Study Buddies raising the grade

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  With children now back in school, company grade officers provide students in first through twelfth grade free tutoring as part of a Study Buddy program.

The program, managed by the Hanscom Company Grade Officer Council, offers children one to two hours of tutoring per week as part of an effort to help children struggling in school.

"Through the Study Buddy program, CGOs from across the base work with parents to help students reach their full potential academically," said 1st Lt. Jarek Reihner, Battlefield Airborne Communications Node engineer and Study Buddy program coordinator.

Reihner, a 2011 graduate of Penn State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, highlighted improvements he saw from being tutored.

"When I was in college and participated in free tutoring programs, I always saw improvements in my comprehension," he said. "I always saw my grades improve drastically because I could work one-on-one with someone, ask my questions and better understand the answers."

He said it's important parents reach out for help as soon as their children begin to struggle.

"The earlier in the semester students get help the more quickly it's going to be for students to turn their grades around," he said. "It's a lot harder to try and bring tutors in halfway through the semester, especially when it's a subject that builds on earlier lessons."

Reihner noted tutoring can be rewarding for both student and tutor.

"It was really nice for me to see someone I tutored last spring go from no interest in math, to beginning to understand the principles behind the problems, and then gain an interest in the subject," Reihner said. "Often it's as simple as taking away the mystery of a subject and bringing it to a personal level through one-on-one instruction."

That's something he said parents can have a hard time accomplishing.

"There is a different dynamic between a student and tutor than there is with a parent and student," he said. "We are often closer in age and able to connect in ways a parent may not always be able to."

Reihner said the Study Buddy program offers tutors for a myriad of subjects.

"We have CGOs that are able to tutor in any subject," he said. "They can tutor in languages, math, science, reading ... really anything that students need help with."
The lieutenant plugged the work done previously.

"The Hanscom CGOs who participate in this program are doing a very good job helping students," he said. "There have been many success stories of students turning around their grades."

He highlighted those success stories are the result of tutors, parents and students working together.

There are no set timetables for tutoring, Reihner said. The tutor, parent and student agree upon the amount of time and frequency of lessons.

However, as he points out from earlier experience, the amount of time per week can make a big difference in helping students better understand the material.

Typically tutors offer assistance throughout trimesters, but extending beyond that is possible, too.

"It's really up to the tutor and the parent," he said. "Tutor and parents together schedule the best time, the best location and the frequency of the sessions."

For further information on the Study Buddy program, or to schedule a tutor, contact Reihner at 781-225-4230.