San Juan Hills High Counselor to Head St. Margaret's Program

A changing of the guard at a program designed to help low-income, middle-school students aim for college has a counselor moving to a popular, local private school.

Jesus Montoya is finishing his second year as an academic counselor at San Juan Hills. This summer, he will work side-by-side Diosa Adams, the founding director of ’s Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano program. With Adams set to leave in August, the partnership will serve as a transition of leadership for the program.

Launched in 2006 with just 22 students, Breakthrough offers a year-round, tuition-free, education program for low-income students at . The program has since expanded to nearly 60 students, and Montoya can’t wait to get started.

“I’m fortunate to be walking into something specialized and focused in something I want to be doing,” he said.

Many of the students the program serves are the first in their families to consider college as an option, Montoya said. He hopes to guide them so they can meet that goal.

The first in his family to graduate from college—and then go on to get a master’s degree in school counseling from the University of Southern California—Montoya started with the in late 2004, when the district created a position that had him working with many of the same types of students targeted by the Breakthrough program. Breakthrough helps and students involved in AVID, a public-school program with a similar goal of helping students prepare for college.

St. Margaret’s announced the changes Friday. In a statement, Adams thanked the school community for supporting the program throughout the years. “I leave the program knowing you are all committed to its success."

Adams is leaving to pursue an advanced degree. She said she plans to eventually return to teaching.