Bhaumik Nainwal
Before
Struggled with science vocabulary in English
Now
Won his school's science fair and now helps other students with their projects
“My tutor didn't just teach me science words - he made me believe I could be a scientist.”
Our story
Where Language Meets Learning
ESL Teen Tutors started with one high schooler who knew what it was like to learn in a new language. Today it's the largest peer ESL tutoring network in the U.S., with students and tutors from 73 schools.
Better grades
Students improve 5+ grade points on average
Shared background
Tutors who understand where you come from
Community
Friendships and support networks that last
Confidence
Students who start speaking up in class
Aarav Agrawal
Founder, ESL Teen Tutors
Meet the founder
A leader who knows the journey personally
Hi! I'm Aarav Agrawal. I was born in Thailand and raised in Mexico, and I've lived in several different countries before moving to the U.S. as a high schooler. Because of my experiences moving between cultures and languages, I know firsthand the challenges that immigrant students face, especially when it comes to learning in a language that isn't your first.
I started ESL Teen Tutors because I wanted to create a community where students struggling with English, or any language barrier, can get personalized, one-on-one support from peers who understand them. I've personally tutored students in English, Spanish, and Hindi, and I've seen how much of a difference a patient, culturally aware tutor can make. Our program connects certified teen tutors with younger students, giving them guidance in their native language while also helping tutors gain teaching experience and volunteer hours.
My goal is simple: to make learning accessible, empowering, and relatable for every student navigating the challenges of a new language or school system.
ESL Teen Tutors is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit · EIN 41-2757689
Our network
View schoolsStudents and tutors from 73 schools
From Charlotte to Lahore to Lima, and many places in between
Ardrey Kell High School
Charlotte, NC, USA
Weddington High School
Matthews, NC, USA
Socrates Academy
Matthews, NC, USA
Elon Park Elementary School
Charlotte, NC, USA
Colégio Farias Brito (Aldeota)
Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Evergreen Valley High School
San Jose, CA, USA
Bellevue High School (or School District)
Bellevue, WA, USA
University of the People
Pasadena, CA, USA (HQ)
İzmir Atatürk High School
İzmir, Turkey
International School Lahore
Lahore, Pakistan
Glacier Peak High School
Snohomish, WA, USA
Adrian Wilcox High School
Santa Clara, CA, USA
Lambert High School
Suwanee, GA, USA
Thales Academy
Raleigh/Charlotte, NC, USA
International School of Lausanne
Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland
Deens Academy
Bangalore, India
Lightridge High School
Aldie, VA, USA
Columbia University
New York, NY, USA
PHINMA UPang College Urdaneta
Urdaneta City, Philippines
Providence High School
Charlotte, NC, USA
Briar Woods High School
Ashburn, VA, USA
School №4
Kazakhstan
Adventist School of Coqueiro
Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil
Colegio Ignacio de Loyola
Medellín, Colombia
Centro Educativo Marina Orth
Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Community House Middle School
Charlotte, NC, USA
Socrates Academy
Matthews, NC, USA
Greengates School
Naucalpan (Mexico City), Mexico
Hickory Ridge High School
Harrisburg, NC, USA
Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Leigh High School
San Jose, CA, USA
University of the West of Scotland
Paisley, Scotland, UK
Pioneer High School
San Jose, CA, USA
Lakeridge High School (or Elementary)
Lake Oswego, OR or WA (Context implies West Coast)
Irvine High School
Irvine, CA, USA
Presidential School in Gulistan
Gulistan, Uzbekistan
Altiarik Specialized School
Altiarik, Uzbekistan
Edison High School
Stockton, CA, USA
Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Lima, Peru
Khwopa Secondary School
Bhaktapur, Nepal
J.S. Morton East High School
Cicero, IL, USA
Green Hope High School
Cary, NC, USA
Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Colegiul Național "Emil Botta"
Adjud, Romania
Foster High School
Tukwila, WA, USA
Bindubashini Govt. Girls' High School
Tangail, Bangladesh
School №5
Kazakhstan
EDUCAÇÃO CONECTADOS
Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil
Institución U.P.E.T.
Medellín, Colombia
Marvin Ridge High School
Waxhaw, NC, USA
Socrates Academy
Matthews, NC, USA
North London Collegiate School
Edgware (London), UK
Ballantyne Ridge High School
Charlotte, NC, USA
Birikim Science School (Birikim Okullari)
Istanbul, Turkey
Colegio Mayor Secundario Presidente del Perú
Lima, Peru
Delhi Private School, Sharjah
Sharjah, UAE
Mountain House High School
Mountain House, CA, USA
SundarSTEM School
Lahore, Pakistan
Cox Mill High School
Concord, NC, USA
American Heritage Schools
Plantation / Delray Beach, FL, USA
John C. Kimball High School
Tracy, CA, USA
Meram Science High School
Konya, Turkey
Northwest Cabarrus High School
Concord, NC, USA
Motherland Secondary School
Pokhara, Nepal
Novi High School
Novi, MI, USA
Saigon South International School
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Cuthbertson High School
Waxhaw, NC, USA
Junior IDRS School
Jammu, India
The Harker School
San Jose, CA, USA
Bala Merkez Duatepe Ortaokulu
Ankara, Turkey
Steele Creek Preparatory Academy
Charlotte, NC, USA
Colegio Corazonistas
Medellín, Colombia
Colegio Parroquial San Judas Tadeo
Medellín, Colombia
Our Mission
To give every English learner a tutor who speaks their language, so a language barrier never decides how well they do in school.
Our Vision
Schools where no student falls behind just because English isn't their first language, and where speaking another language at home is treated as a strength.
Our Values
- Access
- Tutoring is free for every family, whatever their income.
- Respect
- A student's home language is something to build on, not fix.
- Confidence
- We count students who speak up, not just better grades.
- Community
- Tutors, families, and schools working together.
What we do
More than English lessons
We tutor every school subject, and we pay attention to the parts of school that grades don't show.
Any subject
Math, science, reading, and more, explained in the student's home language until it clicks.
Settling in
Tutors help students with the social side of a new school system, not just the homework.
Speaking up
Students practice with someone they trust before they try it in front of the class.
Why it matters
Once the language stops getting in the way, students start taking part: in class, in clubs, and with friends. That's what we're working toward.
0+
Students tutored
0+
Languages
0%
Free
How we grew
From one idea to a national network
We started out tutoring. Along the way we found it changed more than grades.
01
The start
Aarav had moved between countries and languages himself. He started ESL Teen Tutors to match students with tutors who speak their language and understand their culture.
25
students tutored in our first month
02
Confidence
Students weren't only getting better grades. They started raising their hands, joining clubs, and leading among their peers.
78%
of students say they're more confident speaking up in class
03
Community
Families started meeting each other, sharing resources, and helping one another out. Tutoring became a way to build community.
92%
of families say they feel more connected to their community
Results
What changes for students
What students and families have reported after working with us.
5.2grade points
Average improvement in two months
Students who came to us with C's and D's are earning B's and A's, and building study habits that stick.
92%
of families say grades improved
Parents tell us homework has gone from a daily fight to something their kids want to show them.
73%
of students feel more confident speaking English
A language barrier affects more than grades. Students tell us they're speaking up more, in class and out of it.
2.4hours
spent on homework now, up from 0.5 hours before
When students understand the material, they're willing to spend time on it.
Student stories
Meet some of our students
Where they started, where they are now, and what they'd tell you.
Fabio Farias
Before
Was two grade levels behind in reading
Now
Now reads above grade level and mentors younger students
“I used to be embarrassed to read out loud. Now I volunteer to read to the class.”
Aarnav Shah
Before
Felt isolated because of language barriers
Now
Now has a group of friends and participates in school activities
“I have friends now who help me with English, and I help them with math.”
Sofia Carmen
Before
Hated math and thought she wasn't smart enough
Now
Now loves math and wants to become an engineer
“My tutor showed me that math is like a puzzle. Now I can't wait to solve problems.”