrough] structure is going to help you stay on course and guide you and give you self discipline throughout high school and throughout college. I'm so used to the Breakthrough school structure, it's like I'm able to have discipline for myself. That was something I was able to carry with me.
Building their Futures
Interviews with Career Builders
Beyond Breakthrough works with alumni throughout their journey. The spotlights below highlight alumni who have worked closely with the Beyond team while they are attending college or exploring career opportunities
Joe Herriot
BPS Midtown, 2012 | Benedictine High School, 2016
Co-founder, Overtime Sports Group
Anyone I know who went to EPrep and I come across, I tell them, "Are you guys still connecting with Breakthrough?" I always say that Breakthrough is doing amazing things, and they’re trying to help us with our life and help us give back to the next generation.