'Study @ Starbucks' Offers Tutoring For Students
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
From 6 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, “Study @ Starbucks” provides local students with help from college-age orthopedic company co-op students. The free tutoring is available at Starbucks in Martin’s Supermarket, Warsaw.
Thursday night, at least 13 tutor volunteers from Zimmer, DePuy, Biomet and Warsaw Community High School had signed in to help more than a dozen high school and middle school students with their studies.
“It takes everyone to make a difference, and it’s working. Not only tutoring, but also mentoring. The kids get to spend time with young people on the college track who are being successful. It makes a difference,” said Amanda Scroggs, Warsaw Community High School assistant principal. “A lot of our interns are not from here, but this is a way to connect them to the community. They are interacting with our students and helping them.”
Scroggs and Alex Schutzman, a University of Cincinnati student and Zimmer intern, started the tutoring program in February and relaunched it in August. Schutzman wanted to be involved in the community where she was doing her internship, and had approached WCHS Principal Troy Akers about ways to do it. Akers put Schutzman in touch with Scroggs.
The first year, the tutoring was geared mostly toward high school math and science. Now they offer tutoring in a variety of subjects and even for middle school students.
“It’s not only for kids who are struggling, but also AP and dual credit students who need a little extra help,” Scroggs said.
Teachers help recruit other teachers to help with the study session. Students tell other students about the help they received. Tutors get other co-op students to volunteer. Even the WCHS PTO helps by providing bottles of water.
“Martin’s has been really gracious to give us this space. They’ve been very welcoming,” Scroggs said. “Some kids budget their work schedules to be here Thursday nights.”
Most tutors come back every week to help students, she said. The program loses some tutors when their co-op is over and they go home, but Scroggs hopes others sign on so the tutoring can be sustained.
“Our students have come to depend on this,” she said. “It’s tragic that so many students go to college without good study habits, knowing how to study in groups, how to get help and then drop out after the first semester. This will help students understand how to study and get help and be successful in college.
“They talk the students through the process of problem solving. They don’t give them the answers. They share their own high school experiences, what life is like in college for them,” she said.
University of Toledo student and Zimmer intern Callan Bialorucki has been involved with Study @ Starbucks since it started.
“I enjoy helping students,” Bialorucki said. “I was in their place at one point. I understand what they’re going through. I see ways to help them through my own past experiences.”
He said it’s not difficult to get other engineering students like him to be tutors because engineering students are higher-learning students who see the value in tutoring.
Schutzman is on her second rotation with Zimmer and won’t be back again during the school year. However, she plans to continue helping with the program from Cincinnati.
“The biggest help has been Amanda,” Schutzman said. “She’s been instrumental and done all the work. I just try to keep the tutors coming. Callan helped with the tutors while I was away. I was really happy to see it keep going and I was happy to come back again.”
She said Scroggs’ efforts will help the program grow in the future, and they’ve been brainstorming some other ideas for it.
“It’s been pretty awesome to see it grow,” Schutzman said.
She said they’ve discussed having social gatherings where the interns can talk to students about college and preparing for it. Any help from local companies would be great, she said.
Having committees for tutors and students has also been discussed, so they can share ideas and improve the program. They’ve had an idea for a donation program to help students with their dreams.
This program, Schutzman said, is a model program that she would like to see expand.
Ryan Goon, WCHS junior, was at Starbucks Thursday night not only to get his work done, but also be a tutor if someone needed help.
“It’s an easier environment (to study in),” Goon said. “It’s a lot easier to focus and you can get help if you are struggling.”
Tyler Swain, junior, was there to get his math done.
“It’s difficult. It’s confusing. I want to learn how to do it,” Swain said.
Purdue University tutor Ryan Schaller was helping Swain.
“He’s missed some classes so I’m helping him with basic concepts. He’s smart enough to figure it out while I show him some examples,” Schaller said.
Schaller sees the benefits in being a tutor.
“I feel like I’m giving back in a way that I would have liked help. I want to help kids who struggle the way I did,” he said.
Megan Stone, a Step One volunteer and parent of former WCHS students, sees the value of Study @ Starbucks.
“I think it’s fabulous,” she said. “I think the kids need it. The community support is just fabulous. It just gives the kids an extra boost of support. They’re interacting with role models. It gives them an extra boost to be successful.”
Lots of times, Stone said, kids don’t know how to get help. This program is just another opportunity for them.
“Any student is welcome to come,” said Scroggs.
For more information or to help, contact Scroggs at 574-371-5099, Ext. 2171, or [email protected][[In-content Ad]]
From 6 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, “Study @ Starbucks” provides local students with help from college-age orthopedic company co-op students. The free tutoring is available at Starbucks in Martin’s Supermarket, Warsaw.
Thursday night, at least 13 tutor volunteers from Zimmer, DePuy, Biomet and Warsaw Community High School had signed in to help more than a dozen high school and middle school students with their studies.
“It takes everyone to make a difference, and it’s working. Not only tutoring, but also mentoring. The kids get to spend time with young people on the college track who are being successful. It makes a difference,” said Amanda Scroggs, Warsaw Community High School assistant principal. “A lot of our interns are not from here, but this is a way to connect them to the community. They are interacting with our students and helping them.”
Scroggs and Alex Schutzman, a University of Cincinnati student and Zimmer intern, started the tutoring program in February and relaunched it in August. Schutzman wanted to be involved in the community where she was doing her internship, and had approached WCHS Principal Troy Akers about ways to do it. Akers put Schutzman in touch with Scroggs.
The first year, the tutoring was geared mostly toward high school math and science. Now they offer tutoring in a variety of subjects and even for middle school students.
“It’s not only for kids who are struggling, but also AP and dual credit students who need a little extra help,” Scroggs said.
Teachers help recruit other teachers to help with the study session. Students tell other students about the help they received. Tutors get other co-op students to volunteer. Even the WCHS PTO helps by providing bottles of water.
“Martin’s has been really gracious to give us this space. They’ve been very welcoming,” Scroggs said. “Some kids budget their work schedules to be here Thursday nights.”
Most tutors come back every week to help students, she said. The program loses some tutors when their co-op is over and they go home, but Scroggs hopes others sign on so the tutoring can be sustained.
“Our students have come to depend on this,” she said. “It’s tragic that so many students go to college without good study habits, knowing how to study in groups, how to get help and then drop out after the first semester. This will help students understand how to study and get help and be successful in college.
“They talk the students through the process of problem solving. They don’t give them the answers. They share their own high school experiences, what life is like in college for them,” she said.
University of Toledo student and Zimmer intern Callan Bialorucki has been involved with Study @ Starbucks since it started.
“I enjoy helping students,” Bialorucki said. “I was in their place at one point. I understand what they’re going through. I see ways to help them through my own past experiences.”
He said it’s not difficult to get other engineering students like him to be tutors because engineering students are higher-learning students who see the value in tutoring.
Schutzman is on her second rotation with Zimmer and won’t be back again during the school year. However, she plans to continue helping with the program from Cincinnati.
“The biggest help has been Amanda,” Schutzman said. “She’s been instrumental and done all the work. I just try to keep the tutors coming. Callan helped with the tutors while I was away. I was really happy to see it keep going and I was happy to come back again.”
She said Scroggs’ efforts will help the program grow in the future, and they’ve been brainstorming some other ideas for it.
“It’s been pretty awesome to see it grow,” Schutzman said.
She said they’ve discussed having social gatherings where the interns can talk to students about college and preparing for it. Any help from local companies would be great, she said.
Having committees for tutors and students has also been discussed, so they can share ideas and improve the program. They’ve had an idea for a donation program to help students with their dreams.
This program, Schutzman said, is a model program that she would like to see expand.
Ryan Goon, WCHS junior, was at Starbucks Thursday night not only to get his work done, but also be a tutor if someone needed help.
“It’s an easier environment (to study in),” Goon said. “It’s a lot easier to focus and you can get help if you are struggling.”
Tyler Swain, junior, was there to get his math done.
“It’s difficult. It’s confusing. I want to learn how to do it,” Swain said.
Purdue University tutor Ryan Schaller was helping Swain.
“He’s missed some classes so I’m helping him with basic concepts. He’s smart enough to figure it out while I show him some examples,” Schaller said.
Schaller sees the benefits in being a tutor.
“I feel like I’m giving back in a way that I would have liked help. I want to help kids who struggle the way I did,” he said.
Megan Stone, a Step One volunteer and parent of former WCHS students, sees the value of Study @ Starbucks.
“I think it’s fabulous,” she said. “I think the kids need it. The community support is just fabulous. It just gives the kids an extra boost of support. They’re interacting with role models. It gives them an extra boost to be successful.”
Lots of times, Stone said, kids don’t know how to get help. This program is just another opportunity for them.
“Any student is welcome to come,” said Scroggs.
For more information or to help, contact Scroggs at 574-371-5099, Ext. 2171, or [email protected][[In-content Ad]]
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