The National Honor Society has recently embarked on a new project, this time focusing on helping students right here at Stroudsburg High School.

With the COVID-19 pandemic raging on, many students are seeing their grades fall for a variety of reasons. Online school has made it difficult for some to reach their full potential and to stay motivated.

Normally, in class, students have been able to lean over and help their peers at any moment. Now, with desks separated and many students at home, that opportunity for help is gone.

To counter these issues, as well as to help their fellow students, the NHS is bringing back its peer tutoring program, starting in the second semester.

“We joined forces with the library, who does a fantastic job tutoring, to get a bigger pool of students with a larger variety of academic strengths,” said Ms. Maureen Verwey, NHS adviser and French teacher. “The NHS looks to fill the void of extra academic help to give students one-on-one action that they are missing in a remote setting.”

Students are welcome to come any time they need help. NHS members are dedicated to helping the community, but also to help the students right at their own school.

The program will take place on both ZOOM and Google Meet, as well as in-person, if students are physically attending school. Social-distancing and other measures will take place to ensure safety.

All subjects will be offered to students in need of a little help, even psychology or music. Tutoring sessions will take place mostly after school, but it may also work during a lunch or study hall during the school day.

“I know the girl that I was tutoring (last year) for biology, and she was really happy about the tutoring,” said NHS president Dzhumile Hodzhova, a senior. “The student told me, ‘I’m so glad you helped me because I was confused and now I’m not.’ It felt really good that I was able to help her.”

The NHS looks to help students, even if they are reluctant to ask for it. Now that many at SHS have a better understanding of technology, there are so many ways for peers to aid each other in pursuit of knowledge.

“A good student will use the resources available and will understand that reaching out and asking for help with these things is a real strength,” added Verwey. “I think that it is very important that they (students) don’t view it as a weakness.”

There is a new opportunity for improvement starting in the second semester. Students in need can now grow academically with the aid of their friends in the NHS.