SANTA FE — Breakthrough Santa Fe, in partnership with The Education Trust Board of New Mexico, recently awarded 23 high school students in the Santa Fe area with $1,000 in funding for new 529 College Savings Plans, tax-advantaged savings accounts that help students and families prepare for the future costs of education. 

Awarded during a College Savings Kickoff Night event in November with students and their families, the 23 students who received accounts are all participants in Breakthrough Santa Fe, a six-year college access program serving motivated students beginning in middle school — most of whom will be the first in their families to attend college. 

Founded in 2004 and hosted by Santa Fe Preparatory School, Breakthrough Santa Fe provides academic enrichment, mentoring, and individualized guidance throughout students’ middle and high school years. 

In addition to bringing students and families closer to realizing college aspirations, the 529 College Savings Plan initiative serves as both a financial literacy tool and a goal-oriented motivator as students progress through the college-preparatory phase of the program. 

“It is incredibly rewarding to provide students with a tangible account that is directly tied to their college goals,” said Dieu Ho, Executive Director of Breakthrough Santa Fe. “Financing a college education is a real and often complex challenge, involving scholarships, financial aid, and personal contributions. These 529 plans help our students and families engage with that reality early and with confidence.” 

The 529 College Savings Plans also play a critical role in Breakthrough Santa Fe’s broader college counseling efforts. Alongside individualized academic advising and financial aid support throughout high school, the plans allow families to begin conversations about college affordability well before senior year. 

“Providing each ninth-grade student with a 529 plan allows us to start talking about saving for college much earlier,” Ho added. “By the time students reach twelfth grade and begin financial aid applications, they are not starting from scratch. It allows families to approach college planning from a place of hope and excitement rather than uncertainty.” 

Deborah Vigil, mother of freshman Kait Vigil, shared her enthusiasm: "Breakthrough's help in opening 529 savings accounts has had the greatest impact on Kaitlyn's college plans. Saving for my daughter's college education has finally become a reality and less of a worry. It's the easiest step I've taken towards investing in her future and I am forever grateful for the chance to make her college dreams come true." 

Breakthrough Santa Fe’s 529 program is supported by an anonymous gift made in 2023, funding both student scholarships and college savings plan awards with the goal of expanding college access and success for Breakthrough students. Over the past three years, the program has funded 90 college savings accounts. The initiative aligns with Breakthrough Santa Fe’s organizational goal of enrolling every program participant in college and combines high-touch academic programming with increased family engagement around financial planning.

The Education Plan of New Mexico is one of two state-sponsored, tax-advantaged 529 education savings plans and has helped tens of thousands of New Mexicans save for future educational expenses. As college costs continue to rise, 529 plans offer families a powerful tool to reduce reliance on student loans. Research shows that students with even modest college savings—$500 or less — are significantly more likely to graduate from high school and enroll in college. To learn more, visit theeducationplan.com. 

Media Contacts 

Dieu Ho 
Executive Director, Breakthrough Santa Fe 
dho@sfprep.org 

Oscar Loya 
Student Support Coordinator, Breakthrough Santa Fe 
oloya@sfprep.org 

Natalie Cordova 
Executive Director, Education Trust Board 
Natalie.Cordova@etb.nm.gov 

Jeff Turcotte 
Director of Outreach, Education Trust Board 
jeff.turcotte@etb.nm.gov 

About Breakthrough Santa Fe 

Breakthrough Santa Fe is a six-year college access program that supports motivated students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds on their path to college and beyond. Founded in 2004 and hosted by Santa Fe Preparatory School, Breakthrough Santa Fe partners with students and families beginning in seventh grade and provides academic enrichment, mentoring, individualized advising, and college preparation through high school graduation. The program’s mission is to increase educational opportunity and ensure that every Breakthrough student enrolls in college with the academic, financial, and personal tools needed to succeed. 

Breakthrough Santa Fe is part of the Breakthrough Collaborative, a national network of 25 affiliates united by a shared commitment to educational equity and pathways into the teaching profession. Learn more at breakthroughsantafe.org. 

About The Education Plan of New Mexico 

The Education Plan® is one of New Mexico’s official, state-sponsored 529 education savings plans, administered by the New Mexico Education Trust Board. The Education Plan helps individuals and families save for future education expenses — including college, graduate school, and career training — through flexible, tax-advantaged savings options. With low fees, broad investment choices, and potential New Mexico state tax benefits, The Education Plan has helped tens of thousands of New Mexicans invest in educational opportunities and reduce reliance on student loans.