OUR MISSION STATEMENT
To provide free weekly academic support and social exchange opportunities for younger elementary students enrolled in distance learning during a time of increased need for home-based oversight
How It All Started
Once quarantine started, Tabitha wasn't about to let her little brother watch Power Rangers all day!
In order to engage her brother, who is entering first grade, she became an architect (building popsicle stick houses), a mobile freelance artist (going on chalk walks), a music teacher (learning and teaching ukulele simultaneously), and an IT helper (mostly on Zoom, Lexia Core5, and DreamBox).
Once her county's board of education announced that they would be going fully virtual this fall, Tabitha realized that so many kids around the world would be in the same boat as her brother, in need of support and social engagement with this new mode of learning.
Seeing the Need
Everywhere on the internet, teachers and parents have been expressing concerns about their students' education, from the increased need for oversight from parents to the lack of casual social interaction that normally occurs in the classroom.
Some families are forming "pandemic pods," groups of 3-5 students taught by parents or a hired tutor, but this often comes at a price, both financially and, arguably, in terms of safety.
Tabitha wanted to create a similar opportunity for those who cannot access such resources.
Creating a Solution.
So, Tabitha decided to create Virtuassist, a free program that would connect younger students with high school volunteers, in order to support families during distance learning. She also knew that it would be critical for students to interact with one another, as they do in a classroom setting, which lead to Virtupods.
With this program, Tabitha hopes to provide support to teachers, parents, and most importantly, students in a form that is more accessible and completely safe.
