Northstar Tutoring

Mt. Pleasant Library: We provided free tutoring to students with low incomes living in Washington, D.C., with the majority living in the Columbia Heights area. Approximately 65 students were served In the Columbia Heights program in 2023 and the majority had two tutors who worked with them on a weekly basis. In 2023, we had approximately 135 tutors working with students at this location. During the online and in person sessions, students worked on homework and supplemental materials with their tutors.

Harriet Tubman: In the fall of 2022 Northstar partnered with Mary's Center and Harriet Tubman Elementary to provide tutoring to approximately 60 students at Tubman Elementary and we continued this work into the spring of 2023. We met with students four days a week for 45 minute sessions. During these sessions, students worked in small groups (2 - 4 students per group) with a tutor to work on math and reading materials provided by the school. Students at the school range from K-5th, but the majority of students in tutoring were in 3rd-5th. Approximately 85 volunteers participated at the Tubman location in 2023.

Hyattsville: As a partner of the City of Hyattsville we have provided free tutoring sessions each week to students in grades 5th-12th for several years. In 2022 we expanded our programming to include K-12th students at this site and we continued this range into 2023. Northstar offers two sessions per week in the summer and three sessions per week during the school year. During 2023 we worked with approximately 85 students (65 in person students and 20 online) and approximately 110 volunteers at the Hyattsville location. Hyattsville student-volunteer pairs start the 90 minute tutoring sessions by working together to complete the student's homework. Once the homework is completed, pairs pivot to focus on subject based tutoring. Northstar tracks each student's grades and testing scores and identifies individualized key areas for additional focus. Using this information, Northstar prepares tailored supplemental materials for each student. Additionally, each summer Northstar administers reading, writing and math assessments to help determine focus areas for the summer months to help prepare each student for the coming school year.

Rita Bright: Northstar has a long history of partnership with Rita Bright/LAYC partnership and in the spring of 2023 we completed our academic year of "homework club" for the center's after school participants. The homework club met twice a week for hour-long sessions. The program was a drop-in system, and approximately 40 students participated in 2023. During these sessions, students who had homework were matched with volunteers who helped them complete their work. Students who didn't have homework complete extra educational materials based on their grade level or play educational games. Northstar also worked with The Rita Bright Center/Latin American Youth Center in June and July, 2023 to provide a two hour academic element to their summer camp for K-6th grade students twice weekly. During this time, Northstar volunteers worked with students in small groups to complete math and reading materials and educational games provided by Northstar. Over the course of the camp, approximately 20 Northstar volunteers worked with 35 students. Finally, in the fall of 2023 Northstar opened a new tutoring program at Rita Bright to work with students twice weekly in the evenings. Students and tutors met for 90 minute "high impact tutoring" sessions focused on math and reading. Sessions revolved around grade appropriate curriculum and approximately 60 students and 145 tutors participated at this location in 2023