South Windsor High School’s Jump Start Club is a chance for all high school students to be a positive influence and help younger students with their school work. This club will be running from December 3rd until March 4th.
Jump Start is run by Kathy Reed and has 70 students signed up. This club has been running for over 20 years now, and Reed has overseen this club for the past 15 years.
“I appreciate that it offers opportunities for both middle school and high school students,” Reed said. “The Jump Start Tutoring program has grown throughout the years and has seen some changes along the way.”
Middle schoolers are able to get their grades up, while high school students get the opportunity to help their community and increase their communication skills.
“For some reason this year, we have seen a very large increase in interest from high school students,” Reed said. “So many, in fact, that I had to close all applications. The program has some limitations on size so that it stays successful and manageable. The tutors who are involved, however, find it to be a very rewarding program. They get to share their knowledge with a middle school student each week as they help them complete homework and prepare for exams. Even more importantly, the high school students are role models for the younger students. They provide support, encouragement and a positive connection.”
This program allows for students of all ages to help others and get support from more knowledgeable high schoolers.
These high school students are being put in a position to push themselves in order to be able to help teach. It allows them to get a taste of volunteering and encourages them to continue in the future.
Reed commented on how Jump Start prepares high school students.
“The club prepares high school students in many ways,” Reed said. “First, I believe it gives an opportunity for them to volunteer their time in a truly meaningful way. They get to make a difference in the life of a younger student in our community. This experience can set them up to understand the power of sharing their time and talents with others, which will hopefully encourage them to volunteer throughout their lives. It can also give the tutors a chance to experiment with possible career choices down the road. For example, some tutors find out that they have a talent for teaching and that may open up new possibilities that they had not considered before. Becoming a tutor has so many lasting benefits, which is why it is such an amazing program.”
This program is an amazing opportunity for students to experiment with teaching if that’s something they’re interested in. This gives them experience with so many different careers.
If interested in this program next year is a great opportunity for high school students to sign up.
