Fall is in the air and local students are headed back to class after a long summer break. Remember the excitement of the first day of school? Reuniting with your friends, wearing your new back-to-school shoes and that feeling of enthusiasm and energy for the year to come? Well, if you were anything like me, there was also a bit of panic when you realized you’d completely forgotten many of the important lessons from the previous year (who does long division over summer vacation, really?) There are lots of students around King County who are in the same boat, and could really use your help. Why not help them start off the school year on the right foot by volunteering as a tutor or mentor? Below are a handful of programs that need volunteers, but there are tons more (to see a full list click here).

Study Zone: Tutor elementary through high school students at King County Library branches.

Tutor Underserved or Homeless Children at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission

Youth Tutoring Program: Commit one evening per week to tutoring a low-income student living in one of five Seattle Housing communities. Students are ages 6-18 years old and are predominantly from first and second generation immigrants and refugees.

VIBES (Volunteers In Bellevue’s Education System) has numerous positions for tutors, academic coaches and classroom volunteers. Work with preschool, elementary, middle or high school students.

Young Parent GED Tutors: Volunteer at the YWCA East Cherry Branch helping young parents prepare for their GEDs. Volunteers needed weekdays between 12 and 5 pm/

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Puget Sound has two ways to volunteer: Be a Community-Based (one year commitment) or School Based mentor (school year commitment)

First Place School: Tutor students who are experiencing homelessness in math, reading and language arts.

Redmond Elementary Lunch Buddy Program: Commit one lunch hour a week to help an elementary student in Redmond (I’m looking at you Microsoft employees)

If you love kids. . . and kids’ books, sign up to be a United Way Volunteer Reader (reading sites throughout King County). The achievement gap starts before school does. That’s why United Way of King County is committed to helping kids right from the start.