For more than four decades, EVkids has helped young people in the Boston area build academic skills, confidence and supportive relationships that can carry them from school through college and beyond.
The nonprofit, originally known as Earthen Vessels, was founded in 1980 by longtime SabbaticalHomes member Brian Thompson and Marie-Claude Thompson. What began with small groups of Boston youth spending time together at a summer camp in Vermont has grown into a year-round organization providing tutoring, mentoring, college support and summer experiences for underserved Boston students.
From Summer Camp to Year-Round Academic Support
The Thompsons founded Earthen Vessels as a response to childhood poverty in the Boston area. Their early program brought small groups of young people from Boston to Vermont for summer experiences centered on outdoor activities, community and personal growth.
That tradition continues today at EVkids Camp, a nine-acre camp in Vermont’s Green Mountains. Students ages 12–18 spend one or two weeks away from screens participating in activities ranging from sports and theater to cooking, hiking and other outdoor adventures. Campers and counselors share responsibilities such as preparing meals and cleaning, creating a close-knit community while developing independence, perseverance and teamwork.
In 1985, the organization expanded its work by launching a school-year tutoring and mentoring program. Eight Dorchester students were initially paired one-on-one with college tutors recruited through the Harvard Catholic Center.
Today, EVkids Tutoring provides one-on-one academic mentoring at after-school sites in Dorchester and Roxbury, as well as virtually. Students develop long-term relationships with university student volunteers who provide academic support and mentorship. EVkids recruits volunteers through partnerships with several Boston-area universities, including Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, Northeastern University, Tufts University, MCPHS and UMass Boston.
Supporting Students Beyond High School
EVkids has also expanded its mission to help students make the transition from high school to college and careers.
Through its College Success program, students receive assistance with college and scholarship research, applications, financial aid, campus visits and career preparation. EVkids graduates attending college can also be paired with mentors who help them navigate the college experience and work toward earning their degrees.
Together, EVkids’ tutoring, college mentoring and summer camp programs create a continuum of support designed to help Boston students develop the skills and confidence they need to achieve their goals.
The organization reports serving approximately 150 Boston students, with more than 10,000 volunteer tutor hours contributed and 86% of EVkids seniors attaining on-time high school diplomas in its most recent impact reporting.
An Academic Connection That Continues to Make an Impact
EVkids’ history also reflects the important role university communities can play beyond the classroom.
Co-founder Brian Thompson earned his PhD in comparative literature from Harvard University and taught French at the University of Massachusetts Boston. From the organization’s earliest tutoring partnerships with Harvard students to its current relationships with universities throughout the Boston area, college students and academics have played an important role in the EVkids community.
More than 45 years after Brian and Marie-Claude Thompson first brought a small group of Boston youth to Vermont, EVkids continues their original commitment to education, mentorship and community.
Learn more about EVkids, its programs and opportunities to volunteer at EVkids.org.
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