Public speaking workshops at Canadian tutoring program
c/o Eloquence Academy
During the 2024-25 school year, Eloquence Academy hosted a series of workshops for 30 middle and high school tutors at the Youth Tutoring Project (YTP)!
Founded in 2023, YTP is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, one-on-one online tutoring to students from low-income households across Canada. Its aim is to fill the learning gap caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Operating primarily in Toronto and Vancouver, YTP now maintains an innovative technology and videoconferencing platform, actively used by upwards of 50 volunteers and 80 students. Tutors are competent in a variety of academic disciplines from science to history.
c/o Eloquence Academy
Recognizing that effective communication is critical to successful tutoring, YTP invited Eloquence Academy to deliver a series of professional development workshops for their tutors. Led by Chief Executive Officer Spencer Chaisanguanthum, each workshop contained a lecture component followed by an interactive opportunity to practice skills. Tutors demonstrated a stronger ability to build rapport with students, deconstruct complex concepts, and speak in an engaging and inclusive manner, while reporting stronger interpersonal, instructional, and leadership skills. The workshops were hosted under the auspices of our Beyond Debate initiative, which moves beyond the competitive debate round to equip young leaders for college readiness, career engagement, and community impact.
We are grateful to the YTP team and Partnerships Program Coordinator Andrew Mery. We are excited to see the impact of our workshops—not only on the tutors, but the students they mentor.
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Eloquence Academy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and 509(a)(2) public charity dedicated to increasing equitable academic debate opportunities for rural and historically underserved students. The Academy offers debate classes, summer camps, workshops, tournaments, in-school programs, and online resources for 2,200+ students across 35 states and 15 countries. Ultimately, EA aims to prepare youth for college readiness, career engagement, and community impact through the transferable skills gained from debate.
