Students of Strength
Teenage CEO helps students follow their college dreams with online tutoring
Few first-year college students can lay claim to the title of CEO. But Harvard freshman and Houston-native Rahsaan King — who launched the online tutoring, college advising and academic mentoring program Students of Strength earlier this fall — is unlike most.
Through live, one-on-one web meetings available in 20, 40 or 60-minute increments, King’s company connects its team of nearly 200 consultants — all current MIT and Harvard students — with 7th through 12th graders seeking academic coaching. Sessions provide a range of services, from homework help and SAT prep to mock college interviews and study strategies.
“I want all students to hear about Students of Strength . . . They should be able to get it without worrying about the cost.”
With modest fees and scholarships for low-income students, King hopes to make the service accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic status.
“I want all students to hear about Students of Strength, and if they or their parents or school administrators want them to have the service, they should be able to get it without worrying about the cost,” notes King, who was in town this past weekend to promote the venture at four area schools and at the Houston Golf Association.
King’s personal experience at Chinquapin — a college preparatory school located east of Houston that serves economically-disadvantaged and historically-underserved students — sparked his interest in social enterprise, education reform and student empowerment.
“For students who are low-income, as I was, and who probably wouldn’t have access to this type of service, those are the students who it’s my mission to serve,” he adds.
With organizational support from partners including the Gates Foundation, the Youth Coaching Institute and motivational speaker Raul Magdaleno, King hopes to eventually expand Students of Strength’s crop of elite tutors to 1,000 and to offer consultations 24 hours a day.
Students of Strength currently offers personalized 30 and 60-minute academic coaching sessions for fees of $25 and $45, respectively. In the spring, consultations will be available starting at $15. A one-time registration fee of $35 includes two free trial sessions. To secure an appointment with an academic coach or to sponsor a low-income or underperforming student, visit studentsofstrength.com.
