My Story: Being an UPchieve Volunteer
Written by Nai, a high school senior and UPchieve volunteer tutor. We love sharing student voices to highlight the impact and perspective of young people giving back.
How It All Began
Becoming a volunteer for UPchieve is truly one of the most rewarding things I have done. When I first started volunteering, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I had never tutored outside of my close friends at school. I did, however, know I wanted to give back to my community and use the skills I've learned in school to help others, which is why joining UPchieve was the perfect decision for me.
What is UPchieve?
UPchieve is an online platform where volunteers get connected with students who need free academic support. It’s simple to get started as a tutor; you can easily make an account, go through quick training, complete certification quizzes in the areas you would like to tutor, and start tutoring. Once you get started, though, there is a lot more to learn besides the content you’re teaching.
Each student who logs on to request support is different. The way they learn, their personalities, and how they are feeling about the content. Some students log on super overwhelmed by an exam, an assignment, or even just a concept they don’t understand. Others just need reassurance that they understand the material and maybe need some one-on-one practice to feel better. Regardless, it’s important to know how to handle other people's emotions and be able to guide them through what they’re feeling so that they can feel comfortable learning.
My Experience with UPchieve
In my experience as a volunteer tutor with UPchieve, I learned that each student is different and has unique characteristics as well as diverse ways of learning. One session that sticks with me was with a student who needed help in Algebra 2. At first, they were really unsure about where to start and how to approach the questions. When I asked them how they came to the answer they wrote down, their answers were short and unclear. At first, I didn’t know how to handle their reactions, but then I thought back to when I was in their position, learning this subject for the first time and feeling confused and stressed as well. I remembered how it feels to not understand things sometimes and how much confidence one can gain by having the tutor’s patience and understanding. From then on, I took a moment to slow things down rather than rushing through my methods.
Instead of looking into their homework questions right away, we started by going over the concepts and formulas together. We even created fun ways to remember things and drew pictures when needed. After doing this, the student went from short answers to engaging in the conversation and actively asking questions. After we had gotten through reviewing the basic concepts, they were already doing the homework problems on their own based on what they had just learned. And by the end of the session, their homework was completed, and they had a much better understanding of the concepts. Seeing the students' attitude change from the start to the end of the session was when I realized that tutoring is so much more than just teaching. It’s about giving the student confidence and understanding to be able to learn and complete things on their own.
What I’ve learned
Tutoring on UPchieve has been so much more to me than just helping others. It has helped me grow as a person as well. I’ve learned how to change my communication style based on each student, how to ask the right questions to figure out how a student is feeling or thinking, and how to be a little more patient even when things are moving slower than I thought. This experience has taught me more about empathy and patience, which motivated me to pick up more tutoring requests and work with new students on UPcheive.
Looking back, I'm beyond grateful that I chose to join UPchieve, and each session is a reminder that the smallest acts of giving back can change someone's academic journey. I’ve definitely seen firsthand that having access to a free and caring tutor is life-changing for these students and that, at the end of the day, is the most important and rewarding thing.
Tips for Future Volunteers
Starting out may feel intimidating, but it’s less scary than it seems. Here are a few things I’ve learned:
Any knowledge helps. You don’t need all the answers, guiding and encouraging students is often enough.
Be patient and kind. Breaking concepts down, organizing tasks, or just offering reassurance can make a huge difference.
Don’t overthink it. Go in with an open mind, listen carefully, and focus on helping the student move forward.
Want to Volunteer?
Are you interested in volunteering to help students as well? Check out UPchieve’s volunteering steps page to learn more and get started to make an impact today.
About the Author
Nai, Class of 2026, has been teaching multiple subjects on UPchieve since her junior year. When tutoring, she enjoys helping students build confidence in their learning.