Help from a friend is often the best kind of help, and with teachers giving harder projects and tests in Quarters 3 and 4, DMAE students are feeling stress and need friendly help from people they can trust. Fortunately, again this year on the DMAE campus, the Peer Mentoring Club is eager to help and more students have joined up to provide this one-on-one tutoring.

Sophomore Christopher Gliwa was influenced to join the club and it inspired him to want to do the good his peers were doing by helping others.

“Last year, I had trouble studying for a few tests, so then the sophomores on my bus told me stop by their club, and they said they would help me with any schoolwork that I had trouble with,” Christopher said. “They helped me a lot,  especially for Ms. Aronson’s history tests, and for finals. Because of that, it inspired me to join the club and pass on my knowledge to others who also struggle with their school work.”

Established by juniors Dominica Dul and Giannina Garcia in 2013, the Peer Mentoring Club has one goal: to help students who are struggling with school work.

“Dominica and I wanted a way to help students who were having a tough time with the adjustment into high school,” said Giannina sincerely. “We wanted to give them an outlet and a judgement-free place where they could receive one-on-one help.”

Every Thursday during 9th period, students in the 10th and 11th grades volunteer to help any student in virtually any subject: Science, Math, English, History, and Language courses. When a student who needs to be tutored enters the room, he or she is directed towards the tutor who best suits his or her needs. With the one-on-one tutoring, it makes it easier to focus on the student’s situation.

With only students helping students, the founders believe this makes it easier for those who seek help to learn.

“Teachers usually have large groups of students in their tutorial sessions, so it’s harder to get the attention that you need,” said Dominica. “With a peer, it’s easier because you know the student, they’re taking the same classes as you, and you know that they’re on the same page as you. They also know what it’s like to be in class and not understand something, so it’s easier for them.”

Similar to Christopher, students who did visit the Peer Mentoring Club for help believed they benefited plenty from the experience. Sophomore Seba Saeed went to the club one day with a friend since she needed to practice her Spanish speaking skills. With the help of a peer mentor, Seba was able to use more of the vocabulary she was learning. Although she has been tutored by a professional in other subjects, the experience in the Peer Mentoring club was different for her.

“In comparison to my studies with my tutor,” said Seba, “I felt that peer mentoring was on a more personal basis, and unlike that with my tutor, my experience with the peer mentor was empathetic and interesting.”

Students struggling in any subjects are encouraged to attend the Peer Mentoring Club on Thursday’s during 9th period to master their hardest subjects with the help of their own friends or a new one. Contact Dominica [email protected] or Giannina [email protected] for more information.