about
StepUP is a free online platform that connects keen learners and low-income students with live, volunteer coaches and mentors any time academic help is needed. Our volunteer experience is designed to be flexible because we believe it should be easy for students like you to succeed regardless of limited resources. We help students at no cost from anywhere whether that be from the comfort of your couch, internet café or even our designated location. To overcome the challenges of accessing a device and/or network to connect, we try to find optimal solutions to bring the help to you. Our ultimate goal is to build a foundation for your academic success and help you realize your power to build a better future. The Rampur Project is a collective effort of StepUP to raise awareness of and improve the dismal educational state of Muslims in Rampur, UP.
Contact us today:StepupEdNJUP@gmail.com
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TESTIMONIALS
Here's what students are saying :
THOUGHTFUL
"Dear Tazmeen Ma'am,
First of all...I am glad that I found a teacher like you. Thank you soooo much for helping me. Your kindness made me feel welcomed and comfortable. You helped me so much in each and every concept of physics, chemistry and math because of which I gained a lot of interest in science. This is the reason I opted for the science stream. "
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Areeba Arif (Grade 11)
Rampur, UP
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ENGAGED
"I have been learning math and physics from Tazmeen ma'am since class 9 and it has been a great experience. She is a very thoughtful teacher who puts a lot of thought into how she presents the material. Her lessons are engaging and useful. She always encourages me to try and solve new problems. I would highly recommend her to anyone interested in learning."
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Atufa Kha ( Grade 10 )
Rampur, UP
HUMOROUS
"Hey Rayan,
I am so grateful you were able to help me get over my fear for math. I have always been scared of numbers. You showed me tricks and simple way to look at and solve the math problems. I love that you are funny, listen to me and tell me I can do it. Now I am able to complete my math HW and am getting Bs. I am going to aim for As next year."
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Zach ( Grade 8)
Morris Plains, NJ
CARING & PATIENT
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Zara has been helping our 6-year-old daughter with math and english. We are very impressed with her patience and ability to engage with our daughter in a calm and friendly manner. Through the summer, Zara was able to help our daughter grasp math concepts and prepare her for the school year. She has also helped improve her writing skills. We highly recommend Zara who is truly wise for a 13-year-old.
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M Khan
Morris Plains, NJ
MEET OUR team
Rayan Syed
Co-founder
Rayan is currently a freshman studying computer engineering. A graduate of Academy for Math, Science and Engineering in New Jersey, he has a variety of interests but focuses mainly on STEM. From a young age, he has enjoyed tutoring students locally. In Grade 2, he founded Read, Learn and Grow (an initiative to bring books and educational supplies to the underprivileged) and a free math tutoring service.With StepUP, he hopes to motivate and help young students with their academic goals. Outside of school, he enjoys learning languages (Chinese & Japanese), volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity, playing tennis and hanging out with his friends. As a minority Muslim student (representing 3% of student body in his current school and 1% in past programs), he hopes StepUp will provide a medium to encourage and help students to have access to educational resources.
Tazmeen Anjum
Co-founder
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Tazmeen holds a master of science with a focus in physics. She has significant experience in dealing with young minds with exemplary skills in the fields of mathematics and physics. Since an early age,Tazmeen has helped peers, family and friends with homework and her passion has evolved into private tutoring classes. She is most enthusiastic about StepUp and enjoys seeing young minds flourish academically. Outside of school, Tazmneen's interests include painting, crafting, crocheting and creating new and innovative products. She has a keen interest in music with a desire to learn musical instruments, mainly piano.
Zara Syed
Tutor (Grades 1-5) / Project Coordinator
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Zara is a middle schooler looking to contribute to the community that has bestowed so much upon her. An avid soccer player for STA, Zara enjoys spending time writing articles on the Medium & school newspaper relating to food insecurity, social justice, and other issues of our present-day society. She absolutely relishes creating pieces of art. Her work is inspired by her interests, including her feverish love of animals (haha!) and her fondness for nature. She hopes to be able to bind her love for crafting with her desire to return the endearment that she has received from her community. Nothing gives her more satisfaction than bringing a smile on someone’s face! Fusing her love of art and her commitment to making a difference, in 2020 she founded Good Intentions, an initiative to bring food, promise and hope to those who need it most.
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Steve Kim
Tutor (Grade 9-12)
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​I am currently enrolled in a master's in data Analytics in New York City and have recently completed a summer Data and Business Analytics internship at one of the most prestigious investment banks in New York. I derive great joy teaching young students and hope to inspire anyone who loves STEM and is seeking to continue their STEM journey in high school and beyond. Outside school, you can catch me playing chess or biking across NYC. Specialties: Predictive Modeling, Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Python.
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VOLUNTEER TUTORS
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Ahmed Khan, Oklahoma
Sara Shaikh, New York
Ria Shah, New Jersey
David S, New Jersey
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
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Aleena Khan, Rampur, India
Aleena holds a Bachelor of Science in math and is currently pursuing a master's in science from Raza Degree College in Rampur. She brings over five years of experience as a private tutor specializing in math. She enjoys teaching students and believes in spreading knowledge to help student thrive academically.
BACK STORY
Continued conversations on the state of education and data on access to and engagement level for academics in Rampur, UP, India drove my cousin and me to take action and create StepUP, a free online platform that connects keen learners and low-income students with live, volunteer coaches and mentors any time academic help is needed. My association with Rampur, UP, dates back to late1920s to my grandfather, Dr. Nazakat Ullah, a renowned physicist and author of several books focused on various aspects on nuclear physics (one of my favorite-Matrix Ensembles In The Many-Nucleon Problem (Oxford Studies In Nuclear Physics). In the mid-1900s, my grandfather encountered numerous hurdles to continue his love of learning, but he persevered and eventually earned a Ph.D. in the U.S. followed by a successful career as a global renowned scientist in Nuclear Physics. Almost a century later, little has changed on the education front in Rampur. Limited finances, lack of interest or guidance, access to schools are major hurdles children face with their educational journey. My grandfather’s academic challenges and my academic privileges, served as a source of inspiration and encouragement to help my peers. I have partnered with my cousin, who has experienced similar issues and is enthusiastic to help raise awareness on the importance of education. We believe education has the power to change mindset, increase earning potential and improve lives of families.
In 2020, children in Rampur still lack the support and opportunities to succeed in school. We are on a mission to change that. We work tirelessly to help them become the next generation of thinkers, believers, and doers. Research conducted over the years reveals 38.8% literacy rate of the Rampur district, 26 percentage points below to National average and 18 points less than state average. The gender gap in literacy is 20.75 in the district. The condition of Muslims, constituting half of the population of district, is worst as they are found most illiterate community, having average literacy rate of 33%. There is an urgent need for us to act as agents of change, not with words but with action!
