Dear parents,

I'm Stephanie Schmit, founder of Boston Private Tutors. As both a science educator and someone living with chronic illness, I deeply understand the need for community that prioritizes safety. Building COVID-safe spaces where children can learn, socialize, and thrive has become my life's work. After last summer's inaugural robotics program generated so much interest from the community, we're launching in-person summer camps in multiple locations and virtual group classes covering a range of topics—all specifically designed for COVID-cautious kids.

Sense of community is foundational to everything we do here. Students learn and socialize best when they feel they truly belong. Beyond that, I believe deeply in equipping young people with leadership and teamwork skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Whether through hands-on STEM projects, creative work, or group challenges, students spend their time building, creating, problem-solving, and collaborating with each other.

My approach to teaching, blending technical rigor with play and creative exploration, comes from studying mechanical engineering and leadership at MIT, leading international summer camps for middle schoolers, and training as a circus acrobatics instructor. These experiences taught me how to build environments where high standards meet play and joy, spaces where students of all types grow into curious, capable individuals who trust their own abilities.

Every educator on our team is COVID-cautious in their everyday lives and brings lived experience to this work. When students feel safe and supported, incredible things happen: they become more confident, more inquisitive, and more willing to step outside their comfort zones and make change happen.

Thank you for considering joining this community. I am so excited to see the friendships, projects, and discoveries that grow out of our time together.

Warmly,

Stephanie Schmit

A Letter from the Founder

About Stephanie Schmit

Stephanie Schmit is the founder of Boston Private Tutors and an MIT mechanical engineer with over a decade of experience teaching and mentoring students in math, science, engineering, and problem-solving.

Before founding Boston Private Tutors, Stephanie designed and led summer camps for middle schoolers in multiple cities across China, teaching soft skills like teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. In these programs, middle school students worked together to tackle challenges, present ideas, and build confidence—often transforming from shy, hesitant participants into confident speakers presenting to rooms full of peers and adults.

Her time as a professional circus performer and instructor added another dimension to her approach. Her acrobatics teacher training taught her how to blend technical rigor and safety with play and creative exploration.

Through the Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program, she expanded her toolkit to include a vast catalog of hands-on technical activities and mastered the logistics of managing large-scale teambuilding events for 30+ students. Over two years of leading weekly leadership labs, she refined her ability to manage complex projects and guide diverse teams, emphasizing ethical decision-making, resourcefulness, and effective communication.

Through Boston Private Tutors and her summer programs, Stephanie brings these experiences together to build strong teaching teams and create learning environments where students develop confidence, form meaningful connections, and practice the leadership and collaboration skills that will serve them for years to come.

Experience

  • Founder, Boston Private Tutors

  • MIT Mechanical Engineer (2011)

  • Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program

  • 15+ years teaching STEM & Leadership

  • Prior experience running kids summer camps

  • Handstand and Partner Acrobatics Teacher (2 yrs)

  • High School Robotics Team President (2007)

Health

  • Chronically ill since 2016

  • ME/CFS, Ehlers Danlos, POTS, Long Covid

  • Default Friend Group Safety Person

  • Favorite Masks: Readimask & VFlex

Fun Stuff

  • Former Acrobat/Circus Performer

  • Favorite hobby: Cross stitch

  • Loves taking things apart to learn how they work