Congratulations to our December 2025 Awesome grantee Tapan Sharma. He will provide ACT/SAT Prep classes for Saint Paul students this Spring.

According to Mr. Sharma, “As a teacher and tutor for over 20 years, I've helped students at high-poverty schools around the country do well on the ACT and SAT to make college an option, first through MasteryPrep, who hired me to teach 40+ Exam Prep Boot Camps all over the U.S., with groups of 2-100+ in everything from a band room without desks where I improvised with music stands to a classroom without any lights where I improvised by not minding.

“Then, I started teaching on my own through Wellspring Education, where I am now building success through my solo classes at Eden Prairie High School and Edina High School.

In terms of accessibility, however, I want to go further, and farther: I want to teach a free one-day ACT and SAT class open to St. Paul high school students, up to 36 students, 12 from each of Central High School, Humboldt High School, and Harding High School in Spring 2026, allowing the schools to choose by nomination or lottery based on interest. I will reserve a room at a Saint Paul Public Library on a Saturday and deliver my 6-hour course to give students a boost on their exam, whichever they decide to take.

“The class will be delivered no later than May 2026, since the last Spring test dates are June 6 (SAT) and June 13 (ACT).”