As the school year progresses, some students may encounter difficulty in their class schedule. Although the initial instinct may be to drop the class or accept a failing grade, others consider tutoring to remedy their situation.

While an often effective solution to an unsatisfactory report card, the cost of tutoring may burden families who already struggle with finances.

As a result, the campus California Scholarship Federation (CSF) chapter initiated a complimentary tutoring program for students who feel they need assistance with a specific class or chapter within the subject. CSF members volunteered to tutor their peers in subjects as their talents dictated, free of charge.

?Too many kids get the idea that if things get hard, they can just bail,? Molly Sargent, CSF advisor, said. ?From my experience with the tutoring program I have now found it easier for me to make kids get help and try to bring their grade up before they drop a class.?

The club selected senior Natalie McCallum to spearhead the operation as tutoring program director. When students sign up to participate in the program, McCallum will pair them with a tutor that best accommodates their needs.

?I know how it feels to be really frustrated in a certain subject,? McCallum said. ?I’ve been tutored before and I know how much it helped me. I felt like being the director was something that I could do because I’m very good at organizing things.?

Although the main purpose of the program is to provide academic assistance without the cost, Sargent hopes the tutors will gain experience and develop leadership qualities.

?The main benefit for the CSF students is feeling like they are contributing to a better life for other students,? Sargent said. ?They are helping someone in a tangible way and learning leadership and intercommunication skills. They also receive community service [credit] needed to keep their membership in the club.?

As the formal hub for education assistance on campus, the Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides tutors for a fee. In addition to the difference of cost, the programs differ in that CSF promotes a casual atmosphere and operates on a temporary, per-need basis.

?I decided to become a tutor because I myself was tutored from fifth to ninth grade,? Elise Porter, ’11, said. ?Being tutored really helped me to do better in school and I want to be able to help someone else do better in school the way I was helped. I can also gain patience and learn to understand things better.?

According to Sargent, the tutors also help bridge social barriers, developing a bond with their students which may become a friendship. Sargent hopes tutors will share satisfaction with their student when he or she achieves a goal or receives a desired grade.

?I think that I can gain a lot from tutoring,? Jason Herron, ’09, said. ?In order to teach you have to understand the subject very well, so tutoring helps me to understand the subject better and it refreshes my memory. I also get to help kids.?

For more information on the CSF tutoring program, e-mail Molly Sargent or contact Natalie McCallum.