SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — School’s back in session. While students are just settling in, some parents may already be thinking about how to keep grades from slipping.
Not every family can afford a private tutor. That was the case for high school senior Kaitlyn Wynne.
"My family was a little bit tight on money at the time," Kaitlyn says.
Tutoring in California can cost anywhere from $25 to more than $200 an hour.
At the same time, national test data shows California students are still struggling to get back to pre-pandemic levels in math and reading.
And for many students like Kaitlyn, asking for help isn’t easy.
“I was actually also very scared of reaching out," Kaitlyn says. "I felt maybe embarrassed to ask for help and showing that like humble side of myself.”
But once she did, things changed, and she started excelling in classes like math.
"Math is one of my biggest passions," Kaitlyn says. "But I think my career goals are more in the healthcare field like taking care of others,”
And she’s already doing that, by volunteering three hours a week to tutor younger students in Match and English, through the free online platform Connect Me.
Kaitlyn explains how she goes about tutoring younger students; "I try to focus on finding each student's strengths and challenges, then I sort of tailor my approach to fit their needs," she says.
Connect Me launched during the pandemic and has already held more than 35,000 sessions, across 39 states and 12 countries.
But it’s not just the students being tutored who benefit.
"College apps really look for people with passion. Connect Me and tutoring, helping others, is really truly one of my passions," Kaitlyn says.
She hopes that passion will one day take her to UCLA or UCI.
If you’d like free tutoring support or want to volunteer click here.
