This September and October, the Mission Society is excited to host our third annual Virtual Career Fair to introduce students to a variety of professional opportunities and provide invaluable resources for joining the workforce. As part of this series, we spoke to three high school seniors with entrepreneurial and creative spirit, and a passion for education. They shared their inspiring story and advice for other young people hoping to kickstart a new business.
High school seniors Priya, Veena, and Anna have spent the last two years transforming their passion for education into a thriving tutoring business. Knowledge Connect was created during their sophomore year, when the three friends recognized that there were communities across the city that lacked equal access to quality academic support. The three entrepreneurs’ goal was to use their enthusiasm for learning to make a difference–creating academic resources for young scholars and helping them overcome barriers to success.
They took this ambition to start their own venture, and reached out to us at the Mission Society to begin a tutoring service in partnership with one of our program sites. Today, the co-founders have grown this amazing organization, becoming a registered nonprofit that partners with three of our schools, oversees more than thirty student tutors, and facilitates the training of junior tutors who will take over the reins when their older peers graduate.
Management of the day-to-day operation of a nonprofit is impressive on its own, but Priya, Veena, and Anna maintain their business while keeping up with their own academics. All three of the founders emphasized that cultivating communication, organization, and time management skills has made this possible. On the weekends, they come together to create a master schedule for tutors, providing clear directions for volunteers about their commitments. They organize breakout rooms and ensure that no student seeking help goes without support. Anna also shared that all three founders and their volunteers have unique strengths that they bring into the work, demonstrating the immense value they get from collaboration.
The trio feels each moment is worthwhile, despite their packed schedules. Not only do they have a passion for teaching–each of them have also instructed in fun activities outside of academics like dance, taekwondo, and piano–but they also love interacting and connecting with kids. When they step into the tutor role, they’re reminded of how meaningful their efforts are to so many young people around the city.
Beyond their work tutoring around New York City, the Knowledge Connect team has discovered more incredible ways to give back. Veena and Priya have a personal connection to a school in Guyana where they’ve gotten to know the students and educators. Learning about how the school struggled with high dropout rates, Veena, Priya, and Anna were inspired to develop their own educational resource–a 250-page algebra workbook that they delivered at no cost to the school. Even their junior tutors have gotten involved, organizing a book drive that aims to collect 1,000 novels for donation to Guyana. So far, they have over 200 ready to share with the partner school.
Though it may seem daunting, the Knowledge Connect team believes all young people can kick start their own projects, sharing words of wisdom from their experience over the last two years. Anna spoke about how vital it is to believe in your ideas and cultivate community. Priya encouraged other young entrepreneurs to remember that they are the experts when it comes to their passions and goals. Veena shared that growing their confidence has been instrumental. The trio constantly reminds themselves they belong when they are in professional settings and have what it takes to fulfill their vision. They hope to empower other students to do and feel the same.
Even with all that they have accomplished, Priya, Veena, and Anna’s story has only just begun. They are already dreaming up exciting plans, like collecting and donating school supplies, making a follow up to their algebra workbook, adding another school to their roster, and so much more. For now, they’re going to continue sharing their passion for education in and beyond their communities, and perhaps most importantly to the co-founders, instill a love of learning that will stick with their students well into the future.
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