Academy Students Tutor St. Peter Claver Students
February 13, 2017
Credit: Zoie Ashmeade (used with permission) The students at St. Peter Claver love to goof around and play with the tutors.
Every Monday at 3:30, a group of Academy girls goes to St. Peter Claver (SPC) to tutor the students in their after school program. The club is run by Seniors Naomi Youakim, Katie Quackenbush, and moderator, Carol Anderson.
Once the girls arrive at SPC, they go upstairs to the cafeteria and sign in with the school psychologist, Dr. Eileen Lyons. They then find their assigned student who can be in any grade from Kindergarten to eighth grade. The tutors are given a student at the beginning of the year and stay with them throughout the entire program.
All the girls in the club find it very rewarding to help the students at SPC to better their education and form a bond with them. Achona asked some girls why they joined the club; below are their responses.
Senior Naomi Youakim said, “Last year, my assigned student, Jabari, was crazy and wouldn’t listen to anyone at the beginning. Then he started to really love coming to tutoring and raised his English grade from a D to a B. I tutor these students because of the impact it has on them and that in turn it makes me really happy and excited to go.”
During study-breaks many of the SPC students like to take pictures on the tutor’s phones.
Sophomore Kate Sweeney said, “I tutor for SPC because it is a great source of service hours and it is rewarding to see your student grow in the subject that you are helping them in.”
Senior Katie Quakenbush said, “I like volunteering at St. Peter Claver because I get to work with the same group of sweet first graders every week. I’ve been able to develop a strong relationship with them and have been able to watch their academic progress improve through this year. The students their make me laugh and always brighten my Mondays.”
Senior Olivia Stevens said, “I joined because Katie [Quakenbush] convinced me to because she loved the kids there so I tried it out. The kids are the sweetest things and it’s nice also hanging out with the other tutors from Plant.”
The tutors have formed a strong bond with many of the SPC students.
A group of students from Plant High School volunteer on Mondays with the Academy girls as well making the tutoring club not only a way to get service hours and tutor a child but also a way to meet new friends from other schools.