Name: Itamar Lebowitz
Hometown: New Haven, CT
College and Major: Brandeis Class of 2030, Undecided
Tutoring Site: Science Park
Clubs: Escape Room and Puzzles, Chess
Favorite Childhood Book: Percy Jackson
I first started tutoring at New Haven Reads in the summer of 2024, and have been doing so year-round since then. I love seeing the students grow and improve, and being an intern over the summer has given me the opportunity to see and engage with more students.
One student in particular stood out to me because I had tutored them all back in the fall of 2024. Being able to see just how much this student had grown since I had last taught them showed me just how well the program here at New Haven Reads works.
In addition to working with individual students one-on-one, being a summer intern has given me the chance to see how the students can interact and have fun during clubs. I have had the privilege of running both the chess club and the escape room clubs at Science Park and have enjoyed both. Seeing the students work together to solve puzzles and challenges in the escape room club, and seeing them work hard to improve their skills in the chess club has allowed me to connect with the students outside of the structured tutoring hour. The chess club especially has helped me connect with the students by being able to talk through ideas and teach them concepts that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.
Overall, being a summer intern has been a great experience and I hope to come back to New Haven Reads next summer, when I get off from school.
