Page 16 - Paduan Fall 17

AcademicAfer School Achievement Program (ASAP) Coaching for Academic SuccessLast year, Mr. Tony Shuman ’91 noticed several new students were struggling to meet their academic potential. Mr. Shuman began to work with several students afer school every day, developing goals, helping with homework and project planning, and pushing them to work hard. By the end of the quarter, all of these students improved their GPA! Mr. Shuman and Mr. Bob DiRocco then worked together to identify more students with similar needs, and the Afer School Achievement Program was born.Intended for 9th and 10th grade students, the ASAP program runs Monday through Friday afer school this year. ASAP helps students create individual success plans and provides academic coaching by teachers, such as Mr. Shuman and Mr. DiRocco. Te program fosters stronger study and organizational skills while raising students’ self-confdence and building community. Mentors challenge students to set and achieve both long and short-term academic goals by providing them with daily assistance in planning and organization. Te goal of the program is for students to become more independent and academically successful. ASAP is a communal efort, too! Teachers have volunteered to help run the program. Te cafeteria staf provided snacks and meals. Mr. Stec ’86 supported and encouraged the program to grow.“While we had many students who would stop in from time to time looking for some assistance, we spent the majority of our time together with twelve freshman. Of those twelve, each saw an increase in their GPAs, with two students making honor roll. Most importantly, our frst year ASAP students have all returned to Padua for their sophomore year—ready and on top of their academic game,” said Mr. DiRocco.News16