For The Good, Inc. has operated the Study Buddy Club in conjunction with Hamilton College since its beginnings in 2002. The Study Buddy Club provides tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment to inner-city, at-risk students who are 13-18 years of age. Once they arrive by bus at the Hamilton College Campus, Study Buddies receive specialized help for their areas of academic need. The Study Buddy Club tends to average about 30 students per session.
The SBC was instated as an official Hamilton College organization in 2007. The Study Buddy Club is a prime example of “town and gown” collaboration as is often described as the best volunteer program on the Hill. A totally student driven organization, SBC student leadership has been seamlessly passed on from year to year since its inception.
SBC Operations
The SBC operates two Saturday’s a month at Hamilton College where the students eat a healthy lunch at the main dining hall and are then paired with student tutors. After about 2 hours of studying with their tutors, students then participate in culturally engaging activities such as lectures, demonstrations include science experiments, ethnic dancing, viewing art exhibitions or educational videos, taking part in hands-on computer workshops, etc.
By pairing struggling high-school students with high achieving college students, Study Buddy participants get real help and answers from individuals who have been through similar challenges already. There is a certain magic that occurs between younger and older teens. Study Buddies generally want to relate to and please their slightly older tutors and the tutors are admired by their young charges. Service learning benefits the college students, and in many cases, the SBC creates important class and ethnic inter-relationships which ordinarily wouldn’t occur.
SBC Officers
Since 2008, SBC students have elected officers of the club, President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer. This is important since this demographic of inner city children rarely enter into student government activities. It is generally understood that emersion in student government at the high school level prepares students in leadership, government and familiarity with boards of directors later in life. Officers learn basic Roberts Rules of Order and as their meetings are held in the home offices of For The Good, they become familiar with a smooth operating business office as well.
The past two years have also seen an inclusion of Burmese Karen and Sudanese refugee students in the Study Buddy Club. A Burmese Karen youth was recently voted an officer in SBC.
Fall 2010, the students experienced a hands-on studying seminar with local high school teacher, Nancy Zumpano, and a jazz workshop by Hamilton College Professor, Doctor Michael Woods.
Study Buddy Club’s Goals:
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Help Utica teens succeed in school, with the ultimate goal of graduating high school and going on to college.
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Teach valuable study skills through bi-monthly workshops.
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Introduce healthy and balanced nutrition to students’ diets.
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Develop leadership training to establish young leadership.
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Expose students to a college campus, which includes academic focus, healthy food, and various student activities, clubs and events.
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Learn how to interact with one another, get along with their peers and work together as a team.