Sophomore Angeline Hu: Public Speaking Tutor

Think about the typical hiccups of Zoom learning: empty black squares, “broken” microphones and glitchy virtual backgrounds. As a public speaking tutor at Silicon Valley Youth, sophomore Angeline Hu deals with it all.

Although some students can be tough to teach, Hu believes that tutoring builds a variety of skills. “It teaches me to be patient and to be the bigger person,” she said.

According to Hu, the weekly classes always boast a positive learning environment. “It’s a teaching experience,” she said. “It has taught me to be efficient and not procrastinate.”

During her job, Hu works with co-teachers who are unreliable—an experience that has taught her how to work with all types. “[My co-teacher] never responds to emails on time,” she said. “He tells me that I have to finish all this stuff in two weeks, but then he doesn’t finish his own stuff for two months.”

Though tutoring may be frustrating, Hu notes that forming relationships makes it all worthwhile. Hu hopes that the bonds she creates with her students will have a lasting impact. “What you tell them now could become their motivation for the next five years,” she said. “It’s important to create a good foundation.”

Hu encourages other students to tutor as well. “It’s fun,” she said. “You get to connect with people from different schools that you wouldn’t have met before.”