Middle school is more than a developmental milestone. It’s a defining moment. The habits, mindsets, and relationships students form during these years can set the tone for everything that follows. That’s why Knack’s partnership with Union County, New Jersey is more than just tutoring. It’s about expanding access, mentorship, and long-term academic confidence.
A Cross-Age, High-Impact Model
Through this collaboration, Knack connects Union County middle schoolers in grades 5 through 8 with trained, high-achieving college students who serve as both tutors and mentors. These near-peer relationships do more than build academic skills. They build trust.
The relatability of a college student—a few years older, not generations apart—makes asking for help feel less intimidating. For middle schoolers, that relatability becomes a bridge. One that leads to deeper engagement, stronger self-belief, and higher aspirations.
Why It Matters
Middle school is a key inflection point. It’s when students begin imagining who they want to become and whether they see themselves as successful learners. But too often, access to personalized academic support is limited or inconsistent. That’s what Knack’s model helps solve.
By providing structured, one-on-one support outside the traditional classroom, Knack helps students:
- Strengthen foundational skills
- Build academic confidence
- Experience early exposure to college role models
- Foster resilience, self-advocacy, and belonging
For Tutors, a Transformational Experience
This isn’t just impactful for the students receiving support. It’s transformative for the tutors as well. By teaching others, tutors reinforce their own subject mastery while developing real-world competencies: communication, leadership, and cultural fluency.
And perhaps just as important, they see firsthand the power of service and the difference one person can make in a student’s journey.
A Scalable Investment in Student Success
Knack’s work in Union County reflects what’s possible when community needs and higher ed capacity align. It’s a model rooted in access, removing cost and access barriers, while offering institutions a powerful avenue for civic engagement.
It also demonstrates a simple truth. Investing in support early works. It builds momentum before academic challenges become barriers. It helps students see themselves as capable learners and believe that college can be part of their story.
This partnership represents more than a tutoring program. It’s a community-driven, people-first model for supporting academic pathways and a powerful example of what it looks like to meet students where they are and lift them up toward what’s possible.
Explore how Knack is helping institutions across the country expand access, foster belonging, and build stronger academic pathways—from middle school to college.
