A fun and inspiring benefit for

Breakthrough Silicon Valley

2013 Sponsorship Opportunities

What Is Breakthrough?
Breakthrough Silicon Valleys transformative two-pronged program launches
disadvantaged middle school students on the path to college, while at the
same time inspiring high school and college students to become educators,
particularly in the communities that need the most help. BSV stands out among
the many efforts to improve educational outcomes for underserved students,
reaching beyond the typical goals of proficiency and deeply changing the lives
of individuals and their communities. While ambitious in its goals, BSV works:
a stunning 95% of BSV students attend four-year colleges and 78% of BSV
intern teachers enter careers in education.

Breakthrough is special. It allows students to get the one-to-one attention

they need to succeed. It allows college and high school students to become role
models for middle school students. Breakthrough changes lives.
Doug Le, Former Breakthrough Teacher

Breakthrough Makes
This Happen
From an early age in his gang-ridden neighborhood, Adan had

Adan Ledezma
Aspiring Engineer
Breakthrough 13

the makings of an engineer. He loved to tinker with broken

radios and more. As he grew older, his passion for
jugueteando or playing, as his mom would say, became
stronger. His parents, who have little education and do not
speak English, continually told Adan that through hard work
and dedicacin he could achieve anything, including his goal
of becoming an engineer. Adan recalls hours spent sitting at
his kitchen table memorizing words in English and helping his
parents sound out their new shared vocabulary. When Adan
joined Breakthrough Silicon Valley in middle school, he found
people who believed in his talent, and friends who also loved
learning. As the years progressed and peers dropped out
around him, Adan continued taking college prep classes and
listening to the advice and encouragement of Breakthroughs
staff. Six years later, against all odds, Adan is on course to achieve
his goal. Accepted into UC Irvines freshman class, Adan will
pursue his engineering dreams in earnest, and as he says,
take apart the old and build something new.

When her mother brought home news about Breakthrough,

Yanelly thought spending her sixth-grade summer in school

was the last thing she wanted to do. Her protest lasted only
until the first day. What she discovered at Breakthrough so
many years ago as a 6th grader a community of talented
kids, a supportive staff, and youthful, energetic teachers she
could connect with is whats inspired her to return from
Cal Poly as a Breakthrough teaching intern three summers
in a row. When she graduates with a double major in the fall,
she wants to teach abroad to sharpen her skills and help
her save for graduate school. With aspirations to become a
professional educator, Yanelly knows the lessons shes
learned as a Breakthrough teaching intern have set her on
the path to help other low-income kids like herself discover
the joy of learning and power of education.

Yanelly De La Rosa
Aspiring Teacher
Breakthrough 09
Cal Poly, SLO 13

you Make Breakthrough Happen!

Join us for a lively, fun, and uplifting evening in support of Breakthrough
Silicon Valley. Learn about this unique educational program and get inspired
by our amazing students, while finding out just how much you and your
buddies remember about U.S. presidents and the Pythagorean Theorem in a
fast-paced academic trivia contest.
Sponsor a table, put together a team of your brightest colleagues, and
compete against other Silicon Valley corporate and community teams. At last,
an opportunity to make use of that know-it-all office mate! The team with the
most points after two rounds goes head to head against a team of Breakthrough students for the championship.
Prizes for best team name and overall champion!
What a great event! It was innovative and exciting. I enjoyed
teaming with friends at our table and competing against Silicon
Valley colleagues. The Breakthrough students were amazingly smart!
Mark Walker, former Managing Director
Global Community Affairs
Applied Materials
Mary Babbitt Hammers has a great sense of humor and kept us all on our
toes during the program. She was an incredible MC!
Allison Railo
San Jose resident
Breakthrough supporter

To make great things

happen at this event and
in kids lives we need
your participation and
sponsorship. Corporate
and individual sponsorship
opportunities are available
at three levels.
Questions?
Melissa Johns, Executive Director
mjohns@breakthroughsv.org
(408) 910-1123

Are You Smarter Than a

BREAKTHROUGH Student?
An investment in Breakthrough demonstrates your companys belief that all children
deserve the opportunity to achieve their academic and life potential. Join other community
leaders and sponsor a table at this fast-paced and fun benefit for Breakthrough Silicon
Valley. Bring colleagues and others who share your interest in strengthening our community
through education! Each table offers 10 seats for the talented contestants of your choosing!

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities

CAMPUS CHAMPIONS
$10,000 and above

Provides daily transportation for 50 students to Breakthroughs summer program

On-stage recognition from emcee and BSV students during program
Name and logo prominently featured on all event-related marketing materials,
including email and internet advertising, invitation, and front cover of program book
Full-page advertisement in event program
Name and logo prominently featured on display screen and sponsor board at
registration table
Name and logo prominently featured on BSV website for one year
VIP seating at event

LEARNING LEADERS
$5000 and above

Supports 25 students in our 8-month after-school math program

Name and logo prominently featured on all event-related marketing materials,
including email and internet advertising, invitation, and program book
Half-page advertisement in event program
Name and logo featured on display screen and sponsor board at registration table
Name and logo featured on BSV website for one year

STUDY STARS
$3000 and above

Provides all curricular materials for summer program serving 200 students
Name and logo featured on all event-related marketing materials, including email and
internet advertising, invitation, and program book
Name and logo featured on display screen and sponsor board at registration table
Please respond by August 1, 2013 to be listed as event sponsor in the invitation.

you Make Breakthrough Happen!

Join us for a lively, fun, and uplifting evening in support of Breakthrough
Silicon Valley. Learn about this unique educational program and get inspired
by our amazing students, while finding out just how much you and your
buddies remember about U.S. presidents and the Pythagorean Theorem in a
fast-paced academic trivia contest.
Sponsor a table, put together a team of your brightest friends and neighbors to
compete against other Silicon Valley corporate and community teams. At last,
an opportunity to make use of that know-it-all college roommate! The team
with the most points after two rounds goes head to head against a team of
Breakthrough students for the championship.
Prizes for best team name and overall champion!
What a great event! It was innovative and exciting. I enjoyed
teaming with friends at our table and competing against Silicon
Valley colleagues. The Breakthrough students were amazingly smart!
Mark Walker, former Managing Director
Global Community Affairs
Applied Materials
Mary Babbitt Hammers has a great sense of humor and kept us all on our
toes during the program. She was an incredible MC!
Allison Railo
San Jose resident
Breakthrough supporter

To make great things

happen at this event and
in kids lives we need
your participation and
sponsorship. Corporate
and individual sponsorship
opportunities are available
at three levels.
Questions?
Melissa Johns, Executive Director
mjohns@breakthroughsv.org
(408) 910-1123

Are You Smarter Than a

BREAKTHROUGH Student?
Demonstrates your belief that education is the key to success and that all children deserve the opportunity to achieve their academic and life potential. Join
other community leaders and sponsor a table at this fast-paced and fun benefit for Breakthrough Silicon Valley. Bring friends, neighbors, and colleagues
who share your interest in strengthening our community through education!
Each table offers 10 seats for the talented contestants of your choosing!

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities

CAMPUS CHAMPIONS
$5,000 and above

Supports 25 students in our 8-month after-school math program

Name(s) prominently featured on all event-related marketing materials,
including email and internet advertising, invitation, and program book
Name(s) prominently featured on display screen and sponsor board at
registration table
Recognition from emcee and BSV students during event

LEARNING LEADERS
$2500 and above

Provides all curricular materials for summer program serving 200 students
Name(s) featured on all event-related marketing materials, including email
and internet advertising, invitation, and program book
Name(s) featured on display screen and sponsor board at registration
table

STUDY STARS
$1500 and above

Supports a 3-day trip for 10 students to visit Southern CA colleges

Name(s) featured on all event-related marketing materials, including email
and internet advertising, invitation, and program book
Name(s) featured on display screen and sponsor board at registration
table
Please respond by August 1, 2013 to be listed as event sponsor in the
invitation.

Fact Sheet
Breakthrough Silicon Valley (BSV) is a
member of the Breakthrough Collaborative,
a network of 25 sites nationwide, which
has earned national recognition for its
innovative model and impact. In contrast to
the incremental changes wrought by many
educational programs, Breakthrough is
transformative not just raising scores but
changing lives.

The greatest influence Breakthrough has

had on me is helping me to understand
the power and potential of both education and individuals to change lives. As a
young African-American male, I could have
gone either way. There were a lot of temptations, distractions, forces that might
have pulled me in a wrong direction. The
program addressed me on all levels and
bridged the gap between what I thought I
needed in life and what I truly needed in
life.
- Jabali Sawicki
Founding principal
Excellence Charter School in Brooklyn
One of New Yorks highest-performing
public elementary schools

Our Mission

Breakthrough Silicon Valleys mission is

two-fold:
To prepare academically motivated
students with limited educational
opportunities for
success in rigorous college
preparatory high school programs
and entry into four-year universities
To prepare outstanding high school
and college students for careers in
education

Our Program

Because the road to college begins in

middle school, we make a six-year
commitment to our students, providing
comprehensive academic services:
Academic summer sessions in
Grades 6, 7, and 8
Year-round after-school tutorials
throughout high school
Ongoing academic advising
College workshops and field trips
Admissions and family financial aid
counseling
Opportunities to explore career
options with local mentors

Breakthrough experience:
Student at Breakthrough San Francisco,
1988-1991; Teacher in New Orleans,
1995-1996
Teacher in Louisville KY, 1999-2000

Our Students

To be accepted into the Breakthrough program,

students must demonstrate high potential and
strong motivation, but face socio-economic
circumstances that threaten their college
dreams:
81% represent the first generation in their
family to attend college
73% receive free or reduced-price lunch
58% use English as their second
language
93% are students of color
80% attend an underperforming school
62% live in gang-impacted neighborhoods
BSV has an established track record of
supporting studentsOver the years, we have been
impressed by the high quality of BSV programs,
staff and outcomes.
Chris Funk, Superintendent
East Side Union High School District, San Jose

Our Teachers

Each year, we accept outstanding high

school and college students from across
the country into our intensive teaching
internship. Many of our interns come from toptier universities such as UC Berkeley, UCLA,
Stanford, Harvard, and Yale, as well as other
fine schools.
Recruited for their academic excellence, our
interns serve as inspirational instructors and
role models for our Breakthrough students
while gaining skills and experience that set
many on the path to educational careers.
Because many of these interns go on to work
in socially, economically, and academically
challenged school districts, Breakthrough is
instrumental in transforming communities
beyond the limits of the program itself.
Number of interns each year: 40
Average GPA: 3.53
73% are students of color
46% are themselves the first generation
to go to college
78% go on to pursue a career in
education

Throughout the year, we also train outstanding

high school and college students to serve as the
teachers, mentors, and leaders within our
program. As Ariel Morris, 2011 and 2012
summer mentor teacher, shared:
In many ways, the Breakthrough internship
was not just about teaching to these young
educators. Rather, it was about building
relationships and setting high expectations
for their students. It is inspiring to watch
them have such a strong belief in their
students abilities and, as a result, see kids
start believing in themselves.

Why We Exist

Nationwide, only 8% of low-income students

graduate from college. In Santa Clara County,
Latinos have the highest high school dropout
rate. Of those who do graduate, only 30% have
completed the courses required for UC/CSU
admission
At the same time, California is facing a
teacher shortage. One-third of the teaching
force is expected to retire in the next decade and
enrollment in teacher preparation programs
has declined.
Breakthrough Silicon Valley exists to reverse
these trends by creating a pipeline to college
and to careers in education.

Our Results

91% of our students enroll in

geometry by 9th grade. For comparison,
44% of students in the district enroll in
geometry by 9th grade.
85% of our students have GPAs above
3.0 in college preparatory high school
courses
95% of our students are attending fouryear colleges, including such schools
as Brandeis, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,
Cornell, San Jose State, Stanford, UC
Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, and UC San
Diego
78% of our teacher interns enter
careers in education upon college
graduation. They are teaching at Alum
Rock, Oakland, San Jose, and Oak Grove
Unified School Districts

Contact Information
Melissa Johns, Executive Director
1635 Park Avenue
San Jose, CA 95126
mjohns@breakthroughsv.org
408.429.5891