This article was written by Caleb TeBrake
Sometimes a single hour of the school day is not enough to understand tricky subjects. Northview high school provides aid for students after school for those in need. At Core Academic Tutorial Support (C.A.T.S.), friendly faces help you earn aces.
C.A.T.S. is a free afterschool program that gives extra time and space for students to do homework, get projects done, and receive feedback or tutoring from teachers. Math help is available Tuesday through Thursday starting right after school at 2:45 and goes until 4 with Science being an option Tuesday and Wednesday. English aid is on Thursdays. C.A.T.S. is always located in the Math hallway.
Northview cares about their students and C.A.T.S. is a place where the best assistance possible can be found. From the hardest of Advanced Placements, to a class that may not seem difficult, C.A.T.S. is a constant opportunity to grow in character and education.
Math teacher Sarah Snyder understands school can be tough and students sometimes need a little extra time focusing on a subject.
“We have students that have been in class and there’s a lot going on in their brains and sometimes we just don’t soak it in the first, second, or third time,” Snyder said. “CATS is great to be like, ‘Hey I get everything but this part I don’t understand.’ Just taking the time to figure it out so they can have a good foundation.”
Snyder recognizes that students often miss things or have questions they may be too timid to ask in class. C.A.T.S. offers a safe space for students to take ownership of their learning.
“It [C.A.T.S.] helps them take responsibility for a lot of things. It helps prioritize their time, it helps get them on track,” Snyder said. “It helps them in the sense of, ‘I am the only one who can do this. I need to figure out what resources I need,’ it may not be one on one with a teacher . . . it also could be ‘I just need somewhere quiet, or my ride doesn’t come until 3:30, I might as well get some work done.’ The students are learning what they need to do with their time.”
Sophomore Liam Simmons sees C.A.T.S. as a huge help. He likes the one on one nature and appreciates how it helps raise his grades.
“Teachers kind of help you learn the formulas for different math things and you can do quiz corrections for some teachers,” Simmons said.
Senior Quinn Hanna has gone to C.A.T.S. and really appreciates the specificity it offers.
“They [teachers] can help students get a deeper understanding of the material and the problems they have. They can answer in a way that benefits the individual student instead of the whole class,” Hanna said.
The impact of the teachers is huge and that is really what C.A.T.S. is all about. Teachers doing their best to set students up for success.
“When I have help from my teachers I can really understand a problem before I move onto something else or move onto the next one. I don’t have to just skip around to what I know. I can understand each piece,” Hanna said.
C.A.T.S. is helpful to students but it is also more than just tutoring. It offers an opportunity to build relationships that our teachers like Snyder look forward to and love being able to bond with each kid.
“I’ve built relationships with kids. As a math teacher I only see them as a math student and that’s one of the reasons why I coach because I love to see kids outside of this environment. I’ve met kids who I actually have never had as students and I’ve learned about them,” Snyder said.
During C.A.T.S., teachers are allowed to be something other than a teacher, they can be a mentor and a friend.
“We can connect on that level so it’s a lot deeper than ‘Hi can you help me with a math problem, then I am leaving’. It can be so much more than that,” Snyder said.
If you need any help with school, C.A.T.S. is your place to grow academically with the help of our wonderful teachers who are here by your side every step of the way.
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