Jan Booth, a longtime resident of San Rafael with a background in business, marketing, communications, and helping nonprofits with business and strategic planning says that about a decade ago she decided she wanted to try something different—something more directly connected to helping others.
That’s when her journey with Canal Alliance began, now 11 years ago, a friend that had been volunteering in Canal Alliance’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program invited Jan to help one evening. Jan says she immediately found the experience rewarding. While she first did it to support her friend, she says she soon realized she wanted to contribute in a slightly different way. That’s when she discovered Canal Alliance’s the University Prep (UP!) program and began working with students — and from then on says she was all in.
A dedicated UP! tutor Jan volunteers once a week and works closely with students over the long term. She initially tutored two sixth-grade boys and stayed with them through high school. Today, both have gone on to college — with one graduating from University of California, Merced this year.
“[My role] varies by week,” Jan says of her tutoring sessions. “But I find it very satisfying to see what they need help with and how I can support them.”
Jan tailors her approach to connect schoolwork with her students’ personal interests. “I work a lot of the time to see what they are interested in within their homework and how they can tie it into their lives,” she explains.
Currently, Jan works with two students — a senior and a sophomore. She says she’s especially excited that the senior student has already been accepted into college, a milestone that reflects both the student’s hard work and UP!’s steady support. A great connection.
What resonates most with Jan are the relationships she builds. “The first two boys I worked with were so appreciative of our time together. We created a great connection,” she recalls.
Jan also reflects on the challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, when both tutoring and students’ lives were disrupted. Throughout that time, she remained consistent. “I was there for them on Zoom to help with homework and be a sympathetic ear.”
Reflecting on her time as a volunteer, Jan says “This is an opportunity to help a student get the most out of school they can. It is stressful enough time to apply to colleges. It is nice for a student to have that extra support by their side.”
She emphasizes that sometimes students simply need encouragement and exposure to opportunities they might not otherwise consider. She recalls a particular moment: a student she tutors was encouraged by a UP! supervisor to apply to a private high school — and was accepted. “I do believe without University Prep (UP!) she would have never thought of applying,” Jan says.
Through her commitment, Jan continues to make a lasting difference — one student, one session, and one connection at a time.