October 2022

Rafael E. remembers his digital media class when the teacher had them fly drones to get compelling aerial shots. Fast forward three and a half years and Rafael is flying reconnaissance drones for the U.S. Army.

Enlisting right after graduation, he was sent to boot camp three days later and has been sent overseas to Korea and Europe. Today he has earned the rank of Sergeant and plans to remain in the military thanks to his rapid success and promotions in the Army.

Rafael admits that his life would be on a different trajectory if he had not come to Learn4Life. Beginning in middle school and throughout high school, he had to work several jobs to help support his family – his single mother and eight siblings. Enrolling here gave him the flexibility and help to balance work and school.

Remember when getting help with your homework at the kitchen table often ended in tears and frustration? These days, many parents are working from home but are challenged to find time to work with their children. Tutors can bridge this gap and with remote options available, they can connect with students now more than ever. Whether it is helping with a single problem, or trying another approach at an entire subject, tutors are helping students catch up on and improve their academics.

“Tutoring can benefit students who are struggling to catch up, and surprisingly quickly,” said Brian Jackson, principal. “We’ve had a free, robust tutoring program for many years. In-person tutoring is preferred, but if schools are only offering online tutoring, students should take advantage.”

For families where free tutoring is not accessible, the burden often falls on parents to help with schoolwork. These tips for parents can help avoid the pitfalls of helping with homework.

The transition to high school from junior high was challenging for Serina V. The schoolwork became more demanding, and she found it hard to get extra help. “Everything got harder and nobody tried to understand where I needed the help. Everyone just wanted to get through the class,” said Serina, age 17, who was on the verge of dropping out.

October was designated as Dropout Prevention Month because it’s about the time in the school year when struggling students find they are too far behind and have little hope of graduating on time with their classmates – so they drop out.