Four South Side High School seniors recently launched a website that connects their peers with student tutors.
Michael Spelfogel, who tutors other students, came up with the idea for an interactive peer-to-peer tutoring website. The 17 year old, along with friends Matthew Giovanniello, Thomas Keady and Anthony Lai — all National Honor Society students — created and launched SSHStutoring.com, which provides unlimited free tutoring to any South Side student.
“It’s a win-win for everyone who participates,” Spelfogel said, “We’re students too — we understand the challenges other students face. When a student is struggling, having someone his/her own age demonstrate problem-solving techniques enables the student to relate on a different level than with an adult teacher.”
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SSHS students can receive help in 19 subjects at the site. The teens said more subjects and tutors are being added. The tutors, which include the site’s creators, are available via live-chat Mondays to Thursdays from 3 to 10 p.m.
According to the site’s creators, the feedback has been tremendously positive, with students thanking them for explaining complex calculus and physics problems from a different perspective than they learned in class. They said that each tutoring session helps students develop the skills and strategies needed to be successful in their classes.“I am extraordinarily proud of our students for beginning this wonderful service," said SSHS Principal Dr. Carol Burris. "I am working with them to make sure that all South Siders know how to take advantage of it.”
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