I started tutoring at 14 and quickly realized I loved the moment math finally clicked for someone. Students would tell me, “I wish you were my teacher,” and that stuck with me. I became a teacher because I wanted to make hard things feel possible. Too many students believe they’re “bad at math” when they really just haven’t been taught in a way that makes sense to them. Helping them build confidence is why I do this.

A student once failed her first Calculus exam and came to my office in tears, ready to withdraw. Instead, we created a plan and rebuilt her skills and confidence week by week. She finished the course with a B—and later became a tutor for the same class. Watching her transform from discouraged to confident enough to help other students reminded me why persistence, structure, and belief matter so much.

I would use it to expand the free math resources I create through my platform, Math with Professor V, which reaches over 61,000 students. Many of them don’t have access to private tutoring or extra support. This funding would allow me to build more structured review programs and guided materials so students anywhere can access clear, affordable help when they need it most.