Staff Spotlight: David Tarula

“College wasn’t a part of my vocabulary growing up. In my family, getting a job was valued over going to college.” explains David Tarula, Breakthrough Silicon Valley Middle School Program Coordinator. In middle school, he was often teased by friends and family for earning good grades. David felt a constant pressure to be like his friends, who skipped class and got into fights. His desire to hold onto his childhood friendships led him to quickly disengage with school. His love of learning was overpowered by the social pressures he felt.

Elementary school picture of David.

The summer before 10^th grade, David moved to a new city and with that he was presented with a clean slate. David took that opportunity to make better choices both academically and socially. For the first time in his life, he thoughtfully chose who he surrounded himself with. As he invested more and more time on academics, he faced increased resistance from his parents, who needed his help in supporting the family financially. David compromised with his parents by taking on part time jobs after school.

Senior year came quickly. David submitted many college applications and scholarships but didn’t believe he would actually attend college. One day in Civics class, his teacher asked David where he was going to college. David replied that he was not planning on going to college. The teacher did not accept that answer. He responded, “College is not an option. I want to know where you are going.” That was the turning point in David’s life. 

David with his former Math Class.

After the last minute decision to go to college, David enrolled at CSU Bakersfield with scholarships and FAFSA helping him pay tuition. Throughout his four years at CSU Bakersfield, David managed to juggle a full time job along with attending school full-time and taking on leadership roles in on-campus organizations. His path to and through college was far from easy but it is a path that many students tread.

His experience as a student inspired him to pursue a career in education. Just like his Civics teachers, he wants to ensure that academically motivated students, like those he works with in Breakthrough, achieve their collegiate and career dreams. 

Get to know David in this quick Q&A:

How did you first learn about Breakthrough?
I first learned about Breakthrough from my college advisor, who told me about the Teaching Fellowship. I was a Breakthrough Teacher in the summer of 2009!

 David assisting a student during the After-School Math Program.

What would you be doing if you weren't at your current job?
If I wasn’t the Middle School Program Coordinator, I’d still be in the classroom teaching math!

What is one word you would use to describe yourself as a child?
Dreamer

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?
Every moment of my life is nerdy. If I had to pick one, I would say arguing about time travel with my friends. 

What's a fear your proud to have overcome? 
The fear that I was proud to overcome was my fear of heights. I went full force when I faced it and jumped out of a plane. I’ve jumped out of a plane three times total. Anyone willing to go with me for a fourth time?

What did you want to be growing up?

David with Breakthrough colleague, Tina Brinceño 

Originally, I wanted to be a Power Ranger. The Blue Power Ranger to be exact. Since I didn't know Zordon or Alpha 5, I went to college thinking I wanted to be a lawyer but changed my mind when I was a Breakthrough Teaching Fellow. 

Have you ever met anybody famous? Where? When? 
I’ve met two famous people! I met Walter Emanuel Jones, who played Zach Taylor (aka the Black Power Ranger) in the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers". I was eight and geeked out. I also met Erik Estrada from the show "Chips." They were both in line at a movie theater in Burbank, CA.

What would a perfect day look like for you?
I’d be at the beach all day. I would start with a 5k, spend most of the day lounging around reading a book or doing math problems, and finish with dinner at a local restaurant that has live music.

When playing two truths and a lie, what are your two truths and a lie?
My two truths are usually: I live in Lamont, CA and I fostered a student who is now in the Army. I need to change that because I no longer live in Lamont! My lie is that I own a dog. I want a dog, but don’t own one.

Name: Doodle | Artist: David Tarula

How often do you doodle? What do your doodles look like? 
I doodle when I’m working on a project and I’m stuck. They are usually faces or geometric figures.

 

To learn more about David and other members of our staff, please visit our website!

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Staff Spotlight: Christina Tran-Kenyon

Born and raised in East San Jose, Christina Tran-Kenyon was the first in her family to attend college. She is an alumna of University of the Pacific where she earned both her Bachelor of Science in Business,and Masters in Education. Like many Breakthrough students, language and cultural barriers often posed a threat to her academic pursuits. Her native tongue of Vietnamese, which would often pose a hurdle in her literature and writing classes, is now an asset to her as she builds relationships with our Vietnamese speaking families in the very same neighborhood she grew up in. Her parents made countless sacrifices to ensure that Christina was able to earn the college degree and pave the way for her three younger sisters.

Get to know Christina, or as the Breakthrough staff affectionately calls her CTK, in this quick Q&A:

What is your role at Breakthrough? How would you explain your work in three sentences to your eight-year-old cousin?

At Breakthrough, I work with middle school students and their families after-school, weekends and summers. My job is to organize programs, and make sure that all the students keep their grades up!

What do you like most about Breakthrough?

 Christina with her mother, sisters and husband

Breakthrough’s ability to create a rigorous academic environment combined with a very inclusive positive culture for our students.

What is your biggest piece of advice for Breakthrough students?

Asking for help is not a weakness, don’t be afraid to ask when you don’t know. Successful people are the ones who ask.

What would you like Breakthrough kids to know about you?

I come from a very big family, and they 

are really important to me.  I had 360 people at my wedding, and 300 of them were my family members.

What’s your favorite thing to do in your hometown of San Jose?

Eating authentic Vietnamese food! There are so many Vietnamese restaurants in San Jose, and I missed that when I was living in the East Bay.

What would you most regret not having done by the end of your life?

Being able to start my own family and raise my own kids.     

What excited you so much that it kept you awake the night before?

The night before the first day of school when I was a student or teacher always kept me up.

To learn more about Christina and other members of our staff, please visit our website!

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First-Generation College Applicant Opens Up about the Grueling Process

Applying to college can be overwhelming for any student. But it’s especially intimidating for an applicant who is the first in his or her family to attend a four-year university. Decisions about where and how to apply, and college affordability issues pose hurdles for first-generation college students. At Breakthrough Silicon Valley, we make the college application process less daunting for students.

We recently sat down with Breakthrough senior, Heriberto Alcantar, who shared his experience of being the first in his family to apply to college.

Breakthrough Silicon Valley: How long have you been preparing to apply to college?

Heriberto Alcantar: Now that I’m about to submit my applications, I realize I’ve been preparing for this moment since middle school. The application check list is long. Colleges look at all of the classes that you took; the grades in those classes; what you did after-school, on the weekends and in the summer; your ACT scores; letters from teachers, coaches, advisors. All of that does not come together in just one year. By the time some kids think about college, it is too late. They might not have taken two years of a lab science or two years of a foreign language. Luckily, since I was eleven, Breakthrough was making sure that I was in the right classes, monitoring my grades, matching me with tutors when my grades dipped, organizing the ACT Prep and Personal Writing Sessions and helping me figure out next steps – like which colleges to apply to!

BSV: It is great to hear that we kept our end of the bargain! So, which schools are you applying to?

HA: I’m applying to Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU East Bay, CSU Monterey Bay, Florida Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, UC Berkeley, UC Merced, UC Riverside and UCLA.

BSV: That is some list! How did you decide on those colleges?

HA: It has been a long process that started the first time Breakthrough took us on a Career Exploration Field Trip to a local tech company where I met a computer engineer. Of course, I heard of computer engineers but, before that trip, I had never met one. The work he was doing was fascinating to me. Since then, I wanted to be a computer engineer. I started my college search by looking at schools with engineering programs. Then, I started to consider fit. Last spring, Breakthrough took us on a college tour of schools in Southern California. Before that trip, I was convinced that I wanted a small school. I’m shy and didn’t think I would fit in at a big school. But, on the trip, we visited one small school and it felt too small. There weren’t a lot of people walking around and nobody seemed to be hanging out on the quad or in the library. I realized that I needed a school with more life because even though I’m shy, I need people around me and opportunities to meet new people. I probably would not be applying to UCLA if I did not visit the campus.

BSV: Has cost been a concern when applying to and deciding where to attend college?

HA: Definitely! I’m still learning what type of financial aid is out there. I am fearful that my grades are not high enough for merit based aid and scholarships. At least I’m not alone in figuring all of this out.  We started learning about saving and budgeting for college and the difference between loans, grants and scholarships at Breakthrough last year. This year, they will walk us through FAFSA and go over the financial aid packages and all of that with me and my family.

BSV: Besides money, what has been the most stressful part of the college application process so far?

HA: Writing personal statements is stressful. A lot of effort is required to write a strong statement. The first time I saw the prompts, I didn’t know how to start. I felt like I had to unpack my life and fit it into 1000 words. I reflected on pieces of my life that most people try to ignore. It is scary to then share that with someone I do not know.

BSV: You have devoted countless hours of time to preparing and applying to college. What motivates you to do all of that?

HA: Biggest motivator: my parents. My mom and dad were unable to finish high school and I have seen how they have struggled to raise me and my two sisters. I want to lift the burdens that my parents have shouldered alone all of these years. My hope is that a college degree can lead me and my family towards stability, towards a life without fear of the future. By being the first in my family to go to college, I will pave the way for my younger sisters. More than an example, I want to be a resource. In the same way that I go to Breakthrough with questions, I want my sisters to feel confident coming to me about anything - APs, entrance exams, fee waivers, loans, and whatever else we should know when applying to college!

BSV: Any crucial advice for fellow first-gen students applying to college?

HA: The most important advice that I can share is to never give up on a dream. Over the years, I have heard, “college may not be the best option for you,” “you will not make it to college,” and “you are not college material.” But, for all of those that have tried to shut me down, there have been even more that have raised me up. Those are the people that I have kept in my corner. Those are people that are going to be with me when I walk across the stage at college graduation. 

If you are interested in learning more about how Breakthrough Silicon Valley assists high school students through the college application process, and becoming a part of our life-changing programs, visit our website today! 

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