To date, LMU’s Good Tutors virtual tutoring program, a joint effort of the School of Education and the Center for Service and Action led by former director of iTutors Tracy Grand, has supported more than 160 PK-12 students in underserved communities in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) during the pandemic. The efforts of one tutor-student pair—LMU senior Lindsey Gartner ’21, a dual major in theater arts and business management, and Noemi R., a high-school senior—resulted in a life-changing outcome for the latter.
Gartner was already volunteering once a week with LMU service organization Espérer when Covid-19 arrived. It was through them that she learned of Good Tutors, which paired her with Noemi. ”I enjoyed getting to know about her interest in marine biology, and how her love for her Mexican-American heritage was amplified by a college-level Chicano Studies course she took at her high school,” Gartner said. ”She was writing her college application essays when I worked with her last fall, and I encouraged her to use them as a means of speaking candidly about her experiences and unique perspective.”
Gartner’s support helped Noemi’s confidence blossom and her essays improve. This fall, she plans to attend California State University Los Angeles (CSULA) as the first person in her family to attend college. ”I‘m forever grateful for having the opportunity to work with Lindsey,” said Noemi. “She made the writing portion of my applications easy and a learning experience. My high school provided no aid to me during this pandemic, so if it weren’t for Lindsey, I wouldn’t have understood some of the required elements.”
Noemi’s mother Adriana R. echoed the sentiment. ”I felt lost as to how to assist my daughter with her college applications,” she said. ”But Lindsey explained the process thoroughly, and helped Noemi with every question and doubt she had.”
Though Gartner is leaving the bluff this May when she graduates, the experience of being a tutor, even just via Zoom, will stay with her for a long time. ”College has given me so many wonderful opportunities, and I hope that Noemi finds the experience as fulfilling as I did,” said Gartner. ”Every person deserves to have the opportunity to chase their dreams.”
Want to make a difference in the life of a young student? Become a Good Tutor! Applications are being accepted for Summer 2021 and beyond.
