Supporting Dreams with Breakthrough Silicon Valley

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Silicon Valley is a leader in technology and innovation, and its competitive edge is dependent on highly educated individuals. Yet, many local students, especially those who come from low-income backgrounds, attend under-resourced schools. Many are the first in their families to attend college and because of this, they find it difficult to thrive in our educational system. It therefore comes as no surprise that less than 10% of low-income students graduate from college by the age of 25.

Through our support of Breakthrough Silicon Valley, we’re aiming to change that!

At Tech CU, we believe people get ahead through economic empowerment. That is why we regularly partner with Breakthrough Silicon Valley, an organization that helps students with limited educational opportunities achieve success in rigorous college-preparatory high school programs and entry into four-year colleges.

Since inception, Breakthrough Silicon Valley has been hugely successful. For example:

• 95% of Breakthrough Silicon Valley students are the first in their family to go to college.
• 99% of its graduates enroll in college immediately after high school.
• 98% of its alumni have graduated, or are on track to graduate, within six years.

Breakthrough Silicon Valley helps prepare students for what awaits by exposing them to collegiate environments while they are still in high school. Last year, Tech CU sponsored a Southern California college tour for first generation college students. As part of the experience, more than 70 members of Breakthrough Silicon Valley’s 2020 class visited 6 colleges and universities in 3 days, getting a taste for both public and private institutions. The students met with Breakthrough alumni at various campuses who spoke about many topics including campus life, the transition to college, Educational Opportunity Programs, and securing a dream job or internship. As a sponsor, Tech CU plans to support 25% of future trips scheduled for 2021 focused on bridging the gap between opportunity and educational success.

Tech CU also participated in the “Are You Smarter Than a Breakthrough Student?” trivia benefit event, dedicated to providing financial support to promote educational equity and life-changing opportunities. Team Tech CU won 1st place in the trivia competition, and now we are set to defend our title in October!

We look forward to many more years of supporting students’ dreams of going to college.

To donate or learn more about the program, please visit: http://breakthroughsv.org/.