Westwood High School students launch free tutoring service

WESTWOOD, Mass. — A Westwood High School junior has started a free tutoring service to provide help for kids struggling with remote learning and to support local COVID-19 relief funds.

With activities and gatherings canceled due the pandemic, Eric Yamaguchi, 16, found himself having more free time than usual. So he assembled a group of seven classmates, all at the top of their class, and launched a tutoring program called Lesson Up, available for kids in town from kindergarten through eighth grade.

“It’s very difficult for kids to effectively learn during this time, because of the need for virtual learning models,” Eric said. “We just thought that this would be an opportunity for us to help the community during a time when obviously a lot of people need help.”

Like many school districts across the state, Westwood Public Schools reopened with a hybrid model of learning – some classes in-person, others remote.

With the challenges of online learning, some kids are having a hard time getting one-on-one instruction and difficulty staying engaged while learning on a computer screen.

Local high school students launch free tutoring service A group of local teens is out to help kids in their community who have been learning remotely and struggling with not being in the classroom.

Lesson Up will provide both private one-on-one instruction as well as tutoring in a group session, if students want to learn with a friend. All lessons, at least for now, will be by Zoom.

Junior Catherine Liu, who has joined the program as a tutor, expects a lot of interest from working parents.

“I think it’s very exciting,” Catherine said. “Providing a tutoring program will allow us to help the kids academically while also helping the kids stay busy while their parents are working.”

Eric has launched a website and begun advertising the service on social media. He is also looking to bring on more tutors to provide more hours of instruction and a variety of subjects.

While there is no charge for the service, the tutors suggest donating to one of several COVID-19 relief funds provided on their website.

“I think this program would be a really good opportunity to help the community and also a greater cause,” Catherine said.

To apply for tutoring or sign up to be a tutor, click here.

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