By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- The Niles High School students tutoring some of Ring Lardner Middle School's seventh and eighth graders as part of the Homework Busters program, aren't just providing homework help.
Georgia Boggs, Ring Lardner's drop-stop coordinator, said the high school students, who are all National Honors Society members, also are good role models for the younger students they help with homework.
To show her and the seventh and eighth graders' appreciation of their tutors and mentors, she is inviting all of them to attend a special celebration on Wednesday between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. at the Ring Lardner Middle School cafeteria.
That is her way of saying thank you for the help the tutors and mentors have provided the Homework Busters program with this year. The thank you event falls in line with National Volunteer Week, celebrated next week.
Boggs said the program to bring in high school students to help out middle school students with homework is an offer the school has provided students with for the last six years. It's also part of the school's drop-stop program.
Students come in on their own initiative to get help with their homework, she said.
And, the program gives students a place to go right after school, if they need that, she said.
Boggs said the seventh and eighth graders enjoy working with the high school students.
Boggs said 25 high school honor students, spread out on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, tutor the middle school students every week beginning in September.
Shane Kennedy and Rachael Every are two of the high school students who have contributed some of their time to help the middle school students with homework.
Although tutoring for 10 hours is one of the requirements to remain a National Honors Society member, both said helping the younger students with homework is time well spent. Going back to Ring Lardner also is an opportunity for them to take a step back in time and remember how it was to be a student at that school.
Those wishing to attend the Wednesday celebration, should RSVP by April 21 by calling Georgia Boggs on 683-6610.