Inspiring Profiles: Neeraj Kapoor of Learn To Be
- alexisgtrifon
- Apr 30, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 23
By Alexis Trifon
Neeraj Kapoor is the founder and executive director of Learn To Be, a non-profit organization that provides children from under-resourced communities with free, virtual tutors. The organization launched in 2008 and has since helped 7,803 students with subjects like English and Biology. Along with Learn To Be's incredible impact, they have partnered with 279 like-minded organizations across the United States to help as many kids as possible. I have been a tutor with Learn to Be since 2021. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with different students and help them reach their academic goals. Life with Lex is thrilled to feature Learn To Be's work and Neeraj Kapoor's story!
What inspired you to create Learn To Be?
"For me, there was no watershed moment. While working as a tutor at my university alongside my childhood best friend, our capacity to reach students was limited. We wanted to use technology to create something that was scalable, sustainable, and effective in improving educational outcomes for students. Therefore, Learn To Be was born. Early on, LTB was a challenge—a challenge to build something on our own that could be a positive addition to the community. But fast forward 15 years, and keeping this organization alive has become more of a moral responsibility—a responsibility to use whatever privilege I have to work on behalf of those who do not."
What are your concerns about access to a quality education for kids from under-resourced communities?
"My contrarian view is less about access and more about the divide in how fast underserved youth get access to things. I believe that access alone does not mean much. Ultimately, everyone will get access. In many schools, there is high-speed internet, better computers, and all the latest software, but it came too late. Right now, I am worried that technologies like ChatGPT will not reach the students we serve fast enough. I want to build tooling into LTB that helps mitigate this from happening."
Why is an organization like Learn To Be necessary in today’s world?
"When we started in 2008, LTB was the first non-profit that offered online tutoring to underserved youth. Now, in 2023, we have learned so much about the education space and virtual learning. Learn To Be is still in its infancy stages, but I think we are poised to be a big player. Whether because of AI or other advances, I am excited for LTB to help those children who might get lost in the system; that is why we are necessary."
Is there a specific story about an LTB student that you still remember?
"We had a wonderful undergraduate college student who tutored an adorable 6- or 7-year-old girl. They worked together for almost a year. During this time, the tutor was applying to graduate school and could no longer be a tutor because of her schedule. When the tutor told her student the news, the little girl had this bewildered look on her face, and then, as a flood of realization fell upon her, she started to cry. The session did not continue because she was so sad. While it was certainly difficult to see this relationship end, it was also heartening to know that they formed a special bond from thousands of miles away. Learn To Be and our virtual tutoring program offer this sort of opportunity!" What is important for young people to know that wish to enact positive change?
"First, it is not enough to simply talk about something; you must be about it. Social media makes tweeting in solidarity with a cause or reposting so easy. It is much harder to actually go out and do the work. Secondly, you do not need a non-profit or for-profit organization to have a positive impact on society. A formal business entity is not even needed at all."
In your opinion, what has been Learn To Be's biggest accomplishment to date?
"Our response to COVID was our biggest accomplishment by far. In 2019, we finished the year with about 2,000 hours of tutoring. Contrary to 2020, when the pandemic forced schools to be virtual, our community of tutors doubled down on their efforts to help students. By the end of the year, we had tutored over 20,000 hours. It was incredible to see thousands of passionate volunteer tutors’ enthusiasm and passion for LTB."
Resources to Help:
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/07/how-covid-taught-america-about-inequity-in-education/