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Barrier Breakers, Inc.

Your Impact at Work: Meet Adrian

Published about 2 months ago • 2 min read

Dear Reader,

As we continue our Giving Tuesday campaign, I want to share a story that captures the real impact of your generosity and the difference it makes for first-generation students navigating the college process without a roadmap.

Meet Adrian, a senior from a military family whose father and brother have served in the U.S. Army. Growing up in an Army town where friends came and went every few years, Adrian learned early what it means to adapt, persevere, and lead with strength and empathy. But when it came to college, even with all that leadership experience, he still felt lost on where to begin.

Here’s how he reflects on his experience:

“This Thanksgiving, I am extremely blessed and thankful to have received free college help through Barrier Breakers. Without Sydney and her team, I would’ve been lost. I wouldn’t have known what colleges to apply to, how to apply, what essays to write, how to write them, or overall what to do. Sydney has been a huge help to me, guiding me through every step.”​
— Adrian, Barrier Breakers Scholar

Your support changed that.

This fall, Adrian received free college application guidance through our scholarship program. With personalized coaching, dedicated essay support, and step-by-step guidance, he found clarity and confidence—and began to fully see the possibilities ahead of him.

🎥 Watch Adrian share his story (1 minute)

video preview​

Because of you, Adrian has now submitted applications to Texas A&M, North Carolina State University, Campbell University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and East Carolina University, and he is confidently pursuing his dream of attending college and participating in ROTC where he hopes to continue leading through service, integrity, and community.

His journey reflects what happens when students are given access to support and someone who believes in them.

Your generosity gives students like Adrian:

  • individualized college guidance
  • mentorship and emotional support
  • essay coaching and application strategy
  • the confidence to dream bigger and step into their future

Without supporters like you, many first-generation and military-connected students would face this process alone—often giving up not because they lack potential, but because they lack access.

This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to help more students like Adrian.

Your gift today ensures that students across the country receive the guidance, community, and resources they need to pursue higher education with confidence.

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Every contribution changes a life:
💜 $2,400 sponsors a student from 11th grade through college graduation
💜 $1,000 sponsors one year of college counseling support
💜 $100 provides a year of wellness check-ins for a college student

Thank you for helping students discover their strengths, build their futures, and step into college with hope and purpose.

This movement needs all of us

Students have the talent.
Students have the determination.
​What they need is community.

Will you stand with us to make higher education guidance a right—not a privilege?

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P.S. Want to see what your impact makes possible?​
📽 Watch how your donations enable us to help scholars at HomeWorks Trenton thrive with a 100% college acceptance rate:

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video preview​

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💛 Make your gift today and be part of the story:​
👉🏽 https://givebutter.com/firstgen​

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600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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Barrier Breakers, Inc.

Increasing access to higher education for first-generation and marginalized students

Barrier Breakers®, Inc. has supported 7,000+ students on the college and law school application journey. In addition to sliding scale services based on income, we partner with non-profit organizations and institutions to provide service pro bono services to high-need students. Learn more about our work and how you can continue to support access to higher education for everyone!

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