Grad fellow starts tutorial program for elementary students

North Andover elementary students who file off buses at the Royal Crest Estates North Andover make their way to the complex's clubhouse where students from Merrimack College are waiting to help them with schoolwork three days a week.

It’s a pilot program organized by community engagement graduate student Kristy Forrest ’16 who started the after school program as part of her fellowship with North Andover Public Schools in November.

Forrest is working at Atkinson School in North Andover during her fellowship. The afterschool program runs three days a week from 3:15 to 6 p.m. On Mondays and Wednesdays Forrest and her crew of Merrimack College volunteers focus on academics but on Fridays they play games.

“They don’t have homework so we try to do some fun things,” Forrest said.

Merrimack’s students act as tutors, mentors and socializing agents.

“It’s worked out very well,” Forrest said. “The Atkinson students take to the kids here very quickly.”

Getting volunteers hasn’t been a problem. Some are fulfilling their community service requirement and others simply want to get involved.

Forrest worked with Mary McHugh, executive director at the Stevens Service Learning Center to get some volunteers and then others saw flyers posted on campus.

Meaghan McKenna, ’19 of Danvers, Mass. is a psychology major who volunteers with the program. The volunteer work is a requirement for her social justice class but it goes beyond academics for her.

“But I definitely want to work with kids in a psychology way when I graduate, so it’s a great experience,” McKenna said.

North Andover Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Price and Assistant Superintendent Greg Gilligan proposed the afterschool program. Then they gave Forrest the leeway to develop the plan.

Forrest initially planned to start the program during the second semester but she was anxious and volunteers stepped forward faster than expected so she opened the doors Nov. 9.

“It’s better than I thought,” she said. “I was apprehensive that I wouldn’t have any volunteers and the doors would open, 50 kids would walk in and I’d be alone,” she said.

Once the doors opened and more than a dozen children arrived, the volunteers partnered with a handful of children and went to work.

If the Royal Crest pilot program is successful, the school district would like to implement the afterschool program at other apartment complexes around town, Forrest said.

 

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Related News

Dr. Lisa O'Brien, Stephen Campbell '75 and Mona Kristoferson Campbell

Donors' Gift Sparks New Student-Faculty Research Opportunities

 |
By: Office of Communications
Stephen Campbell ’75 credits his Merrimack experience with playing a key role in his career success.
Photo of Makayla Hutchinson in scrubs standing next to a sign that reads, "Health Sciences."

Merrimack College Senior Turns Tragedy Into Triumph

 |
By: Michael Cronin
After suffering her second ACL tear, Makayla Hutchinson ’25 shifted her focus from basketball to health sciences.
Groupd of aumni posed for a photo

Merrimack’s Master of Education in School Counseling Networking Event: Alumni Join Current Students in Preparing Them For Post Graduation

 |
By: Tess Abboud
M.Ed. in School Counseling alumni return to campus to celebrate their achievements and offer current students valuable career insights and graduate school advice.