By Jenna Clasby, ’27

Staff Writer

During the summer, I was trying to figure out what ways I could help others, while also preparing for college, and maintaining a balance between school work and volunteering. One day, I found Connect Me, which offers free tutoring to students throughout the world, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.

Connect Me Tutoring was founded in October 2020, largely because of a problem in education at that time. The COVID-19 pandemic caused schools to close, causing fear and apprehension about getting sick. This made it very hard for a lot of students to benefit from office hours and other tutoring programs. Mehmet Tascioglu, the founder, was a high school student then during the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to do something to help. He wanted to create Connect Me Tutoring to provide tutoring to students who needed it, and he wanted it to be free so that all students, regardless of economic status, could receive tutoring aid.

What started as a small effort to help people in the Metro-Detroit area, with only 15 students, became something big. Connect Me got help from student volunteers, and from being featured on news stations, like FOX 2 Detroit. This helped Connect Me become well-known across the country, leading to an influx of student tutors from several states. Because of this, Connect Me became a nonprofit organization that is still growing fast and working on making education fair for everyone. Over the past five years, Connect Me has become a student-run nonprofit that gives free tutoring in the United States, with hundreds of volunteers and leaders who help out. Connect Me matches students in kindergarten through the 12th grade with high school and college tutors who have been interviewed. They have had tens of thousands of one-on-one tutoring sessions, and Connect Me has helped students in over 40 states and 12 countries. Connect Me has been talked about by news outlets like USA Today, ABC, CBS, and Fox News. They even got an award from NBC called the “Making a Difference” Award in 2021 for their contributions to education by providing free learning for any student who signs up.

The success of Connect Me comes from its leaders and volunteers who really care about what they do, which you can find on Connect Me’s website. These tutors work with the students online to help them with their schoolwork, prepare for tests, etc. Connect Me does this to make sure everyone can learn no matter what, and to have students become leaders where they live.

When I first joined in August, I was apprehensive about becoming a tutor because I wasn’t sure if my students would like me or if I could help them. I didn’t know what to expect at first. But after every tutoring session with my students, I felt better about myself and gained confidence that I knew what I was doing. Confidence has been a struggle in my life, and I’m really glad that Connect Me helped me push my limits. I have had some great experiences, and one of the best things I have done is tutor students from all over the world. Currently, I am tutoring a student in Malaysia and one in North Carolina. This has allowed me to gain a better understanding of what goes on in other parts of the world. For example, Malaysia doesn’t follow Daylight Saving Time, which caused a pretty frantic, yet funny moment in email exchanges with my student!

Through Connect Me, I have met some really inspiring leaders. One moment that really stands out was when I was interviewed by Aahana Jain for Connect Me. Aahana is the Director of Partners, meaning she makes connections with other organizations to expand Connect Me’s impact.  She was so outstanding and kindhearted to me for the whole interview because I was really nervous. My time with Connect Me has been great for me as a person and for buttressing my college applications. I have learned a lot of teaching skills and styles, and I feel more confident now because of these experiences. Since I want to work in education or something related, working with Connect Me has been an invaluable opportunity. It has taught me how much of a difference students can make when they help each other, and that is something that I think is very valuable in the divided world we live in today.

Today, Connect Me is really about people helping each other. It is a group of students from all around the world. When students volunteer for Connect Me, they get things like community service hours, a chance to be a leader, and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. All of this helps students become more well-rounded individuals, and it makes a real difference in the world.

For more information about the program:

 Connect Me, 248-270-5844, info@connectmego.org