Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.

At Breakthrough Sacramento, we believe every student should have the opportunity to achieve their academic potential. Every day, we see what happens when ambitious young people are given the encouragement, resources, and opportunities to dream big.

This holiday season, I'd like to introduce you to one of those remarkable young people.

Meet Daniel. His dream? Stanford University.

Daniel, a junior at McClatchy High School, has set his sights on attending Stanford University on a full scholarship. It's an ambitious dream, and he's working hard to make it a reality.

As a sophomore, Daniel chose to take Advanced Placement (AP) World History and AP Precalculus, alongside four other demanding courses. He knew success would take more than determination. It would take a plan—and the right support.

That support included twice-weekly tutoring with Breakthrough's college-student Academic Success Coaches, who helped him tackle challenging material and prepare for his exams.

The results? Daniel earned a PERFECT SCORE of 5 on BOTH AP exams and finished his sophomore year with an extraordinary 4.3 GPA!

This year, he's taking AP Calculus, AP Physics, and AP U.S. History as part of a challenging course load while exploring a future career in engineering.

But Daniel's accomplishments don't stop in the classroom. He participates in both of Breakthrough's Social Justice Internships, serves on our Youth Board, runs Breakthrough’s food services during the summer, and was recently selected for SMUD's Future Energy Leaders Program.

And Daniel is just one of 350 reasons to celebrate in 2026!

• 350 students in grades 7–12 participated in Breakthrough's year-round programs.
• 145 students attended our Summer Academy—the largest class in our history!
• 34 college-student Teaching Interns taught, mentored, and inspired our students.
• 78% of Teaching Interns reported being more likely to pursue a career in education because of their Breakthrough experience.
• 100% of our high school seniors graduated , 96% accepted college offers, and all will be the first in their families to earn a college degree!

Behind every number is a young person discovering new strengths, building confidence, and taking meaningful steps toward a brighter future.

This holiday season, help more students like Daniel turn big dreams into extraordinary futures!

Your generosity makes opportunities like these possible. Every gift, no matter the size, helps Breakthrough provide academic enrichment, college-student mentorship, tutoring, and life-changing experiences to students who are determined to succeed.

And imagine the impact of giving all year long! By becoming a monthly donor, your gift of just $10, $25, or $50 provides dependable support that helps students thrive throughout the school year.

GIVE THE GIFT OF POSSIBILITIES

Daniel dreams of an engineering degree from Stanford. Other Breakthrough students dream of becoming doctors, teachers, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and leaders in their communities.

Their dreams are big. With your help, their opportunities can be, too.

Thank you for believing in our students and investing in the extraordinary futures they are working so hard to achieve. Your generosity is a gift that lasts far beyond the holiday season.

Breakthrough Sacramento is a fiscally sponsored project of Community Initiatives.