Breakthrough New York Raises $765,000 at Fifth Annual Gala

Breakthrough New York celebrated 18 years of helping students succeed and creating ripples of change in families and communities at its fifth annual Gala on Tuesday, May 16. The evening's honorees were: Gerald Cooper, Partner at Campbell Lutyens, and Lester J. Owens, Managing Director at J.P. Morgan. Spectrum News NY1 Anchor Cheryl Wills emceed the event.

More than 420 people attended the Gala, which was held at 583 Park Avenue in Manhattan and featured a lively trivia competition, "Are You Smarter Than a Breakthrough New York Student?", where adults were pitted against the young scholars. In the end, a student won the competition.

"Tonight, we are here to create ripples of change for our kids and all of the generations after them," said Breakthrough New York Executive Director Rhea Wong. "They are bright, hungry, ambitious and ready to make waves in this world. The source starts here with you."

Board Chair Bonnie Litt, describing how the nonprofit has grown over the last 18 years (to now serve more than 500 students as of this summer), added, "As we've expanded our reach we've continued to be a game-changer for our kids - altering the course of their lives and those of their families and their communities."

Mary Gay Townsend and Niraj Shah co-chaired the event, which raised $765,000, and celebrated the work of two individuals who have shown a commitment and enthusiasm to support student success.

Honoree Gerald Cooper is a Partner at Campbell Lutyens, a global private equity advisory firm. Prior to his current role, he was a Managing Director with UBS Investment Bank and Co-Chair of the bank's multi-cultural initiative. He has actively served as a mentor to young people of color either working on Wall Street or seeking a career in finance. He believes academic focus and mentorship at an early age are critical building blocks for success.

"The trajectory of our young people and those around them has been transformed by the exposure, the training, and the sponsorship that Breakthrough provides to them," Mr. Cooper said. "I am simply astounded by what you do, by how you are creating a generation of compassionate, hardworking, and inspirational young men and women."

Honoree Lester J. Owens is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan, and is responsible for Wholesale Banking Operations and Client Onboarding across 50+ locations for the Corporate & Investment Bank. His philanthropic work focuses on health and education. Lester serves as a Board Member of RWJ Barnabas Health and as a Member of the Brooklyn Diocese Advisory Board Futures in Education Foundation. He is also a Board Member of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC).

"When I had the chance to see the Breakthrough program up close, the students I met were incredible; their confidence, their diversity, their sense of camaraderie, and most importantly, their understanding of the value of education, really impressed me," Mr. Owens said. "By dedicating their time after school and during the summer to their education, it's clear these students see the big picture in life."

During the event, attendees witnessed - in this video - how Breakthrough New York is changing lives through the story of David Silva, who is graduating high school this year and headed to Babson College to study Business Management this fall.

The evening's emcee was Cheryl Wills, a veteran anchor for Spectrum News NY1. She joined the broadcasting company in 1992, recently celebrating her 25thanniversary with the station. Cheryl is the author of Die Free: A Heroic Family Tale, an acclaimed biography about her great-great-great grandfather Sandy Wills' extraordinary transformation from a Tennessee slave into a courageous Civil War Soldier, and The Emancipation of Grandpa Sandy Wills, an illustrated children's version of her biography.

"It's important for our younger generations to understand how history has shaped their lives, so that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past and so we can learn how our ancestors worked for a greater good," Ms. Wills said. "And that is what Breakthrough New York endeavors to do - to change the landscape of poverty, to turn obstacles into opportunities, and to turn despair into dreams."

Breakthrough New York transforms the lives of talented kids from low-income backgrounds by providing educational support from middle school through college and into careers. We also inspire talented young people to enter careers in education through our students-teaching-students model. Our goal is to create leaders who break the cycle of poverty in their families and affect positive change in their communities. Learn more at www.btny.org. Follow us on social media: Facebook - Instagram - Twitter @BreakthroughNY.