21 Years and Counting!

While True North Academy began under its current name in 2025, Tatiana J Klein, founder and volunteer executive program director, has been running her after-school program for talented immigrant and first-gen students since 2005 (most recently under The Marshall Hope Corporation). Offering programming twice weekly after school and during a camp each summer, TNA serves students whose families do not speak English at home; whose parents cannot always afford groceries and diapers, let alone math tutors, art classes, or music lessons; who show so much potential but, without support, might never realize it. Through her close ties to the Annapolis immigrant community as a Costa-Rican immigrant herself, Ms. Klein finds these students as young as 4 years old and supports them through high school graduation and beyond.

Students receive one-on-one math and reading tutoring, music education (including instrumental music lessons and choir), art classes, and athletic experiences. And all of this is offered free to the families who need it most. This is possible with the support of tutors from the Annapolis community; volunteers from local high schools; partnerships with other nonprofits including Annapolis Symphony Academy, Bike AAA, Tennis Alliance, and Arundel Rivers Federation; as well as the expertise of TNA’s three teachers (reading specialist, teaching artist, choir director).