Photo Credit: Caleb O'Neel

Runningback Isiah Nash eagerly receives tutoring from NHS member Alison Myoraku (posed).

In previous years, many talented student-athletes have been rendered ineligible to play because of their grades. However, a spike in peer tutoring for athletes has reduced the number of ineligibilities. The National Honors Society (NHS) is largely accountable for this surge, sending its members to ensure that athletes better understand material and improve their grades.

“There haven’t been a lot of people lost to grades… last year the soccer team didn’t lose a single person to grades” said senior Aaron Oro, NHS president and varsity soccer player.

In spite of the program’s success, many football players feel that after-school tutoring has become over saturated with tutors often milling around with little to do.

“I think they’re smart and helpful, and they’ve helped me a couple times before, but honestly, I think that there are just too many tutors, and not enough need for all of them… at some point you just don’t need that many,” said runningback Isiah Nash. Although many football players agreed, some believe that the opposite is true.

Linebacker Matt Detrempe expressed different sentiments: “I think there are plenty football tutors. There are about one or two per room and that’s a good amount.”

“When it comes to tutoring, more is always better, especially if the tutors are of the caliber of our current NHS students,” stated Susan Mohr, the football mom orchestrating after school tutoring.

Although the need for NHS students is apparent, students in this group juggle many things such as other community service projects, sports, and other obstacles.

“The shortage of tutors this year is due to previous commitments on the part of the tutors. Many NHS members play sports, work, and have other after school commitments. It is not a lack of willingness but a lack of time,” said Sydney Young, NHS member and former football tutor.

“We’re involved in the community… a lot of our members are doing a lot of stuff after school…we do the Willow Oaks [tutoring program and] Ravenswood mentor program,”  said Oro, leader of the NHS. “It’s not a lack of interest, it’s a lack of time.”

Despite issues of productivity and number, the success of the after-school football tutoring undeniably owes much to the NHS, whose members sacrifice their own time to help athletes stay focused on the field by taking care of business off of it.