Support the Cleveland Tutors Scholarship Fund: Help Low-Income Students

Cleveland Tutors, a private tutoring company that is owned and operated by two Cleveland Heights residents, has launched a “crowdsourcing” campaign on Indiegogo to raise $20,000 to provide free tutoring to 50 low-income students in the Cleveland area this summer.

The campaign runs until June 5th on Indiegogo and can be found here.

Cleveland Tutors’ owners, Melanie Ferstman and Sarah Bania-Dobyns, launched the campaign because they believe that all students should have the opportunity for the individualized attention that tutoring provides to students. Summer provides an ideal time for this, as many students need to catch up or prepare for tests during the weeks off.

“The need for tutoring in the Cleveland area is great. The last Census shows that 20% of Cleveland Heights residents are below the poverty line, which means that a large portion of the students in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District may need a scholarship to receive individual tutoring outside of school. Tutoring gives students the opportunity to progress at their own pace with the individualized attention they deserve,” says Sarah Bania-Dobyns, Founding Partner.

Students attending a Title I school would automatically be eligible for the Cleveland Tutors Scholarship Fund. Each potential student will be required to complete an application. Scholarships would be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each scholarship would guarantee a minimum of 10 hours of tutoring.

“When we started Cleveland Tutors, we agreed that we wanted to reach out to the community as much as possible. The success of this campaign will give us a chance to serve students who would not otherwise be able to afford tutoring,” says Melanie Ferstman, Founding Partner.

Research demonstrates that increased levels of education lead to better health outcomes. “Interestingly, people with higher levels of education live longer,” adds Melanie Ferstman. “Tutoring provides students with a chance to advance to the next levels of their academic careers, helping them take the next step towards a longer, healthier life.”

Melanie Ferstman concludes, “If 4,000 people give $5 each, the campaign will be successful. Communities have to invest in education to grow. Each person who contributes to the Cleveland Tutors Scholarship Fund is putting energy towards the community’s success.”