The mission of Breakthrough Miami is to inspire and encourage talented, motivated middle school students to enter and thrive in top college preparatory high school programs and graduate from college. The program is equally focused on promoting careers in education for the outstanding high school and college students who teach, tutor, and mentor in Breakthrough Miami's summer institute and school year program.

Breakthrough is mission-driven.

We firmly believe that all students who enter the program are smart and capable of entering and thriving in rigorous academic high school program. We also believe that high school and college students can be excellent teachers and leaders if given substantive support and training.

Breakthrough's mission is uncompromising.

All who work in the program - director, office assistant, teacher, or tutor – must embrace and believe in it. The host institution for every program must also believe and embrace Breakthrough’s mission. Only then will Breakthrough’s work remain focused.

Breakthrough believes in academic excellence
for all of its students.

We want them to be leaders in our society, and a quality education is an essential tool for future leaders. To prepare our students, we offer them a program that exposes them to high-level thinking and challenging material, yet also concentrates on basic skills. We make a commitment to an accelerated program for all students, including those who are behind in some subject areas.

Breakthrough treats its students as special individuals while embracing the communities of which this individual is part.

We see our young people as members of families, neighborhoods, communities and institutions; therefore, we build bridges to all these constituencies to create a community-based program. To guarantee that students and teachers achieve program goals, we work with parents, public school personnel, business leaders, philanthropic organizations, mental health professionals, and caring individuals to respond to students’ needs and build a network of support.

Breakthrough believes education is a time for celebration. If “achievement” and “excellence” characterize Breakthrough’s academic mission, then “joy” and “laughter” symbolize the in-between moments that make our program unique. We make learning fun, bring students and teachers together through laughter, and strive to make Breakthrough a safe space where children can’t wait to come back.

Breakthrough understands that each student and teacher is an individual with unique needs, dreams, abilities,
weaknesses, families, and socio-economic circumstances.

All who work in Breakthrough believe in the power of achievement. To do so, we must look at the socio-economic realities as well as the gender, class, and race biases that too often affect the way we think and the way that people have to live. We do not treat such limiting factors blindly: We embrace diversity and encourage open dialogue about our differences. Students, teachers, and volunteers reflect the ethnic, economic, and educational diversity of our communities.

Breakthrough holds high expectations for its students and for its own program.

Self-evaluation and accountability are equally important to us as the achievement of our students. How can we expect our children to succeed if we, ourselves, are not held to the highest standards? Criticism is welcome as long as it is part of the solution. The program is too short not to be steeped in integrity and ethics; mediocrity must be addressed so that every child is given the quality education they are promised.