Ask Avery by Avery Meyer

How do you deal with the stress of finals?

   Study don't over think it. You know the stuff. Good luck I guess.

The Gradesaver by Megan Copeland

The scariest thing in the world to some students would be an F on a test or a report card.

Learning certain topics may be challenging based on what an individual is good at. If someone struggles in at a specific topic, that person’s grades may suffer.

However, there are actions a person can take in order to improve their grades. One of these actions include tutoring.

Unfortunately, many students in this school don’t know that after school tutoring exists. For a high school student who is high in the top twenty, an “A-” in a class could set them back. If he or she were struggling in that said class, well, they could kiss top twenty goodbye.

“I know a lot of people are struggling a lot right now, and if they can get some one on one help, they can get better grades,” freshman Salutatorian Elaine Wilson said.

After school tutoring sessions are available Monday through Thursday in room E109. Students will be tutored by National Honor Society members who are experienced in the variety of subjects that a student may need help on.

NHS advisor Sharon Eickhoff expresses her excitement for the after school tutoring program. She hopes more people will come and participate in it if someone needs help in a specific area.

“Having students tutor tutor students is beneficial because it’s a peer on peer and that works really well. I think it works both ways. Number one, I think it’s nice that they work comfortably together. People are taking ownership of their learning and also have opportunities to reach out and be a mentor,” Eickhoff said.

Even so, that might not work for busy students. While coaches and club advisors encourage students to seek help on academic matters and be a little late to practice or club, students may feel obligated to put sports and extracurriculars ahead of getting help on certain academic subjects.

Junior Gehrig Rihm is an academic honor student and a member of the school band. He discusses how for a busy student, this program is challenging for busy students to squeeze into their active schedules.

“They always have practice at the same time and they are torn between practice and tutoring,” Rihm said.

There are websites students can visit to get help in certain areas. Khan Academy is a website where students can work on specific skills in math, English, and sciences.

However, there are students who lack the resource of the internet. If that is the case, there are tutoring hotlines where students can get help on specific subjects.

One of these hotlines is Rose-Hulman’s Homework Hotline. This hotline is directed to Rose-Hulman students and is available for high school students to call, text, and email for help on a specific subject. The phone number for this hotline is (812) 877-8435 and the hotline opens at 7 p.m.

While colleges do look at extracurriculars and sports when deciding who they will allow into their university, they also look at grades and class averages. It may not seem like it now, but one staggering grade could put a dent in the admission process for a specific student. If a student needs academic help, he or she will only receive it if they have the courage to ask.

Ask Avery: An advice column by Avery Meyer

What is the best way to ask someone to prom?

  I prefer to be blunt and not sugar-coat it. Make sure they’re in a good mood before you ask them. If they say no, ask someone else like a friend. You can also ask your mom to find you someone to take. Good luck, I guess.