Best In Class Tutoring Educating Peninsula

PALO ALTO, CA —Shan Zhao has gone the distance with her mastery of tutoring.

The academic whiz who hails from China opened Palo Alto's Best in Class – a key player in the $7 billion tutoring industry – with the ideals of hard work, perseverance and innovative thinking in a region that invented the word. She's creating an enhanced learning experience for the students of Palo Alto Unified School District and beyond.

Zhao, 48, grew up in Beijing working furiously at her studies. After moving to Monaco, Canada and eventually the United States, she realized the difference in educational systems across the globe. After volunteering at her son’s school, the differences became more stark. She wanted to do something to contribute to the betterment of American academics, so she launched a career in education.

"School is very different back in China, especially with the homework," she said.

There's a way to nurture living and learning, and Zhao abides by that principle. She watched her 9-year-old son Alexander become bored with his studies because he's a quick learned. Specialized education assists in bringing out a students' unique qualities and learning characteristics to advance in their studies. It's a hands-on approach.

Located at 490 California Avenue, the new center has logged its first quarter of business, gaining about a dozen students through the school year. Zhao is accepting more students in the summer, when the pressure has lifted somewhat for youngsters and teenagers trying to get ahead of their studies. She has two tutors on staff, offering packages involving four sessions a month scheduled once a week.

“I am thrilled to introduce Best in Class to Palo Alto,” Zhao said. “Volunteering in my son’s school, I got to know the students closely and saw the need for additional help on academic performance, both for those needing additional help and those looking for further advancement. My goal is to help every student become the best in class.”

Zhao graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems before moving to Monaco to obtain her master's in business degree. She then moved to Canada for 17 years and worked as a director of operations for 10 years before her husband’s job moved the family to Sunnyvale in 2016. After three years, Zhao decided to jumpstart the next phase of her career in one of her passions.

“I am incredibly passionate about education,” Zhao added. “Moving around, I’ve seen that education in China, Europe, Canada and the United States are all very different. I’ve seen that kids love learning, but in some systems there is not enough attention in the classroom or advancement opportunities to satisfy their hunger for learning. I hope to fulfill that gap through Best in Class.”

Best in Class Education Center is pioneered by fearless leader Hao Lam, a close mentor for Zhao. Lam believes that education is the gift of a lifetime. After he fled Vietnam's communist government in the late 1980s, he worked tirelessly to put himself through school at the University of British Columbia. During that time, he tutored his classmates through complex coursework and difficult exams, sparking a lifelong passion for educating others.

Best in Class opened its first center in 1995 in the heart of Bellevue and began franchising in 2011. Since then, the company has grown rapidly to 61 locations across 12 states. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there are locations in San Francisco, Union City, Fremont, Cupertino, San Jose, Tracy and San Ramon.

Best in Class offers various courses, exam study and college course prep to help boost students’ test scores, grades and chances of education advancement.

“We are excited to work with Zhao to offer these services in the Palo Alto community and look forward to changing these student’s lives through education,” Lam said.

Palo Alto tutoring packages run $150 for elementary school students and $155 for high schoolers.

More information on the Palo Alto center may be obtained by visiting www.bestinclasseducation.com/locations/palo-alto.

Founded in 1995 with franchising offered since 2011, Best in Class is a premium education center providing supplemental education.