Capital Metro is proud to be a sponsor of the 2007 Breakthrough summer program for students on the path to becoming first-generation college students. This year Capital Metro donated 300 monthly student passes to the academic program held at the University of Texas campus June 18 through July 28. The passes allow the students to travel to and from the campus without having to rely on their parents for transportation. Capital Metro employees also attend the Breakthrough orientation to inform students and their parents about general riding rules, safety tips and trip planning.

This is the fourth year Capital Metro has been involved with Breakthrough and has contributed more than $3,000 in bus passes. The program admits students as 6th graders and makes a 6-year commitment to helping them graduate from high school and enter college. Breakthrough admitted its first class in 2002, and currently serves more than 250 students in grades 7 through 12.

The Austin organization is a leader in the national collaborative as the first site to pilot six years of year-round programming aimed at college entrance and the first to develop processes to replicate results in other locations.

Breakthrough is a non-profit organization founded in partnership with Applied Materials in 2002.

“Capital Metro strives to play an integral role in the community we serve. In doing so, we are proud to provide transportation options to the students involved in this wonderful program,” said Fred Gilliam, Capital Metro president/CEO.

“Capital Metro’s generous donation of bus passes and expertise, ranging from scheduling our students to reassuring concerned parents, makes for a smooth start to our Middle School Summer program every year. Without this support, Breakthrough’s wide range of services would not be possible for our low-income, high-potential students who are working to become first generation college graduates,” said Yia Hang, Breakthrough director of operations