Ending the School Year with a Bang! |
|
|
|
June 10th was the last day of the 2025–26 school year at Homework Central — and what a year it was!
This year, we served over 100 students across four elementary schools with a truly unique set of supports, logged nearly 2,000 volunteer hours, hired an expert interim Executive Director, launched a full ED search, appointed new board members and officers, and broke records at our Annual Gala, as well as our End-of-Year Family Picnic with generous support from Star One. We also collected a fresh round of survey data from teachers and principals, and we’re gathering data from parents and students, as well as pursuing a research agreement with the San Mateo-Foster City School District to conduct an evaluation of Homework Central’s program. Here are some of our favorite educator responses from the end-of-year survey:
“I found that a lot of my students became more confident in reading.” “Students turned in homework every day.”
“Helping students with their homework... [led] to bigger [growth] in knowledge around the subject.”
While we’re incredibly proud of our accomplishments this year, there is a large unmet need for Homework Central in the School District, and much work lies ahead.
This summer, we will hire a full-time Executive Director and begin executing our annual plan, including steps to strengthen our program, operations, and fundraising. We’ll also continue evaluating our impact and conclude planning for our Fall events. Our goal is to position HWC for long-term success and help ensure that 2026–27 is our best school year yet.
If you want to help support our efforts over the summer, please reach out to our Development & Outreach Director, Ofelia Delgadillo, to explore donation and volunteer opportunities: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
|
|
|
Highlights from 2025–2026 |
|
| |
This school year, Homework Central served over 100 students at four elementary schools in the San Mateo-Foster City School District, with a truly unique set of supports unlike anything else in the community. -
Literacy- and math-focused individual and small group tutoring through homework completion assistance
- High-quality enrichment with premier partners like CuriOdyssey, where students engineered cars and tested aerodynamics
-
Family engagement, including bilingual events with healthy dinners, free books, and opportunities to build social connections and provide feedback on the program
- Community resources: we partnered with the Assistance League of San Mateo on Operation School Bell, providing students with new outfits, backpacks, and books
|
|
|
|
Success Reflected in Record-Breaking Events |
|
| |
Homework Central’s success in 2025–26 was also reflected in record-breaking engagement at our Annual Gala and End-of-Year Family Picnic.
Our 2026 Stars in the Making Gala was one to remember, and our strongest fundraising event in at least seven years. Thanks to the generosity of our community, the evening raised more than $78,000, a 60% jump over the year before. Guests enjoyed an evening of heartfelt speakers, a tribute to our longtime board member Matt Feuer, and the high-energy talents of our auctioneer, Chad Carvey, who brought the room to life during the live auction and Fund-A-Future appeal.
|
|
|
|
|
The highlight of the night was our Alumni Panel moderated by Board Member Guillermo Vazquez, where former students shared how Homework Central shaped their journeys. It was a powerful reminder of why this work matters and the highlight of the evening for so many in attendance. We are deeply grateful to our long term corporate sponsors — Fok Immigration Law, JDCounsel and McClure & Feuer — as well as every volunteer, board member, and guest who made it possible. |
|
|
|
We held our End-of-Year Family Picnic at Ryder Park in San Mateo. The weather was beautiful, and the event featured a pizza party with dessert, plenty of play time, and a raffle with amazing educational prizes, like a year-long family membership to a children’s museum of choice — CuriOdyssey, Hiller Aviation Museum, Exploratorium, and more.
In total, 150 family members came to the picnic, including 59 students, 33 siblings, and 58 adults. This means that nearly 49% of our students participated—a record for this event! |
|
|
|
The momentum from this year carries us forward, and we cannot wait to see you again in 2027! |
Updates from Homework Central |
Our volunteer tutors—including local high school and college students, senior citizens, and working professionals—are essential to our math and literacy programs. They logged 1,945 hours this year!
In March 2026, we appointed Interim Executive Director Dr. Benjamin York. As the former CEO of a family engagement-focused Public Benefit Corporation, Stanford Education Policy Ph.D., previous HWC board member, and long-time San Mateo County resident, Dr. York has brought nearly two decades of experience as an educational leader to this important transitional period for Homework Central. The Board’s Search Committee has been conducting a search for a full-time ED over the last two months, and is on track to conclude the search this summer.
During the 2025–26 school year, Homework Central also announced its new Officers of the Board, led by new Chair Monroe Labouisse. Joining Monroe are Dawn Graves as Vice Chair and Marylou Cronin as Treasurer, with Abhi Vasishth continuing as Recording Secretary.
Our 8-member board brings decades of expertise across education, law, research, nonprofit management, technology, and finance. The board also includes members possessing lived economic experiences that mirror those of the students and families we serve. The efforts we have taken to build organizational capacity and deliver a one-of-a-kind set of supports to children and families in San Mateo are making a big difference. As one San Mateo Park teacher noted: “I have seen growth in all of my students who attend Homework Central. The extra time, support, and encouragement from caring adults and volunteers helps them grow not only academically, but also in their confidence and social-emotional well-being.”
HWC’s impact is also reflected in feedback from Baywood’s Principal: “Homework Central goes beyond homework help by creating meaningful connections between students and caring adults who truly invest in their growth and well-being.” |
|
|
|
Homework Central’s donors are critical to ensuring that students in San Mateo have the academic, social, emotional, and basic material support they need to thrive in school and life. |
|
|
| Ways to Help Homework Central over the Summer Please consider a donation to support Homework Central over the summer and help make 2026-27 our best year yet. |
|
|
|
Interested in volunteering as a tutor? We’re always looking for committed volunteer tutors who are passionate about supporting children’s literacy, math, and social-emotional development. |
|
|
|
Our Contact Information *{{Organization Name}}*
*{{Organization Address}}* *{{Organization Phone}}* *{{Organization Website}}* *{{Unsubscribe}}* |
|
| Homework Central is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization | Tax ID 94-3368576 |
|
|
|
|
