About Us

A tutoring community built from ICS

A5 Academy was created by ICS alumni to connect multiple generation of ICS students.

80+ students supported

60+ all-time ICS tutors

Our Purpose

Personal lessons from student tutors who understand ICS

We believe students benefit from learning with tutors who have walked the same path before them: tutors who understand ICS courses, expectations, exams, teachers, and student life from firsthand experience.

A5 Academy brings together alumni, upperclassmen, and younger students so tutoring can feel more personal, relatable, and rooted in shared experience.

Our Co-Founders

Samuel and Eugene

A5 Academy was co-founded by Samuel Kwan and Eugene Chan, two ICS alumni whose friendship began in 2007 when they met at ICS kindegarten. After growing up through ICS together, they graduated from the school in 2021.

Their long connection to ICS and love for the school shaped the heart of A5 Academy: older students and alumni supporting, guiding, and encouraging the students who come after them.

How A5 Started

A summer idea that grew

A5 Academy began in the summer of 2022. Samuel had already been tutoring ICS students for around three years when Eugene approached him with an idea: many parents were looking for reliable student tutors who understood ICS and could connect well with their children.

What as a small project in a hotel room during quarantine has grown into a tutoring community that has now supported over 80 ICS students.

Why A5?

Quality, ambition, and a little wordplay

The name A5 is a play on words. It refers to A5 Wagyu, known for its high quality, while also reflecting what we want for our students: A's in their courses and 5's on AP exams.

For us, A5 represents high standards, thoughtful support, and the belief that students can aim high with the right guidance.

Where We Are Today

Growing the ICS tutoring network

Since 2022, A5 Academy has helped over 80 students across middle school subjects, high school courses, SAT preparation, and AP exams. Over 60 ICS students and alumni have taught with A5 across that time.

As we continue to grow, our goal remains the same. We aim to provide high quality tutoring while building stronger connections between current students, upperclassmen, and alumni at ICS.