While many individuals are privileged to have a computer and WiFI access, many children in the Bay Area do not have readily access to these resources. With the virtual world growing in importance, Jimin Han, a junior at Amador, started UnI.T with a couple of friends from Cupertino. UnI.T is a club dedicated to tutoring underprivileged kids around the Bay Area and providing them with Chromebooks and other digital resources.

“After COVID had been going on for a while and we were stuck in quarantine for a long time, we knew we wanted to do something to help kids who were underprivileged and didn’t have as much resources as us. This really motivated us to start our club,” said Jimin Han (‘23).

UnI.T, which stands for You and I Together, has had success in local cities like Cupertino and Fresno where members tutor students there. They have also gone global in their efforts as well by donating money to a Cambodian school for them to buy new computers.

“Currently our club is in the process of applying to be a nonprofit organization. We are talking with lawyers and receiving help from the board of directors. Our future plan is to connect with more regions and make our club known to more people,” said Han.

UnI.T is currently aiming to fundraise $2,000 through their GoFundMe campaign, with over 30 donations since the campaign’s start and $1,865 raised.

“We fundraised by making posters and posting on social media and sending emails to people we knew to ask for help. In the future, we are thinking of making something ourselves and selling it to raise money,” said Han.

 

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Jimin Han has been teaching a girl named Alisa for a year. She uses engaging games and dynamic teaching styles to help the kid learn to enjoy learning and be able to actively participate.

“We teach through games and holding conversations rather than lecturing like teachers at school. There is one girl named Alisa and I have been teaching her for about a year. Even though it took a while for her to be able to open up to me and become comfortable, I think the wait was worth it,” said Han.

However, due to the nature of the club and having to connect with people with limited internet access from far away, Jimin Han and her team have faced some challenges in their club startup. They have also learned lessons in accommodating people with different schedules and lifestyles.

“One challenge is getting connected to the kids in Fresno. Since they live so far away and they don’t have as much internet resources, it is hard for us to meet every week. They also live a very different lifestyle, so it is really hard to match schedules to meet,” said Han.

Jimin Han is hoping to expand her club by welcoming new members and expanding the scope of her club. She is in the process of trying to make her club a non profit organization, which would make her club a business and allow more people to learn about the club, garnering more support for their expenses and resource allocation.

“Although our club isn’t officially a nonprofit organization, I think once we get approved, it will be a very accomplishing and proud feeling. We want students to look back at this club and remember how enjoyable education can be if taught the right way and through strong connections. We want to be able to achieve education equity by giving opportunities to those who are not usually given these chances,” said Han.

To keep up with UnI.T’s activities, you can follow them on Instagram (@uni.togetheree).