Originally posted by Suncoast News Network
January 19th, 2021
By Annette Gutierrez
One Suncoast student is passing on her thinking cap to others through a self-started business.
Riverview High School Senior Larissa Lippe is an entrepreneur through and through.
"I have poured my heart and soul, blood sweat, and tears, everything that I can possibly do into this company," Lippe said.
As a high-achieving student in the IB program, which is based on taking high-level college prep courses. Lippe said she could share her knowledge with others. So, she created Smart Kids Tutor, a business run by students, for students in Sarasota.
"We understand what it’s like to be an elementary, middle, high schooler, whatever," Lippe said. "We’re going through the exact same things you’re going through."
Lippe says the student teachers tend to be more relatable and accessible to other kids in school.
"They were in your shoes, they knew what was going on, and sometimes they had the same teachers like me, so they knew everything that was going on. It made it a lot easier on me," Riverview High School 10th grader Jacob Lirio said.
Lirio was once at risk of academic probation.
"On my biology, I remember getting a 92 or 93, and that was really high in biology for me and that brought my grade up and I was like 'Wow, this really helped,'" Lirio said.
The program isn’t just benefiting students in need of academic help, it also benefits the high-achieving ones.
"I see all of these fantastically brilliant students who are just working at places like Publix or Starbucks and they’re not really getting the opportunity to use all the things they’ve learned," Lippe said.
Tutors teach kids in grades K-12 across several subjects, while helping with ACT and SAT prep.
"I will pair them with a tutor who fits that criteria," Lippe said.
Among the 12 tutors in the company, Nicholas Quinn is one who teaches.
"I was so appreciative of the people who were able to help me, so now not I’m glad that I can be that person and kind of hand that off," Quinn said.
"He helped me get my grades up from Ds to A's," Ashton Elementary 4th grader Marcos Desousa said.
Smart Kids Tutor has more than 20 students registered.
After one year as a company, it’s made more than 12-thousand dollars. Through its foundation, Smart Kids Tutor has given back some of its profits to several Sarasota County schools.
Source: Suncoast News Network