2021 COMBAT Mid-Year Funding: $54,886.00

in Operation Breakthrough's Own Words

The Opportunity Internship program provides hands-on learning experiences in STEM, a powerful springboard for high school students who live in economically depressed, often violent neighborhoods helping prepare them for post-high school job training programs, entrepreneurial ventures or college admission. The program provides important opportunities for the students to serve as positive role models for rising adolescents, helping strengthen relationships, supporting social emotional competence, and building resilience.

Daily access to a place where it is “cool” to be smart and future-focused will be a strong influence on teens who are enmeshed in schools and neighborhoods where drug use, crime and teen pregnancy are common. Additionally, high-quality out-of-school programs can lead to improved school attendance, behavior and course work.  It will allow students to simultaneously build strong industry-recognized skills and work ethics, fostering the creativity and confidence they need to be successful at school and to become agents of change in their personal lives and in our community.

The program will be housed in a newly renovated muffler shop at 3034 Troost, which hosts vibrant, flexible bays where students can experience real-world learning in co-working, multimedia production, makerspace, tech, digital/electronics, culinary arts, additive manufacturing, automotive/engineering and other emerging STEM priorities.

Additional new construction includes 2,250 square feet of complementary metal buildings to house fiber arts, fabrication additive manufacturing and green tech.

A free-standing food truck will have access to Operation Breakthrough’s fully-equipped, health-approved industrial kitchen.

Real-world learning alongside community and industry partners will allow students to engage in work that builds industry-recognized skills and experiences including client work, internships, entrepreneurship opportunities and extended learning opportunities to better prepare them for career and life success.

To date, community partners include Gould-Evans, Microsoft, Garmin, Burns & McDonnell, Black & Veatch, PCs for People, NetStandard, KC STEM Alliance, Green Works, JE Dunn Construction Company, Midwest Research Institute, MINDDRIVE, Cargill,  Honeywell, 3DHQ, UMKC, WeCodeKC, inventXYZ, and many others.   

During the summer, Opportunity Interns will serve as group leaders in the Lead4Change student leadership program for Operation Breakthrough students in fifth through eighth grade. Students will research community problems and work together to offer solutions.