Edtech nonprofit and free tutoring platform launches student-led volunteer chapters
NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UPchieve, the leading edtech nonprofit providing free, 24/7 online tutoring and college counseling to low-income students, announced the launch of the National Tutoring Honors Society (NTHS), a new, student-led initiative that empowers high school students nationwide to lead volunteer chapters dedicated to educational equity.
The NTHS recognizes student leaders who organize their peers to volunteer as online academic coaches for under-resourced students across the United States. Any high school student can start a chapter, recruit members, and lead their team in completing service hours through UPchieve's virtual tutoring platform.
In its first semester, more than 50 chapters have launched nationwide, representing schools from Tennessee to New York to Texas. Together, these student leaders have recruited hundreds of peers to tutor on UPchieve and supported thousands of low-income middle and high school students in math, science, English, and more.
Research shows that peer-to-peer tutoring doesn't just benefit the students receiving help, it boosts the tutors' own academic achievement, communication skills, and sense of belonging. Studies have found that peer tutors develop deeper understanding of core subjects, greater confidence, and stronger leadership and empathy skills. NTHS builds on this evidence base by giving high school students an opportunity to practice teaching and civic engagement, all while contributing to closing the opportunity gap.
"UPchieve's mission has always been to make high-quality academic support accessible to every student, regardless of income," said Aly Murray, Founder and Executive Director of UPchieve. "The National Tutoring Honors Society builds on that mission by expanding access to tutoring while also giving students the chance to lead in their own schools and communities."
Each NTHS chapter is student-run, with chapter presidents responsible for recruiting, training, and motivating volunteer tutors. Chapters plan outreach, track service hours, and celebrate milestones. The most successful early chapters have drawn on existing student networks, such as National Honor Society and student council, and have recruited through school announcements and social media campaigns, to mobilize classmates in the name of educational equity.
Since launching in 2018, UPchieve has connected over 45,000 low-income students to volunteer tutors and college counselors in more than 300,000 free sessions. These sessions help students meet their academic goals, enroll in college, and achieve upward mobility. Through the NTHS, UPchieve aims to vastly expand access to tutoring and cultivate the next generation of education advocates.
High school students interested in founding or joining an NTHS chapter can visit upchieve.org/nths to learn more.
About UPchieve
UPchieve is an education technology nonprofit that provides free, 24/7 access to online tutoring and college counseling. Through its web and mobile app, students can connect with a trained volunteer academic coach in less than five minutes. UPchieve's mission is to close the college enrollment gap between low- and high-income students so that all students have an equal opportunity to achieve upward mobility. Learn more at www.upchieve.org.
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SOURCE UPchieve
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