The SSES/Breakthrough partnership allows our Upper School students to act as mentors to 7th and 8th Grade students who are part of Breakthrough Austin. Breakthrough is a program for students who are aspiring to be the first generation in their family to go to college. The mentors and mentees come to SSES on three Saturdays in the fall and three days in the spring to work on a project together.

An addition to the program this year is the Spartan Runner Initiative. The Spartan Runners have outfitted each Breakthrough student with running gear and have created an aerobic fitness module for the Breakthrough program.

Hillside Natural Area

This fall, the SSES/Breakthrough program undertook an ecological restoration project on the hillside immediately behind Gunn Hall. The product of their work is now known as "The Hillside Natural Area." The students learned about invasive species and the ecological problems they cause, visited an ecologically restored preserve, learned about working together in teams, removed invasive plants behind Gunn Hall, planned and designed the restoration project, planted 170 seedlings and created paths and sitting areas in the Natural Area. The last Saturday occurred November 7 and involved 40 SSES mentors, 60 Breakthrough students and 25 Breakthrough families that came to see the project.

When you have a chance, please wander through the space and let us know what you think!

Special thanks to the nurseries who donated plants: The Wildflower Center, Shoal Creek Nursery and Texas Native Nursery.

Debbie Van Ryn and Roberto Ainslie