From the Achieve Foundation
Each year, the Achieve Foundation brings together more than 350 Volunteer Tutors to provide academic support to students of all ages in the South Orange & Maplewood School District. This spring, many tutors also continued to volunteer remotely, connecting with students online and providing valuable weekly support even after in-person sessions had to be cancelled due to school building closures and social distancing restrictions.
Achieve showed their appreciation by delivering delicious Able Baker treats to the homes of each of this year’s award winners!
While Achieve was unable to host their annual tutor appreciation reception this month, the organization is thrilled to announce the Achieve Volunteer Tutor award recipients for the 2019-20 school year.
The Dubrow Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Tutors were established in 2008 in memory of David Dubrow, a long-time supporter of Achieve, and champion of the Foundation’s signature tutoring program. Tutors are nominated by Site Supervisors and this year’s recipients were:
- Evan Fagan
- Alexis Halm
- Prisha Mehta
- Lila Promisel
- Jake Slade
- Katie Trzaska
- Addie Wiener
- Alex Yang
Star Seniors, a new award this year to recognize the extraordinary commitment of graduating seniors who continued volunteering for remote sessions through June:
- Ryanne Barrett
- Thandi Bernard
- Karley Chambers
- Sasha DuBose
- Evan Fagan
- Ayane Garrison
- Jeremy Giles
- Alex Glynn
- Bryn Healy
- Zubin Kremer Guha
- Clara McCourt
- Jordan Muhammad
- Tate Olitt
- Maya Peiris
- Ainsley Pierson
- Tim Rohan
- Daniella Rothstein
- Nicholas Shires
- Jake Slade
- Avery Soupios
- Alexa Stephan
Super Seniors are the exceptional group of graduating seniors who volunteered for three or more years of high school:
- Hannah Anthony
- Evan Fagan
- Samuel Fleetwood
- Jeremy Giles
- Ethan Goldman
- Archie Jones
- Anna Murray
- Annabelle Roses
- William Schabacker
- Nicholas Shires
- Sarah Solomon
- Abby Strugger
- Cindy Xiong
- Olivia VandeVusse
Tutors and students all report high levels of satisfaction with the program, and this year parents were particularly appreciative.
“Achieve has really come to the rescue this year. The challenges and related confusion regarding distance learning during the Covid closure meant that extra help was needed more than ever. All the student tutors were incredibly helpful and professional. I hope that my kids can participate in this program as tutors during their senior years. We are very grateful.”
Achieve is grateful to all the tutors for their remarkable efforts with students every year. Most volunteers are high school students or adult community members. Tutor sessions are available on weekday afternoons, evenings and weekends. Volunteers are trained and all sessions are supervised.
If you are interested in volunteering or for more information about the program please click here or contact Amy Forman at aforman@somsd.k12.nj.us.
More About Achieve
Over the past two decades, the Achieve Foundation of South Orange & Maplewood has raised more than $4 million for local public schools and has inspired innovation by awarding over 1,000 educator grants. In addition to Achieve’s flagship Volunteer Tutor Program, the organization promotes hands-on learning through its free Maker Madness STEAM fair, and enhances music education through programs like the Vanessa Pollock Music Initiative and the Ted Cole Clarinet Project. To learn more, donate, or volunteer, visit https://achievefoundation.org/.
