FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — As students prepare to head back to school, parents are preparing for a school year that will look very different than in years past. Many parents are looking for ways to give their kids the best education possible during this period of virtual schooling.
Esha Pathi and Arnav Wadehra are both high school students in Fairfax County and are on the executive team of the non-profit GIVE Youth.
The student-led non-profit provides free tutoring to elementary and middle school students in northern Virginia at no cost. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the organization said calls from parents have spiked.
"Right when COVID-19 hit and FCPS declared that all schools will be shut down for the remainder of the year, I received an influx of emails from parents asking if we would move to a virtual format because they really needed this help and really see the value in the program," said Pathi.
GIVE Youth was founded in 2010 and is run by high school students. Every weekend, high school tutors are paired up with elementary and middle school students in Northern Virginia.
"I feel pretty comfortable with online learning but I know that’s not the case with a lot of younger students, and especially students that may not have access to technology at home," said Wadehra.
Across the country, parents are taking education into their own hands. Many parents are turning to expensive tutors or private learning pods for help. However, there are growing concerns this could lead to greater education inequalities both in and outside the classroom.
"We want to bridge that gap between students who have access to better resources and the kids that maybe don’t because I think they definitely deserve the same opportunities," said Wadehra.
GIVE Youth is helping to fill the gap by providing free tutoring to families who might otherwise be unable to afford it.
"We want to specifically help these underprivileged students who cannot afford expensive services because it creates an equal playing field for all," said Pathi.
Wadehra said they have also been helping students with limited technology by collecting old computers and fixing them up with the help of volunteers. They have already donated nearly 20 computers to families who need them.
"A lot of families don’t even have computers or they don’t have internet access at home, so I feel like that could perpetuate that divide and create a larger rift between people who have access to these things and people who don’t," said Wadehra.
To learn more about GIVE Youth, click here.
