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BTNOLA Student Application 2025-2026

Application Deadline: Monday, February 23rd, 2026

Thank you for your interest in Breakthrough! Students and parents should carefully read all of the information below. Breakthrough New Orleans is a tuition-free, multi-year academic enrichment program for highly motivated middle school students with limited educational opportunities. This program seeks to prepare students for challenging, college-preparatory high schools and college. We are committed to selecting a class of students representative of their communities.

Selection Timeline for Summer 2026:

Online Application Due Date: Monday, February 23rd, 2026
Applications Reviewed by Breakthrough Staff: Late February - Early March
Interviews: Mid-March (TBA)
Decision Letters Mailed: Late March - Early April (TBA)
Mandatory Pre-Summer Orientation and Open House: Late May - Early June (TBA) Isidore Newman School - Henson Auditorium - 5333 Danneel Street
Summer Academy Dates: Monday, June 8th - Friday, July 17th, 2026
Fourth of July Holiday (Program Closed): Monday, June 29th - Friday, July 3rd, 2026
End-of-the-Summer Celebration: Friday, July 17th, 2026
2026-27 School Year Program: Dates to be announced. Traditionally, late-September to mid-November and mid-January to mid-April.

Breakthrough Site Information:

Isidore Newman School

1903 Jefferson Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115

Email: breakthroughnola@newmanschool.org

Phone: 504-896-6393

Student Section: We are interested in getting to know each student who applies to Breakthrough so this section should ONLY BE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENT. If you have any questions as you complete this portion of the application, please reach out to an adult.

Student Contact Information

First Name:

Middle Name:

Last Name:

Preferred Name/Nickname:

Pronouns:

Email Address:

Home Phone:

Cell Phone:

Gender:

Gender Specify:

Birth Date:

Birth Country:

Home Address Street:

Home Address City:

Home Address State:

Home Address Zip Code:

Student Language(s)

What language do you speak most of the time, at home?

Do you speak any other language(s) at home?

What is the second most common language you speak at home?

Are there any other language(s) you speak at home?

Select any other language(s) you speak at home:

Arabic	Bengali	Cantonese/Yue	Creole
English	French	German	Hindi
Hmong	Italian	Japanese	Javanese
Karen	Korean	Malay	Mandarin/Chinese
Marathi	Portuguese	Punjabi	Russian
Spanish	Tamil	Telugu	Turkish
Urdu	Vietnamese	Wu	Language Not Listed

School Information

Your School's Name:

Current Grade:

How difficult is your current school work?

Teacher or Other Recommenders

Breakthrough requires two recommendations as part of the application process. Please list the teachers who will provide your recommendations. Typically students ask for reommendations from the English/Language Arts and Math Teachers. Your parent / guardian will be asked to provide their email addresses in the parent section of the application.

Recommender 1:

Please provide the teacher's full name.

Recommender 2:

Please provide the teacher's full name.

Breakthrough History

Historia de Breakthrough

How did you hear about Breakthrough?

Breakthrough presentationBreakthrough staff memberFamily connectionTeacherBreakthrough studentOtherIf more than one, choose the option that was most influential in applying for Breakthrough.

Other - please explain:

Please provide details on how you heard about Breakthrough:

Names of family members, teachers, etc.

Affiliate Instruction

For all short answer and essay questions you need to populate the question(s) below AND in the Connector in order for the record in Salesforce to show the question they are answering. These instructions are for your use and will be hidden from applicants.

Short Answer Questions: Please answer all of the questions below using at least 5 complete sentences. We want to see your best work! You may copy/paste from a Word document if you like.

1. Describe your perfect summer day. This can be in the form of a written paragraph, poem, or drawing. Feel free to be creative!

Student Short Response Answer #1

Your answer is required in order to submit.

2. If you weren't doing Breakthrough, what would you be doing this summer? Extracurriculars? Sports? Traveling? Be specific!

Student Short Response Answer #2

Your answer is required in order to submit.

3. What does being a leader mean to you? Describe a time when you were a leader.

Student Short Response Answer #3

Your answer is required in order to submit.

Essay: Please answer the questions below using 250 words or less. A helpful format to use is a three paragraph essay (introduction paragraph, body paragraph, and closing paragraph). Each paragraph should contain at least 5 complete sentences. We want to see your best work! You may copy/paste from a Word document if you like.

1. Breakthrough is a long-term commitment. Breakthrough New Orleans (BTNOLA) is an academic program that requires a commitment starting the summer before 6th grade all the way through 9th grade. We expect our students to participate fully in all summer and school year programs throughout their middle and high school years. Breakthrough New Orleans expects 100% of it's students to graduate from high school and enter either a college, university, or other post-secondary educational opportunity. By applying, you are showing that you understand BTNOLA's expectations for both its students and their families. Knowing this, why do you want to be apart of BTNOLA? Why do you feel ready for this commitment? What do you hope to gain from this experience?

Student Essay Answer #1

Your answer is required in order to submit.

Family Section: This section of the application should ONLY BE COMPLETED BY A PARENT / GUARDIAN.

Parent / Guardian Information

First Name:

Last Name:

Pronouns:

Gender:

Gender Specify:

Birth Country:

My address is the same as the student:

Home Address Street:

Home Address City:

Home Address State:

Home Address Zip Code:

Email Address:

Home Phone:

Cell Phone:

Work Phone:

Preferred means of contact:

Employment History

Historial de empleo

Employment status:

Employer name:

Education History

Historia de la Educación

Does your student qualify as a first-generation college student (i.e. Neither parent has a 4-year degree from the US)?

A first-generation student means BOTH parents did not complete a 4-year college or university degree (or higher). If a degree was obtained from a country other than the United States, a student qualifies as a first-generation student.

Highest level of education completed:

Country of Bachelor's degree

Home Language(s)

Idioma(s) del Hogar

What language do you primarily speak at home?

Is there a secondary language you speak at home?

What secondary language do you speak at home?

Are there any other language(s) you speak at home?

What additional language(s) do you speak at home? Select all that apply.

Arabic	Bengali	Cantonese/Yue	Creole
English	French	German	Hindi
Hmong	Italian	Japanese	Javanese
Korean	Malay	Mandarin/Chinese	Marathi
Portuguese	Punjabi	Russian	Spanish
Tamil	Telugu	Turkish	Urdu
Vietnamese	Wu	Language Not Listed

How comfortable are you with English?

Would you need documents and communication to be translated for you?

Relationship Details

Detalles de la Relación

Please explain any additional things to know about the student's family or family structure below:

Is the student being raised in a single parent household?

What is your relationship to the student?

Do you have a spouse or partner who lives in the same household as you and your student?

What is your spouse/partner's relationship to the student?

Is there any other adult(s) involved in the student's upbringing or living in your home that we should be in contact with?

Please provide details on other adult(s):

Ex: Name, relationship, contact information, etc.

How much of the time does your student live with you?

Does the student receive additional financial support from another parent or guardian?

Where does the student live when not living with you?

Please explain any additional things to know about the student's family or family structure below:

I would like to enter information for a second Parent/Guardian:

Parent / Guardian #2 Contact Information

Información de Contacto del Otro Padre/ Tutor

Does Parent/Guardian #2 live in the same household as Parent/Guardian #1?

I am only comfortable providing basic contact information on behalf of 'Parent / Guardian #2'.

First Name:

Last Name:

Pronouns:

Gender:

Gender Specify:

Birth Country:

Home Address Street:

Home Address City:

Home Address State:

Home Address Zip Code:

Home Phone:

Relationship Details

Detalles de la Relación

What is their relationship to the student?

How much of the time does the student live with them?

Cell Phone:

Work Phone:

Email Address:

Preferred means of contact:

Employment History

Historial de Empleo

Employment status:

Employer name:

Education History

Historia de la Educación (Education History)

Their highest level of education completed:

Country of Bachelor's degree

Home Language(s)

Idioma(s) del Hogar

What language is primarily spoken in their home?

Is there a secondary language spoken at their home?

What secondary language do they speak at their home?

Are there any other language(s) they speak at home?

What additional language(s) do they speak at home? Select all that apply.

Arabic	Bengali	Cantonese/Yue	Creole
English	French	German	Hindi
Hmong	Italian	Japanese	Javanese
Karen	Korean	Malay	Mandarin/Chinese
Marathi	Portuguese	Punjabi	Russian
Spanish	Tamil	Telugu	Turkish
Urdu	Vietnamese	Wu	Language Not Listed

How comfortable are they with English?

Would they need documents and communication to be translated?

Family Section: This section of the application should ONLY BE COMPLETED BY A PARENT / GUARDIAN. Breakthrough will review all information carefully, confidentially, and holistically.

Family History

Historia de Familia

Is your monthly income fixed or flexible?

Which of the following best describes your household's total income last year before taxes?

How many people living in your household are under the age of 18?

How many people in your household are 18 years of age or older?

Has anything happened in the last year that has impacted your current financial situation?

Family Section: This section of the application should ONLY BE COMPLETED BY A PARENT / GUARDIAN. Breakthrough will review all information carefully, confidentially, and holistically.

Student Background

Antecedentes del Estudiante

Does your student qualify for Free or Reduced Price Lunch?

If you are unsure if your student qualifies, visit this website to calculate free or reduced price lunch status: https://reports.educateiowa.gov/ICAVES/Home/Calculator (copy and paste into a new browser).

Is your student Hispanic or Latinx?

Which of the following choices describe your student's race? Select all that apply.

Alaska Native American IndianAsian or Asian AmericanBlack or African AmericanMiddle Eastern or North AfricanMultiracialNative HawaiianPacific IslanderWhite Other Race, not listedDecline to State

Please specify student's country/ies of origin:

Hold down the Ctrl button to choose more than one.

Please list or describe any other communities your student identifies with:

Can be specific ethnicity (ie. Hmong, Chinese, Nigerian, etc.), religious affiliation (ie. Muslim, Jewish, Jain, etc.), identity (ie. ability, LGBTQIA, etc.) or any other community your student identifies with.

How will your student get to/from Breakthrough?

Does your student currently participate in any other programs or activities?

Examples: Sports, Avid, Boys and Girls Club, Religious Activities, etc.

Please describe your student's other commitment(s). How many hours per week does your student dedicate to each activity and how flexible are these commitments?

Do you foresee any conflicts with the dates of the program?

Please explain conflicts/concerns:

Family Section: This section of the application should ONLY BE COMPLETED BY A PARENT / GUARDIAN. Breakthrough will review all information carefully, confidentially, and holistically.

Affiliate Instruction

For all short answer and/or essay questions you need to populate the question(s) below AND in the Connector in order for the record in Salesforce to show the question they are answering. These instructions are for your use and will be hidden from applicants.

Short Answer Questions: Help us get to know your student by responding to the questions below. You may copy/paste from a Word document if you like. Preguntas de Respuesta Corta: Ayudenos a conocer a su estudiante respondiendo a las preguntas a continuación. Por favor escriba al menos dos oraciones completas.

1. Why would you like your student to be apart of Breakthrough?

Parent Short Response Answer #1

Your answer is required in order to submit.

2. Please describe your student's strengths, talents, and academic abilities.

Parent Short Response Answer #2

Your answer is required in order to submit.

3. What goals do you have for your student? How do you see Breakthrough fitting into your student's future?

Parent Short Response Answer #3

Your answer is required in order to submit.

4. Breakthrough is a rigorous multi-year academic commitment. Describe your level of involvement with your child's current school. Do you keep in regular contact with your child's teachers? Are you a member of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA/PTO)? Do you volunteer at your child's school or serve as a classroom helper or room parent? If yes to any of the above, please explain.

Parent Short Response Answer #4

Your answer is required in order to submit.

Student School Information

Name of student's current school:

Will the student be attending the same school next year?

Student's new school name:

Student School Information

Información de la escuela del estudiante

Recommendation Information: Breakthrough requires two recommendations as part of the application process. Your student has already provided names, please provide the email address and we will contact these recommenders directly via email.

Recommender 1

Recomendante 1

1. Recommender's Name:

If this name is incorrect or mispelled, please correct under the student section on page 3 of this form.

1a. Recommender's Email:

1b. Recommender's Phone Number:

Recommender 2

Recomendante 2

2. Recommender's Name:

If this name is incorrect or mispelled, please correct under the student section on page 3 of this form.

2a. Recommender's Email:

2b. Recommender's Phone Number:

Most recent 5th Grade Report Card

Breakthrough Expectations

Expectativas de Breakthrough

By checking the box below, you are acknowledging that you understand the expectations Breakthrough has for its students and families accepted into its program.

Al marcar la casilla a continuación, usted reconoce que comprende las expectativas que Breakthrough tiene para sus estudiantes y familias aceptadas en su programa.

Yes/Si

Affiliate Application Record Type ID

This must have a "Default Value" populated with the Application Record Type ID for each affiliate as part of launch. This is found in Setup>Object Manager>Application>Record Types>Application>then get the ID from URL. Connector won't work until this is done.

It may take up to 1 minute for the application to process before you see the confirmation screen. Please do not hit submit a second time. Thank you for your patience!

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