Eva Fridman, a Newton teenager at Boston University Academy, co-founded SySTEM Playground to provide free, engaging online classes in maths and science for children aged 9 to 13, supported by Hack Club and aimed at bridging educational gaps.
A Newton teenager is building a free online tutoring nonprofit aimed at making advanced maths and science feel more approachable for younger students. Eva Fridman, a rising sophomore at Boston University Academy, has co-founded SySTEM Playground with Catherine Wang and Chloe Jiang, offering virtual classes for elementary and middle school pupils in subjects such as statistics, economics and computer science.
Fridman told the Newton Beacon that the point is not to simplify the material beyond recognition, but to present it in a way that fits younger learners. The lessons are designed for students aged 9 to 13 who speak English, whether they are in the US or abroad, and the founders say the programme is meant to sit alongside school learning rather than replace it.
Hack Club, a teen-focused technology nonprofit founded in 2014, is providing fiscal sponsorship for the project. According to Hack Club, it backs young people who want to create practical projects, run coding clubs and build technical skills, and it offers that support free of charge to teen-led initiatives. Christina Asquith, a Hack Club co-founder, said the organisation was happy to support Fridman’s effort.
SySTEM Playground has already tested its approach. Fridman said the group ran a pilot in May, where she taught probability to one student using curriculum developed by the founders. She plans to teach probability and statistics in the coming school year, with classes held online once a week for an hour, except for maths, which will meet twice weekly. Fridman said the lessons will include homework, practice problems generated with artificial intelligence and interactive elements such as friendly competitions and collaboration, all intended to help students retain what they learn.
Fridman has said the programme is meant to address a gap for families that cannot afford extra tutoring and for schools that may not have the resources to offer every student individual support. She has also reached out to Newton Public Schools and districts in Georgia, which she said may have fewer tutoring options, in an effort to spread the word. For Fridman, the longer-term goal is to spark early interest in STEM subjects and show children that they can engage with challenging material without being intimidated by it.
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