In this video, Joy, an iMentor Chicago senior, and her mother, Kathryn, talk about challenges in remote learning with Brandis Friedman, anchor with Chicago Tonight. iMentor has launched the iMentor Collective Response Fund to support students like Joy in a critical year.

This semester, millions of students are attending school remotely due to concerns around Covid-19. Because of systemic inequities, these students and their families need support to ensure they can fully participate in remote education, with the technology and internet access that makes virtual learning possible.

For Joy, a senior at Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville who wants to study criminal justice in college, attending school remotely became a challenge this spring when her laptop broke. Without a computer, Joy had to rely on her phone to complete all her schoolwork.

“I was on my phone for two months. It was kind of hard because it's better to type on a computer. You feel more comfortable,” said Joy. “On my phone, it's a small screen and you’ve got to do multiple things.”

After her laptop broke, Joy was able to get a laptop from school, but that one did not work, leaving her with no choice but to try to manage her assignments on a mobile phone.

Joy is among the many students who experienced difficulties with remote schooling. Forty-two percent of iMentor students say their ability to complete schoolwork was negatively impacted during remote schooling.

With help from her program manager, Joy was able to apply for emergency funding from iMentor, which enabled her to purchase a computer that she could use for schoolwork.

This fall, Joy is weighing either going directly to college—her top choices are Howard University and Tuskegee University—or first joining the military to help finance her college education. If she were to join the military, Joy would choose the Air Force, where her brother currently serves. Joy’s eventual plan is to join law enforcement to help victims of human trafficking.

The students that iMentor serves are likely to be the hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. They deserve the best supports possible to navigate this moment. Learn about iMentor's investments in four areas to meet the unique challenges of the year ahead.