Category Archives: Blog

Tutor Spotlight: LaShurn Purnell

This month, Heart Math Tutoring is proud to feature volunteer LaShurn Purnell! LaShurn began tutoring in the 2019/20 school year and since then, she has supported 9 individual students across 5 different Charlotte schools! Heart Program Coordinators know her as a “strong and consistent tutor,” and are grateful for her dedication to her students. LaShurn’s employer, Brighthouse Financial, has also been a long-time supporter of Heart Math Tutoring and is committed to positively impacting the lives of youth in the Charlotte community.

Read below to … continue reading

2024 NAEP Results

Last week, results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) became available. NAEP is administered every two years and serves as a common metric for states and selected urban districts. While the need for increased student support is evident across the nation, there are some positive results and trends for students in the communities Heart Math Tutoring serves.

The Big Picture

This year, 41% of fourth graders in North Carolina and 40% in South Carolina tested at or above NAEP proficient level on … continue reading

Heart Featured on Charleston’s Live 5 News

Heart Charleston was featured on Live 5 News to highlight the need for additional tutors to support students this school year. Heart’s Charleston Program Director, Dave Smith, was joined by Heart Tutor and Board Member Shakitha Barner during the segment to provide details about tutoring and encourage the community to volunteer. Shakitha shared, “Getting to know [the students] and watching them light up when they learn is my most enjoyable moment.” Watch the full interview to hear more from Dave and Shakitha about why you … continue reading

Racing to 100 Tutors Across the Carolinas!

Heart volunteers are currently providing math instruction and mentorship to over 1,300 students across Charlotte, Charleston, and Winston-Salem! We are grateful for Heart tutors and proud of the progress students have made. We want all students who were nominated by their teachers this school year to have access to one-on-one tutoring, and we need the community’s help.

On January 3^rd, Heart is launching Race to 100, a volunteer recruitment campaign to find 100 additional volunteers willing to spend 1 hour a week … continue reading

Accelerate and Johns Hopkins University Visit HMT Tutoring Session

Heart’s partners at Accelerate and Johns Hopkins University recently came to Charlotte to visit Heart Math Tutoring school site Blythe Elementary and engage in a panel discussion on maximizing impact and scale of tutoring. The site visit and panel were attended by tutoring thought leaders dedicated to student success, including funders, district partners, principals, and volunteers. Accelerate Chief of Staff Kimberly Ueyama was present and shared, “As a former math teacher, I was particularly excited to see students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools engaged in thoughtful lessons … continue reading