In Judaism, a mitzvah is a religious commandment. Over time, it has come to be associated with good deeds in general and is important to the Jewish religion. Even the smallest thoughtful gesture is a mitzvah. For some people, like Ali Hunter and Lindsey Berman, mitzvahs are an everyday occurrence.

These two Clayton High School seniors are involved in UrbanFUTURE, a nonprofit organization designed to help middle school students at Fanning and L’Ouverture middle schools in the city of St. Louis. High school and college level students from around St. Louis tutor and mentor the kids in this program on a weekly basis.

UrbanFUTURE offers two different programs that aim to provide as much help as possible to interested students. The mentoring program is called INSPIRE and the tutoring program is called IMPACT. Students involved in these programs participate first in an hour of interest-based classes, such as hip-hop or cooking, followed by the tutoring program.

Hunter and Berman are members of the IMPACT branch at Fanning Middle School, which tutors students mostly in math and communication arts, based on their needs. Hunter first became involved last year when she heard about the opportunity from her English teacher, Adam Hayward.  

“I had been talking about the program in general to students,” Hayward said. “Ali seized the opportunity.”

When she first heard about the program, Hunter she couldn’t wait to get started.

“I’d always had a passion for working with kids, so I wanted to do it right away,” Hunter said.

Her caring and generous character traits made her a perfect fit for the program.

“Ali is a first-rate student who demonstrates compassion and thoughtfulness towards others,” Hayward said. “She cares very much about the world beyond her own self. I knew she’d be great.”

As a member of Central Reform Congregation, Hunter contributes to education every day through her enthusiasm for teaching.

“My favorite part is after doing it a whole year last year, I saw how much my kid improved and where he started to where he ended up,” Hunter said.

Fellow tutor and CRC member, Lindsey Berman, heard about the program through Hunter and decided to become involved in UrbanFUTURE. She witnessed how happy the program makes Hunter and the personal bond that she formed with her student.  

“I can tell she’s really passionate about it because she still talks about her student from last year who’s not there anymore,” Berman said. “She also wanted to go see her student perform in the talent show.”

Berman loves the program just as much as Hunter does. After experiencing the program for herself, Berman feels as though she receives as much as she gives.

“I just think it’s a really rewarding feeling to be able to teach people and help them in a more interesting way than it would be in a classroom environment,” Berman said.  

However, Berman has most enjoyed forming a close relationship with her student, not only in an educational sense, but also on a personal level.

“The best part is that I’m not only teaching, but forming a relationship with her and getting to know about her,” Berman said.

Urban FUTURE’s Community Outreach Manager, Jennifer Davies, has witnessed the bonds that tutors form with their students.

“It’s more than just an hour of teaching because they do see each other and talk every week, and since the tutors and students are closer in age, they form a relationship with each other,” Davies said.

Through UrbanFUTURE tutoring, Hunter and Berman provide a helpful learning environment for their students.

“Last year, my kid almost had to go to summer school, but after a whole year of reading and writing, he didn’t end up having to go,” Hunter said.

By providing struggling students with the help they need to succeed, UrbanFUTURE plays an important role in education.

“Teachers at the middle schools love the program because they can really see the improvement of the students involved,” Davies said. “The one on one time with students is really beneficial.”

Hunter and Berman continue to find joy in their good deeds and use their knowledge of mitzvot to guide their actions.

“Just seeing the look on their faces and how happy they are after getting something right is amazing,” Hunter said.

 For more information on UrbanFUTURE or becoming a part of it, contact Jennifer Davies at [email protected] or visit the website at www.urbanfuture.org.