BALTIMORE — As the pandemic made the needs of students across the country more apparent, Concentric Educational Solutions is working around the clock to meet those needs.
They're a Baltimore-based organization tutoring, mentoring and providing home visits to more than 150,000 students across the country changing the trajectory of our youth in Baltimore and beyond.
Filling the gap is the heart and mission of Professional Student Advocates at Concentric Educational Solutions based in Baltimore.
The more than 150 PSA’s, many of whom are recent HBCU graduates and Baltimore natives, connect not only with students but their families and teachers.
“My purpose is to be the male figure I didn’t have that wasn’t advocating for me when I was growing up,” said Justin Vasquez.
He is one of about 90 advocates to serve at more than 20 academic sites across Baltimore and the DC area.
“We pull the students out. We focus on the core ingredients in order for them to meet that grade level,” he shared.
For example, everyday professional student advocates like Mr. Hilton help groups of students with math, specifically fractions and regrouping.
In their tutoring session just outside of the classroom, he makes sure they fully understand the lesson before moving on to the next one.
“They are the most important people of our organization because they’re on the ground everyday interacting with our students nurturing our students, teaching our students,” explained Monique Debi.
She’s a former principal, and the Chief Academic Officer at Concentric Educational Solutions working with advocates like Hilton and Vasquez on the front lines.
“I think the magic recipe is understanding what each individual student needs as opposed to the wholistic approach that one size fits all. No one home is the same, no one situation is the same,” said Dr. David Heiber, the founder and CEO of CES.
Dr. David Heiber established the organization 12 years ago to offer mentoring, tutoring and home visits to students within districts like Baltimore City, Prince George’s County even as far as Detroit.
The wrap around services they offer are free of charge for the families they serve.
“It was really important for us that our students were able to see people who look like them, adults who look like them in an academic space. But that could also relate to them,” said Debi.
More than 25,000 mentoring and tutoring sessions later, the goal is to challenge younger professionals to be a part of the shift in education to ensure less of our young people slip through the cracks.
“Start with the community, whether that's the church, whether it's coaching basketball, whatever your wheelhouse is in,” Vasquez shared.
“Be committed to this work. Be willing to suffer for what’s important. Understand and see yourself in the students that you service, and you’ve got to give it your all,” said Dr. Heiber.
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