Investing in others

Homewood High School student Annie An goes to an unusual hangout spot each Monday evening: the library. 

The high school senior can be seen at a table every week, hovering over a book and helping a younger student with their homework. 

Though only 18 years old, An is investing in the education of others in a big way: she has helped to reshape the tutoring program at the Homewood Public Library. 

As a junior, An joined the library’s Peer Helpers program as a tutor. In August 2017, An was appointed the president of the Peer Helpers and took over the free tutoring program that serves students from kindergarten through grade 12.  

“We’ve done the program before, but it doesn’t always go well,” teen librarian Judith Wright said. 

Both An and Wright said that initially, few students came to the library to be tutored. 

“When I went to help out [last year] there were no kids to tutor,” An said, “and we worked on our own homework during tutoring time. This year when I took over, I thought ‘I can’t just sit here and do my own thing. I know there are kids who need help.’” 

An decided to revitalize the library’s tutoring program. She reached out to guidance counselors and librarians in the area to see if they had students who would be interested in the free after-school program. 

Over the period of a few short weeks, the tutoring program grew to serve nearly 50 students, 30 of which became regular attendees throughout the semester. In the first meeting, 46 students turned out to be tutored. 

However, with 50 students and only eight tutors, An was faced with a new dilemma. 

“There were so many kids [during the first week],” she said. “I didn’t know how I was going to find enough people to help out.” 

An sought help from student leaders at her school. She reached out to different organizations at her school, such as Key Club, Peer Helpers and Beta Club, for more tutors. 

“A lot of these kids were Spanish speakers,” An said. “Their parents couldn’t speak English. So I tried to get the Spanish Club involved, as well.” 

An, herself, had experience growing up with a language barrier that affected her in the classroom. The teenager said she wanted to ensure that there were no boundaries or barriers to helping students learn. 

“I moved from China when I was 4,” An said. “My parents could help me with math homework, but they couldn’t help me with reading or with history. I kind of had to figure that out by myself.” 

Wright said it’s refreshing to see someone as committed and dedicated as An investing in the education of other people. 

“She seems to be such a driven young woman,” Wright said. “Her drive is a really great way to get people engaged.”

An said she hopes the program will continue to flourish after she graduates in May. The program, she said, creates opportunities for students to enrich their learning and maximize their potential. “I think this program is providing another resource for these kids,” An said. 

But the tutoring program is doing more than just helping students with history and reading, An said.

“You’re helping them learn about the value of education,” she said. “They see us coming here on a Monday every single week. They see that people care that they are getting an education. It helps them to see how important education is down the road.”