Free tutoring program run by UCLA students for children of health care workers
The pandemic has inspired many people to come up with creative ways to help those in need, including a UCLA alumni who started a program to serve the educational needs of health care worker's children through free tutoring services.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A group of UCLA students is using their free time to help the children of health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Local students are offering them free tutoring services.
Learning algebra can be tough enough in the classroom, but doing it remotely can be even more challenging. That's why Nick wanted to help tutor kids trying to learn at home during the pandemic.
"Being able to kind of come in and able an assist them in anyway I can, and you know, enjoy it - it makes me feel like I'm making a difference is something super impactful to me," Nick said.
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Nick is a medical student at UCLA and now a tutor for Front Lines Tutors, a non-profit put together by Mackenzie Lowenstein to help health care workers and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We do have tutors from UCLA, but we also have tutors form Carnegie Melon University, Yale University, Texas Christian University, University of Texas at Austin," Lowenstein said.
The tutoring program founder is a senior at UCLA who came up with the tutoring idea after facing her own challenges learning at home. She knew healthcare workers had to be struggling even more.
"I just wanted to help give back in anyway I could and so I started calling ER and ICU departments just in my area," Lowenstein said.
The tutoring is free and families across the country are signing up.
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"I just think they're doing an amazing job," said ligia Osorio, a healthcare worker. "They're supporting us during this difficult time and we appreciate that."
Parents love it, and the kids seem to enjoy it too.
"I sometimes not been paying attention, but now Tuesdays are fun," said Jaden Osorio, a Front Lines Tutors student.
School may never be the same again, and while it will be different, it can also be better -- and that's the lesson Front Lines Tutors is hoping to teach.
For more information on the program, visit: frontlinestutoring.com
