Partha Krishna – Fall 2020 Award Recipient

Our next Community Engagement Award recipient is Partha Krishna, a sophomore at Paly who volunteered as a math tutor for the Sequoia District Adult School. 

Essentially, he works with diverse students ranging from 18 to 60 years old with vastly different education levels in order to help them earn their High School Diplomas. Many of the students Partha works with have experienced some form of educational trauma as they were unable to complete their high school studies, which makes the circumstances even more challenging.

From a letter of recommendation written by the volunteer coordinator at the Sequoia District that Partha worked under, it is very evident that he is committed, responsible, and reliable. He shows up every week with the same positive energy and enthusiasm even though situations may be tough. His lessons are so fun and engaging that they even attracted outside students to join his lessons. And, even with Zoom, he uses new resources and creativity to bring new approaches to teaching. Students speak very highly of him and say that he is approachable, patient, and always willing to help where needed.

After an interview with him, it is also evident that he learned a lot personally from his experience as a math tutor. He’s learned a lot about teaching as well as the non verbal cues that come with it. Additionally, he has learned how to work around students and construct a classroom based on student needs. Lastly, he has continued to solidify his own understanding of various math concepts by teaching it to others.

Working with students at Sequoia Adult School has been a great experience to work with students and get to know them personally. He also says that he becomes more motivated when seeing the hardworking adults who often have day jobs and attend night school. In the future, Partha hopes to continue using his passion for math and interest in teaching to help the lives of others. See his project overview video here. View his project interview here.