Rayna

When Rayna arrived at Breakthrough, she wondered what she had gotten herself into -- sacrificing summers for classes. But, immediately she knew she had made the right decision. "Breakthrough made me realize it's ok to be a nerd. Being surrounded by people who were excited about learning made me more comfortable with my enthusiasm for school."

Rayna enrolled in Breakthrough in 1997, earned admission to Central High in 1999, and finished Kutztown University in 2007 as a dean's list student and first-generation college graduate. Rayna says Breakthrough prepared her for success by teaching personal responsibility and invaluable academic skills. And, "besides the scholarly benefits, my friends and I made memories that we still laugh about today."

Rayna now works at Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, volunteers at her church, and hopes to bring the Girl Scouts to her neighborhood. In the future, she plans to earn her master's degree in education and found a program for girls in the foster care system.