Over the course of this wretched pandemic, students have had a hard time adapting to the new circumstances. Schedules have changed and nothing feels routine anymore. It seems that many students struggle with self-motivation to do work when they’re not in school. Thankfully, there is an afterschool tutoring program to help anyone in need.  

The program occurs Tuesdays and Thursdays. National Honors Society (NHS) students and paraprofessionals are available from 2:30-3:30 in the cafeteria, and several teachers participate in their classrooms from 3:30-5. To sign up for the program, simply contact your administrator to get involved.  

The big dog in charge of this operation is Stephanie Thennis. She works hard to ensure that help is there and ready. Stephanie’s sister-in-law, Christine Thennis, also participates as a tutor. For Christine, a biology teacher at the end of the science hallway, this is not the first time she has tutored. “I worked as a teacher at a correctional facility for incarcerated youth. I tutored many students to help them pass their GED,” Christine said.   

Kids can complete a number of assignments each session, and it helps raise their grades immensely. “Enjoy might be a stretch, but I think they actually feel good about their accomplishments when they leave,” Christine said. Even in the event of a possible phase down, where everyone would be fully remote, they would fight hard to keep physical tutoring sessions alive. “In talking to administration, I think they hope to continue the program either if we go fully remote and once we go back full time,” Christine said. 

The ultimate goal of this program is to revive physical learning methods at a time when more kids are struggling in school than ever. Having a variety of learning methods available to students is essential, especially for those who haven’t wrapped their heads around this whole remote learning thing.