About Us

“Only 6% of the students who start high school as freshman in the Chicago Public Schools graduate college by the age of 25.”
Chicago Tribune 4/21/2006

After hearing this startling statistic and reading how reduced funding was causing Chicago Public Schools to cut college test preparation programs, Rather Stanton and Michael Simpson felt compelled to address this issue.

In April 2006, the college friends founded Griffith Tutoring with the goal to help at-risk high school students prepare for the ACT. While students from wealthier communities have the ability to pay for private ACT tutoring services, Michael and Rather established their organization to put less advantaged students on more equal footing in the college admissions process.

Rather and Michael introduced Griffith Tutoring at Lincoln Park High School, where they worked with the administration to identify students who could benefit from their service. With the help of a few friends, they were able to tutor a group of six students, who all greatly improved their scores as a result of the program.

The initial success and positive feedback encouraged Rather and Michael to develop a more structured and robust curriculum, as well as expand the program to a larger student base. As demand for the program rapidly grew, Griffith Tutoring decided to tap into local businesses and utilize their employee volunteerism programs for tutors.

Mission

Griffith Tutoring is a non-profit organization preparing at-risk Chicago high school students for the ACT college entrance exam by partnering with businesses and training their professionals to tutor and mentor the students. Consistent with Rather and Michael’s original idea, Griffith Tutoring’s mission is to boost the number of Chicago high school graduates attending college by increasing the students’ standardized test scores. Additionally, the organization offers students unique exposure to professionals, who demonstrate that a college education and a professional career are within reach.