Not just a tutor — a mentor.
The school decided I wasn't keeping up. My grades were poor, I wasn't doing well in sports, and the answer was to move me back two grades. It shattered my confidence. For a long time I didn't feel like I was enough.
What changed things wasn't a program. In Grade 10 I went looking for a tutor — and found a mentor. One person who covered every subject, showed up every week, and treated me like I was worth the effort. My grades came up. My confidence came back, on the court too.
That's the reason this academy exists. I teach the way I needed to be taught: the first thing I build with a student is trust. I ask about their week, their interests, what's actually going on — because a student who trusts you asks questions, and a student who asks questions improves.
One student came to me with marks in the 50s in math and confidence to match. Her marks went to 80 — but the number is the small part. She solved problems on her own, and she asked questions without apologizing for them. That's the outcome I'm after, every student, every time.