CHS club feature: Common Good Tutors

“Free tutoring!” — two words rarely heard on the American education scene. With private tutoring prices skyrocketing from 20, to 60, to 85, and even up to 100 dollars per hour in the U.S. today, it’s no wonder many American families in need of private tutoring are unable to pay for it. However, CHS has taken steps to combat the expenses of private tutoring by hosting the Common Good Tutors club, commonly known as CGT.

In the library every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:00 to 4:30 pm (and now offering online tutoring due to COVID-19), free tutoring is offered in nearly every subject. This tutoring is not offered by your traditional teacher or college student, but rather by CHS students themselves. Edward Rumbos-Perez, a CHS senior, has played a huge part in founding CGT. When his good friend and fellow CHS senior Will Xue approached him two years ago about getting the ball rolling to start a tutoring club, they began to hold tutoring at lunch before eventually moving it to after school. With that, CGT was up and running.

As well as helping students in need of a little extra teaching, the tutors themselves find it very rewarding and actually educational, as many say that teaching someone else about a subject deepens one’s own understanding of it as well.

“It’s been rewarding to provide help to students who need it,” Rumbos-Perez said. “We understand that quality tutoring comes with a hefty price tag, which is why we created Common Good Tutors. The fact that over 200 students have been able to receive help or ace their next test thanks, in part, to our service is extremely gratifying.”

However, along with a sense of fulfillment and sharpening up their algebra skills, CGT has provided a wonderful experience for its club members. Not only is it rewarding and beneficial, it is genuinely fun for the tutors, as it is an opportunity to meet new people and work alongside their friends for a good cause.

“One of the most memorable moments I’ve gotten out of CGT is hearing students say, ‘Come to tutoring after school. It’s actually helpful,’ or being told they [students] aced their exams thanks to our help,” Rumbos-Perez said.

Despite the unclear future of the remaining school year due to COVID-19, CGT will continue to provide tutoring to CHS students. From chemistry to Spanish, CGT has got CHS students covered and ready to ace their exams!

photo | Eden Yu
CGT tutors in the CHS library working with their tutees on homework and reviewing notes.