Just as thrift stores give used goods and older siblings pass down clothes they no longer fit into, the knowledge of seasoned Shorecrest students is being passed down to those needing help in certain academic subjects.

     Shorecrest’s peer tutoring program, which started in 2024, creates a space where students can learn new studying techniques and reinforce their understanding of difficult concepts from being tutored by older students. The program currently offers tutoring for 30 courses.

       According to St. John’s University, peer tutoring is the best option for students needing academic assistance. Students can better understand how to collaborate with others and flourish in the subjects that challenge them most.

     Freshman Kendall Klingel attends peer tutoring on Wednesday afternoons to help retain the information she is learning in class. “I feel like [the tutors] motivate me to study, work harder, and keep me focused,” she said. “I think peer tutoring made my test [averages] better because I can study with people who have already taken the test and know what they’re doing.”

     The program’s emphasis on having students teach other students not only helps them better comprehend the material, but also brings a sense of comfort when working with someone close to them in age. “Some [students] have told me that it can almost be fun, in a sense…it’s less intimidating working with someone similar to your age, as opposed to an adult,” said US Learning Specialist Dr. Jennifer Hart.

     Currently, Shorecrest’s peer tutoring program offers 30 academic subjects, giving students a variety of options. These don’t only include core classes such as math, English, and world languages, but also electives such as computer science and art history.

     The courses in the highest demand are math and physics. “Freshman are coming in for physics. . . and they’re saying that they just don’t understand it, or it’s moving quickly,” said Dr. Hart. “We had some kiddos at the start with geometry, but physics has been our ongoing subject.” 

     Students also have access to sessions called “Executive Functions with Dr. Hart,” enabling them to learn better time management and organizational skills.

     Ultimately, academic life is challenging, but implementing this new program makes it more manageable. Peer tutoring helps students take extra steps to improve their grades in a way that allows for personal connections with peers and for academically strong students to earn service hours.