Our Local History

Twenty years ago, the Ransom Everglades community opened its doors – and its heart – to a program called Summerbridge Miami.   This program, now called Breakthrough Miami, has changed the lives of thousands of low-income and disadvantaged students and their families.  It has changed lives in the most profound way – by systematically moving students out of poverty through education.

Summerbridge Miami is now Breakthrough Miami Summerbridge Miami has changed its name to BREAKTHROUGH MIAMI. The new name better reflects the year-round nature of our program and provides the added benefits of association with Breakthrough Collaborative and the emerging brand identity being cultivated nationally. The mission of Breakthrough Miami will remain unchanged. Program staff will continue to work tirelessly to assure that all children, regardless of background and means, will have equal access to excellent educational opportunities and enthusiastic teachers committed to their educational success. Our nationally recognized “students teaching students” model will also remain the centerpiece of the program and the Breakthrough name will continue to stand for excellence and equity in educational opportunities for underserved youth.

For some, participation in the program leads to a Ransom Everglades education, and others enjoy other high caliber schools.   Through their exposure to an outstanding community of scholars, students, teachers, mentors, coaches, role models, and families - their futures now know no limits. It is to Ransom, its head of school, Ellen Moceri, administrators, faculty, and parents, that Breakthrough Miami owes its success.  Today, Breakthrough Miami is the largest site in the nation, serving more than 800, predominantly low-income, students and their families. 

Ransom Everglades School provides significant in-kind contributions each year which allows the program to invest most contributed funds directly to our programs and services.  In-kind contributions include office space, phone, utilities, internet access, instructional facilities, instructors, resources, and maintenance, both during the summer and the school year.  We are deeply grateful to be a part of such an incredible institution of excellence.  The estimated dollar value of this contribution is over $100,000.

Breakthrough Miami is generously housed at the following sites: Ransom Everglades School, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, The Cushman School, Miami Country Day, and Palmer Trinity School.

Our National History

Breakthrough Miami is modeled after the nationally recognized Summerbridge program founded by Louis Loufbourrow in 1978 in San Francisco, CA. In the past three decades, Breakthrough Collaborative has changed the trajectories of more than 10,000 disadvantaged students and inspired 4,000 young people to pursue a career in education. Founded as a small program in a liberal haven across the country, Breakthrough has expanded incredibly, now operating in 33 sites nationwide with a program as far as Hong Kong.
 
Two years ago, to better serve our city’s struggling neighborhoods, we were awarded a grant by the Knight Foundation to expand.   Our long-term goals are to ensure that each of our students graduates from a top 4-year college and to offer the best teaching internship in Miami – we are relentless in both pursuits.  In partnership with families and schools, we prepare and develop civic-minded future leaders. 

Honoring
Breakthrough Miami
Former Advisory
Board Members

Since its inception Breakthrough Miami has enjoyed the support of a group of community leaders dedicated to the organization’s success. Over the years, volunteers who served on the Advisory Board have always helped raise funds necessary to sustain the program.
 
Breakthrough Miami owes a debt of gratitude to the following individuals who have served the program faithfully for many years.  In May 2008 we honored the individuals below at our Benefactors luncheon.  To see pictures of that hugely successful event, please click here.

Our Founders –
John Flickinger and Doug Weiser

One of Breakthrough Miami's founders, John Flickinger, was the longest-serving Executive Director of any of the 33 national Breakthrough programs. John and his good friend Doug Weiser, both `74 Ransom Everglades graduates, started the program in 1991 with 40 students.

John himself was a motivated student from modest beginnings, attending Ransom on scholarship. After receiving a B.A. from Colgate University and a Masters from Union Theological Seminary, John worked as a labor organizer in rural Mississippi and later, a community organizer in New York's inner-city.

In the fall of 2008, John decided to step down as Executive Director, after paving way for a new board of directors and an expanded professional team of staffers. Currently, John serves as a Development Consultant with Breakthrough Miami.

We proudly honor the founding leaders of the program and the Advisory Board members for their tremendous work on behalf of children and families. It is their vision and voice that have brought about unparallel success.

In particular, we want to recognize Mr. Flickinger, for his long-standing leadership and for his continued service to this community.