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Features/Opinions
THE STENTORIAN INCSSM
OCTOBER 2(X)7
Students Volunteer Time and
Experience to Community
By Joe Naron
In this season, students have a tendency to
become self-centered with the solid brick of
classes WebAssigns or college applications.
Rightfully so as their futures are at stake, most
students’s volunteer spirits expired after the
sixtieth hour of summer service. But for a se
lect few giving back to the community is con
stant regardless of scholastic demands. This is
evident in NCSSM students that volunteer as
tutors for the Pioneer Scholars Program at the
Emily Krzyzewski Family LIFE Center.
Founded in memory of Duke Coach Mike
Krzyzewski’s mother, the Emily K Center
serves the community in many functions,
one of the most crucial being the Pioneer
Scholars Program. The program targets K-8
economically disadvantaged students in the
Durham community, selected students are
provided with intense after-school tutoring,
character education and career development,
with the goal that “students [learn] to dream
big, act with character and purpose, strive for
academic excellence, and reach their highest
This also allows tutors to push students in the
right direction needed for academic success,
speaking of one particular student
“I know Verissa, the girl I was working
with, she was pretty smart, I don’t think I
was that smart in first grade, so it’s helpful
for her to have this support in this way,” said
Bellon.
Some of her best experiences have been in
realizing how the students come to strive for
success. Bellon said,“Whenever [students are]
so excited when they get the word right, or if
it’s wrong they’re like ‘Uhh, I knew that!”’
Junior Eli Homstein’s focus is more in
math tutoring than English, and is based on
what the students are actually studying in
school. His tutoring is based more on inde
pendent learning than repetition.
“I’m trying to teach them to innovate, to
take what they know and to create something
without needing to be spoon-fed, and then to
get help from others with their idea and to
develop that and not take their ideas and put
them away,” said Homstein.
Like Bellon’s student Verissa, Homstein’s
potential as our future generation of citizen
leaders,” according to the program’s official work has led him to encounter intelligent
objectives. motivated students who are only held back
Senior Jessica Anderson is responsible for by life’s circumstances.
organizing a group of students that volunteer
with the program, some going once and others
twice a week. Volunteers work under lead tu
tors who mentor and instmct the volunteers in
Photo credit www.emilyk.org
The Emily K Center from the outside.
teaching methods. The early grades program is
focused on one-on-one or one-on-two teach
ing, with one person working with a group
of three student and tutoring in reading and
math.
Senior Isabella Bellon is a reading tutor at
the center. She describes her experience tutor- statistics have improved to 62% of students
ing Hispemic students and compares it to her performing above grade'level and 38% of stu-
, • * A A. ^ * - TTO * • - — —A ^ r a
own expenence as an immigrant to the U.S.
“We are not allowed to speak in Spanish
with the kids, I kind of relate to my experi
ence coming to the United States, so I want
to give back to those kids who need that sort
of assistance,” she said.
According to Bellon, tutoring at the cen
ter is activity based, as the attention of a first
grade student is hard to keep for long, however personal quality to her students, Bellon says it
for students motivated through the Pioneer
program education is not a struggle.
“They are really attentive, they’re always
happy to be there,” said Bellon.
The one-on-one tutoring provides a way
for tutors to really get to know the students and
tailor learning activities to individual needs.
Opinion:Too
Few, Too Many,
or Just Right?
By Kathleen
Boudreau
Photo by Kara Tinker
I especially like Jeffrey, he was my first
student, we were teaching him greater than/
less than/equal to/not equal to. We did the
lesson, he got it, he was really smart. Then
he was actually ask
ing me questions and
he was able to go
beyond what we were
doing. He’s a smart
kid and his only bar
riers were really so
cial and economic,’
said Homstein.
The Pioneer pro-,
gram’s impact has
been quite positive
given its relatively brief existence. Based
on independent research from the’ Research
Triangle Institute, before enrolling in the
program, 66% of the first Pioneer class was
performing below grade level in reading,
13% at grade level, and 21% above. Those
dents performing at grade level. The center’s
emphasis on parental empowerment has also
been felt. 100% of parents agreed that attend
ing the program has helped their children do
better in school.
Perhaps the most positive result of the pro
gram is the character development transmitted
from tutors to students. If she could impart one
would be work ethic. “Everything is possible
pretty much, it’s doable as long as you work
hard for it,” she said.
With this type of work done by NCSSM
students in the community, the school’s
reputation can be one of service as well as
academic rigor.
What makes
this school great?
That is a simple
question with one
simple answer. It’s
the people that make
this school amazing
and worthwhile. It is
the differences that
each person brings to
the NCSSM community. It is the cultural
differences, political differences, alternative
lifestyles, and different interests. Nowhere is
this better represented than in the numerous
clubs that are active at NCSSM.
The ability to create or be a part of
clubs for just about anything that you are
interested in is an opportunity that many
students take advantage of. In clubs, students
can learn the art of pen spiiming or how to
play the harmonica. They can state their
views for either party in the Teen Democrats
or Teenage Republicans clubs. Students can
also get ready for spontaneous dance par
ties by going to DYAO or joining the DDR
Club, which are also great for exercising.
Any random or crazy interest that you may
have, be it fashion design, organ donation, or
pasta, can be incorporated into a club. Clubs
are a chance for students to show what they
love and see how many other students feel
the same.
School clubs are not only a priceless
mode of free expression, but they are also a
great way to meet people. There is no better
way to get to know other students than by
hitting each other with foam bats at Shire of
Avondale or watching an Indie film together
and then talking about the insane twist at
the end. Students can become part of a team
through joining the Dance Ensemble or Co
lours, the gospel choir. Students all come
from different backgrounds and different
places. The ability to be part of a club can
make friends out of people who have very
little else in common.
In a school that is filled with stress and
worrying about the next essay that you
have to write, the test you have this week,
or the college application that must be
sent in by next week, clubs offer a chance
to relax. They give students the ability to
have fun doing something other than try
ing to memorize chemical compounds and
the importance of Transcendentalism. The
chance to relax is something that most stu
dents dearly need here. Clubs may mean
the difference between breaking down and
flourishing at NCSSM. As far as the insane
amount of clubs goes, the more the better.
With the amount of clubs here at NCSSM,
everyone is sure to be able to find one that
suits them.