From Learners to Leaders: Introducing Coach Mode for High School Students
Today, we’re excited to launch Coach Mode to all high school students on UPchieve!
Students who add Coach Mode can earn verified volunteer service hours for tutoring middle schoolers, then easily switch back to Student Mode whenever they need support with their own schoolwork—all on the same UPchieve account.
“As a low-income student who has relied on UPchieve for much of my academic journey, I want to give back. Assisting other low-income students in pursuing their educational dreams has been a joy.
When students started favoriting me as their coach and told me how much I’ve assisted with their academic journey, I knew that I wanted to continue guiding the future generation, so that one day they’re able to do the same.”
From receiving support to creating it
During our pilot phase, we’ve already seen the promise of students becoming volunteers. Active Coach Mode users have helped 1,317 of their peers over 500+ hours of online tutoring.
Students who become more volunteers also tend to be more active as students. Coach Mode pilot users average 7x more sessions as students on UPchieve than students who aren’t volunteers.
Teaching is another form of learning
“The student was thanking me so much, explaining how long they were stuck on that problem. I helped them finally understand fractions, and that made me feel so happy. ”
Peer tutoring is not just an act of service; teaching someone else asks a student to organize knowledge, articulate their reasoning, and see a problem from a new perspective.
Recent research suggests that peer tutoring is especially beneficial for the tutor, with “an average positive effect equivalent to approximately six additional months’ progress within one academic year.” (The Education Endowment Foundation)
Why we built Coach Mode
We built Coach Mode to create an accessible path to community service and college competitiveness for students who need flexibility with their schedule or may not have reliable transportation to get to in-person volunteer events.
A 2018 industry survey by x2VOL and Interactive Education Systems Design, an education market research firm, found that 58% of 264 responding college admissions officers said community service positively affected acceptance chances, and 53% said it could break a tie between equally qualified applicants.
Another barrier to college? Service learning graduation requirements.
Maryland was the first state to mandate service learning (aka volunteer hours) as a graduation requirement for all students, and large school districts across the US, including Chicago, Atlanta, the District of Columbia, and Philadelphia, are following suit.
You don’t have to be an expert to make a difference
Coach Mode is designed for students who want to give back—even if they don’t see themselves as an “honor student” or feel fully confident in every subject. Great coaches don’t have every answer. They need to be patient, encouraging, and willing to help another student work through a problem.
“Don’t be afraid to try because you think it might be too hard. I see many people worry about not knowing enough or getting stuck, but it is never as bad as people expect.”
UPchieve provides training and ongoing support to help new coaches lead effective tutoring sessions, including guidance on asking helpful questions and building student confidence. Coaches can choose the subjects and times that feel right for them, then build experience one session at a time.
Learning to Lead
Prepping for college is no longer just about grades and standardized test scores. Flexible, online volunteering opportunities like tutoring on UPchieve can help students realize what’s possible, both in their own academic journey and in their community.
Interested in joining our volunteer community on UPchieve?
Current and former UPchieve students: Add Coach Mode →
New to UPchieve? Sign up to tutor underserved students →