After-School Academic Support

Where every child finds their way forward.

Garden of the Mind provides homework help, tutoring, and mentorship for students in grades 4–8 — starting virtually today, with a physical space on the way. No child should fall behind because the right support wasn't there.

24.6M kids in the U.S. can't access after-school programs

3:1 waiting for every one child currently enrolled

4x week — how often our students get structured support

9–13 the ages we serve, during the years support matters most

The Problem

The middle school years are a turning point — and support is disappearing.

Coursework gets harder. Confidence is still forming. A student who falls behind during these years rarely catches up on their own — and for families without access to affordable tutoring, that gap only widens.

41%

Drop in low-income children's after-school participation between 2014 and 2020, even as higher-income families kept investing.

More spent on enrichment each year by higher-income families ($3,600) versus lower-income families ($700).

37%

Of schools with after-school programs can accommodate all the students who want in.

39%

Of 8th-graders scored Below Basic on the 2024 NAEP math assessment — the widest achievement gap on record.

Sources: Wallace Foundation (2022), National Center for Education Statistics (2024), Center on Reinventing Public Education (2025).

Our Story

It started with a teacher who said yes.

"I will never forget that moment. That teacher heard us. And because she heard us, we believed we could succeed." — Sheralyn Williams, Founder

At age ten, our founder Sheralyn Williams was struggling in math and science — not for lack of ability, but for lack of time and support. One day she asked her teacher for help after class. The teacher said yes, and opened that offer to the whole class. Three afternoons a week, for months, she tutored them together. By exam time, every student passed.

Years later, researching her own community, Sheralyn found that children between 9 and 12 were being left out of free and low-cost after-school programs at exactly the age when that support matters most. Garden of the Mind was built to be the program her ten-year-old self needed — and that thousands of children are still waiting for today.

Garden of the Mind Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, recognized by our local library and community foundation, and actively building partnerships with area schools.

Our Program

Structured support, built around the student.

We're launching virtual, with a physical space as the next step. Every student gets homework help, skill-building, and a program that includes their family.

Available now

Virtual Homework Help

Live, structured tutoring in reading, writing, and math for grades 4–8, four days a week.

Small-group and one-on-one sessions, matched to where each student is.

Available now

Study Skills Coaching

Organization, time management, and note-taking — the habits behind independent learning.

Woven into every session, not taught as a separate class.

Available now

Parent Workshops

Quarterly sessions and take-home resource kits so home and program work together.

Offered evenings and weekends, for working parents.

Coming next

A Physical Space

A safe, in-person site for tutoring, mentorship, and community — as partnerships and funding come together.

Virtual sessions continue in the meantime, at no interruption to enrolled families.

How It Works

From sign-up to your child's first session.

Sign up

A parent or guardian submits the form below with their child's grade and where they need support.

We reach out

Our team follows up within a few days to confirm details and answer questions.

Quick assessment

A short check-in helps us place your child with the right group and focus areas.

Sessions begin

Your child joins virtual sessions four days a week, with consistent staff who know them by name.

Give

Every gift funds a real session, for a real child.

Garden of the Mind is a registered 501(c)(3). Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

$25

One tutoring session for a student who needs extra help keeping up.

$50

One full week of after-school support for a child falling behind.

$100

One month of study materials and academic resources.

$500

One full month of tutoring, homework help, and study skills coaching.

$1,000

One student, sponsored through a complete quarter of the program.

$10/mo

Consistent, year-round academic support for one student, every month.

Ready to give?

Every dollar goes straight to homework help, tutoring, and study materials for a student who needs it.

Where every child finds their way forward.

The middle school years are a turning point — and support is disappearing.

It started with a teacher who said yes.

Structured support, built around the student.

Virtual Homework Help

Study Skills Coaching

Parent Workshops

A Physical Space

From sign-up to your child's first session.

Sign up

We reach out

Quick assessment

Sessions begin

Every gift funds a real session, for a real child.

Ready to give?

Businesses, schools, and community groups.

We'd love to hear from you.

General inquiries & partnerships

Where every child finds their way forward.

The middle school years are a turning point — and support is disappearing.

It started with a teacher who said yes.

Structured support, built around the student.

Virtual Homework Help

Study Skills Coaching

Parent Workshops

A Physical Space

From sign-up to your child's first session.

Sign up

We reach out

Quick assessment

Sessions begin

Sign up for homework help.

Every gift funds a real session, for a real child.

Ready to give?

Businesses, schools, and community groups.

We'd love to hear from you.

General inquiries & partnerships