Our History

OUR HISTORY

Breakthrough Collaborative was founded as Summerbridge in 1978 at University High School in San Francisco.

In 1990, Isidore Newman School became the second school to host a Summerbridge program in order to support the need for high-quality supplementary educational services given the poor conditions of Orleans Parish Public Schools. 

Although the organization’s name has changed from Summerbridge, Breakthrough New Orleans (BTNOLA) continues to provide a multi-year academic enrichment program that builds a path from middle school to college for under-resourced students. Today, Breakthrough New Orleans is one of 24 Breakthrough affiliate sites throughout the United States and in Hong Kong that is a part of the national organization, Breakthrough Collaborative.