As academic and creative ambitions increase, more and more students are reaching out to peer tutors. Locally, a number of those reside in the Sapphire Pointe neighborhood, and they’re making a real difference in the lives of others.

By Steve Whitlock; courtesy photos

Community is what you get when a neighborhood comes together to help others, and teen tutors in the Sapphire Pointe community are making an impact in a huge way.

Luke Allevato (16), Jack Roy (16) and Drew Medina (17) are among a handful of local teens who are helping other students improve in reading and comprehension, writing, language, math, science, trumpet, voice and piano. Education beyond the traditional classroom is becoming increasingly popular, and according to a study done by Technavio Research, tutoring is a flourishing field and is growing by roughly seven percent annually.

When asked about the tutoring process, Allevato said, “My experience has actually been awesome! Having one-on-one time with these kids really builds a relationship, something way more personal than you could get in a classroom. As a direct result, you get to know each kid’s learning style, as well as what they find challenging and what they excel at.”

Roy said he wanted to tutor because, “I’ve always enjoyed helping and teaching people how to do things. I discovered my love for it while working at Cherry Creek Marina as a junior sailing instructor.”

Medina added, “I thought it would be a good opportunity to help the youth in my community. I’ve received help from a lot of old friends and it was inspiring to me, so I thought I could be someone to look up to as a mentor.”

For many students, learning isn’t easy. Most of these tutors affirm that. It’s taken dedication in their respective areas. Their words of encouragement for other prospective tutors reflect that.

To those students considering tutoring others, Roy said, “For other teens who might be interested in doing something along these lines, I would suggest for them to just give it a try. You never know if you like teaching something until you try it.”

Medina upholds adaptability and patience, “I would say to just be flexible and gauge the pace at which the student is learning. I’d also recommend reviewing materials every once in a while. I’d say you should also be open-minded as well and try your best to connect with your students, so it can be fun and educational.”

It’s been rewarding for many of these student tutors. Allevato attested, “The best thing, for me, is what my students do outside of their lessons. It is just so rewarding seeing these kids really own their education because they want to, not just because I tell them to.”

There are other benefits as Jack admitted, “If you can make a little bit of pocket money while doing it, it’s all the more worth it.”

To find a student tutor in the Castle Pines area, contact editor@castlepinesconnection.com and request a copy of the Teen Services listing.