Purpose Tutoring was founded by JD Hopper, a math instructor who, in addition to his tutoring practice, teaches classrooms at Charlotte Latin School.

JD graduated high school with a 4.0 unweighted GPA after completing 15 AP and dual enrollment courses and earning a 5 on every AP exam he took. That academic head start helped him graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill’s rigorous economics program in two years.

JD specializes in math tutoring from early elementary through advanced calculus. His approach is centered on meeting students where they are and helping them understand the “why” behind what they’re doing, so math feels logical and empowering, not like a random set of rules to memorize.

JD works with a large roster of students, but he continues to take on new clients as his schedule allows because his passion and mission is to help students thrive in school and in life.

Shawn studied Biology at Davidson College, where he served in multiple peer mentorship and leadership roles. After graduating, he worked as a full-time high school Earth and Environmental Science teacher in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools before later pursuing a career at Atrium Health.

Shawn is especially strong in the natural sciences, including biology, environmental science, and chemistry, and he also works with students preparing for standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT. He completed advanced Spanish coursework at Universidad de Cádiz, which further developed his fluency and cultural understanding and helps him serve as a highly capable Spanish tutor in addition to his science and test prep work.

Shawn excels at breaking down complex material and explaining it in a way that feels clear and manageable for students. His goal is not only to help students raise their grades, but also to give them the confidence to participate more in class and approach challenging material with curiosity instead of anxiety.

Thomas trained as a writing tutor at the Sweetland Writing Center at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Since then, he has tutored student athletes in writing and economics and worked as a literacy tutor for children ages 5 to 7. By day, he runs a software engineering consultancy. Outside of work he writes and delivers speeches and blogs about technology, software, and culture. He believes that good writing is good thinking, and he loves helping students find their voice on the page.

At the heart of his approach is a simple belief: every student has something worth saying. Thomas is passionate about helping students express themselves fully on the page, connect with their own voice, and bring the great ideas they already have inside them to the surface in a way that feels authentic, thoughtful, and compelling.