A tutor helps a fellow student in the library on Tuesday after school at Parkway North High. Student tutors are available Monday-Thursday after school for anyone who needs help.

Students can get help with academics by visiting the library after school Monday through Thursday until 3:45 p.m. Students in the A+ program and the NHS are available for tutoring and homework help.

“It varies how many kids stay after for A+. We usually have at least 3-4 tutors now. As the semester ramps up, we get more because NHS get all their new members at a certain point and then we’ll get lots of tutors,” said librarian Brigid Dolan.

Tutoring helps make a difference in students academic performance, helps build a positive environment, and also provides one-on-one personalized attention, and volunteering hours as well.

“I think it helps the community because it gives kids space to do their work even if they don’t get tutoring, they can work on their homework and get help in their classes,” said Dolan.

It also gives them confidence as well as not fearing judgment from their peers around them, even being able to learn at their own pace rather than learning with others who may be faster learners.

“I do tutoring to help other students reach their full academic potential. Required tutoring hours have nothing to do with it,” said Ray Rao, who is a tutor who is frequently available.

At North, tutoring consists of multiple school subjects like math, engineering, Spanish, science, English, and many more.

“I tutor all core subjects, as well as Spanish and engineering, and I tutor whatever people need,” said Rao.

Students interested in getting help may sign up ahead of time to insure that a tutor in their subject-area is available but also may just show up.

“We still need tutors to stay after school and we need kids who need tutors to stay after school because we know there are kids who benefit from it,” Dolan said.

Not only do tutors help students, but they also help the tutor themselves. One way it helps them is by getting them volunteer hours needed for both National Honor Society and the A+ program. Another way is to help them better understand and retain the information themselves.

“I think it helps students in the organization, so they can get volunteer hours, and I think it helps teach a person once they have to teach someone else, so I think it’s a really good experience,” said Dolan.

NHS is a National Honors Society program for students who demonstrate service, leadership, academic excellence, and character. Members must complete a minimum of 30 community service hours and tutoring is a way to achieve that goal.

Students in the A+ Program, which is a merit-based program that provides students with scholarship funds for college if they meet certain criteria. One of the requirements is to perform at least 50 hours of tutoring or mentoring.

“Students should come to tutoring for a jolly time full of fun and learning,” Rao said.