Grace Fong, 19, began her effort to make tutoring more accessible to local low-income students in 2021 as a Girl Scouts of Nassau County Gold Award project.
The project has now hit a milestone with the enrollment of 100 students and teachers with Fong, a Great Neck resident, continuing even after leaving Girl Scouts.
“My passion for education and learning inspired me to pursue this topic,” Fong said. “I have always wanted to pursue education as a career, whether within secondary teaching, university professorship, or working in education policy. I have always felt propelled to impact people’s lives and believed that education would give me the most direct way to pursue this goal.”
The Gold Award, the highest distinction attainable by a Girl Scout, serves as a platform for girls in grades 9 to 12 to launch community service initiatives addressing civic or social concerns. Much like Fong’s Step by Step Tutoring service, these projects are designed to endure beyond the award, creating lasting change and leaving a positive impact on communities.
The tutoring program, which has since become a non-profit, is aimed at assisting students in achieving their academic goals. The program has now expanded to a third school and garnered national recognition.
And Fong said she has no plans to stop. She is hoping to extend its reach to 200 students over the next few years.
Fong said she was driven by her passion when she established the Step by Step Tutoring program.
The initiative focused on connecting students from grades 1 to 6 from low-income families with tutors ranging from grades 8 to 12. Students were offered free financial literacy tutoring, with Grace personally selecting and training tutors to broaden the program’s impact.
Using Zoom sessions, students in kindergarten through sixth grade received assistance, overseen by both Fong and other tutors.
Step by Step Tutoring has extended its influence on students across Queens and Long Island, collaborating with schools in Great Neck North, Roslyn, Manhasset, Jericho, and Syosset school districts.
In recognition of her extended Gold Award project, Fong has received awards of recognition from state Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti and the Rotary Club of Great Neck. Her outstanding work on the Girl Scouts Gold Award project also played a role in securing a $160,000 Leadership Scholarship at Syracuse University, where she is an incoming sophomore.
Randell Bynum, CEO of Girl Scouts of Nassau County, expressed admiration for Fong’s dedication to expanding her Gold Award project and her commitment to making a positive impact.
“Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s mission is to empower and inspire girls to both accomplish their dreams and help enhance the world around them,” said Bynum. “We commend Grace for her efforts to expand upon her Gold Award project and continue helping to make the world a better place.”
Bynum also noted how the Gold Award project is a solution-driven project. “Girl Scouts who earn the Gold Award focus on an issue they care about deeply and put forth solutions to approach it,” he said, “The work Grace has done exemplifies how to complete a successful Gold Award project.”
For more information about the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, visit gsnc.org.
