The original idea that four New Canaan High School friends developed this summer was to give parents a chance to have their younger kids learn in a different, after-school-club-like environment.
Then the friends—juniors Valentina Baldini, Victoria Greer, Saira Isfahani and Morgan Pitts—thought they may start a tutoring and homework club.
In the end, they created a new business where each brings their unique knowledge and skill set to a tutoring service for New Canaan students K-6.
“I feel like something that we add that or can provide that not a lot of tutors can do is that we can relate more to these children and understand more of what they want because we are of a younger age, while we still understand what they’re learning,” Greer told NewCanaanite.com during an interview Monday afternoon at The Farmer’s Grind café in New Canaan Library.
WIth the newly launched business, called “Study Buddies”—here on Instagram and here on Facebook—the four 16-year-olds lean into their own backgrounds as students in New Canaan Public Schools (among them, they attended all three elementary schools) and participation in the school community to connect with K-6 kids and help them learn.
“We all take lots of advanced classes, which are also very spread out—from AP Physics to AP Psychology,” Baldini said. “So we think we’re advanced. We’ve had a very good education, and we also think we have strong extracurriculars so we can help connect with these kids.”
Tutoring sessions are to be held at New Canaan Library, typically in the Riley Tween Cave. To sign up (QR Code at right), parents enter basic information here. The sessions are reasonably priced at $15 for 30 minutes or $25 for a full hour, and all proceeds from the business will go to Children Incorporated, an international nonprofit organization that supports children and families who face challenges due to poverty.
Here’s additional background on the Study Buddies tutors:
- Baldini: High Honors student, section editor at The Courant (NCHS newspaper), bilingual in Italian and English, AP Italian, AP Language and Composition, AP Psychology, Honors Pre-Calculus, award-winning competitive NCDA dancer.
- Greer: Honors American Studies, AP Psychology, piano player participating in Guild national music examination program, volleyball, skiing, professional background in babysitting and tutoring.
- Isfahani: unweighted 4.0 GPA, New Canaan Waveny Camp counselor, AP Physics, AP Economics, AP Language and Composition, Honors Calculus, Honors French.
- Pitts: NCHS Choir member and soprano section leader, certified Basic Life Support provider (CPR and AED), currently training for CNA and EMT certifications, National Charity League for four years, volleyball, skiing.
Isfahani said the Study Buddies tutors also have an advantage in that they understand NCPS teaching styles and classroom dynamics.
“They can enjoy their time and we can relate to them,” Isfahani said of their young clients.
Each tutoring session is one-on-one, Pitts noted.
“So each child we tutor will have a good, focused experience,” Pitts said. “We want them to get the most out of it without it being too much. We want each child to get the most learning out of a session.”
In addition to helping the students learn their specific subject matter, the Study Buddies tutors bring good general study habits, such as time management and organizational skills, they said.
Baldini said, “We’ll help with homework and study skills, which is something you develop as you get older. We think it’s more helpful than just straightforward tutoring.”
She added that the Study Buddies are sensitive to parents’ schedules and that, beyond tutoring, they’re offering one-on-one babysitting for their clients as needed (all four tutors are experienced babysitters).
Sign up your K-6 child for Study Buddies tutoring in the Google Doc here. From there, pick a slot for your child through Calendly.