When we first met Nahier, he was an enthusiastic second grader who loved to dance – but his story is far from ordinary.
At just six years old, Nahier and his family emigrated from Eritrea, one of the world’s most repressive regimes. They arrived in Shoreline and Nahier faced daunting challenges – learning English as fast as he could, adjusting to a new culture, and navigating a complex educational system.
Nahier’s teacher referred him to Canopy for tutoring and from that moment, everything changed. “My first day at Canopy, I remember my tutor treating me like an equal,” Nahier recalls. “He listened to me and helped me understand my homework. Tutoring at Canopy is fun – it’s diverse, full of kids and tutors from all backgrounds. The tutors became my role models, mentoring me until I entered high school.”
Thanks to their coaching, I’m earning solid grades, taking AP classes and aiming for college. I now volunteer as a Canopy tutor, “to give back, to help students facing challenges like me.”
As we move into 2025, more students like Nahier – already overcoming tremendous odds – are waiting to be tutored.
More low-income, multilingual, diverse students are applying to Canopy than ever before – our classes are full, and we have a growing waiting list.
As the Canopy community, it’s more important than ever for us to invest in vulnerable students. Together, we can meet this need. Together, we can ensure that vulnerable students – like Nahier, will continue to triumph.
Would you consider giving the gift of opportunity to students who need it most?
