Story by Quinn Manzo
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Calculus for a Cause
Contributor
SPHS’ Calculus For a Cause team hosted their biannual fundraiser virtually on Friday, Dec. 11. This year the fundraiser attracted 99 students from grades 9 through 12 and 42 tutors.
Students logged onto the three-hour Zoom call and joined a breakout room that reviewed their respective subject and focus; “holistic” rooms involved the review of the entire semester and “targeted” ones reviewed specific units at a slower pace.
The Calculus For a Cause team sought out students who demonstrated proficiency in different levels of math to tutor other students in their respective subjects. The team generally designated four tutors to each of the math level Zooms to go over study packets compiled for each subject.
“The event went great. The transition from paper to online was nearly seamless, and we were able to tutor at high capacity for all levels,” junior and tutor for the event Lev Tumaykin said.
However, some students found the transition to tutoring on Zoom to be difficult.
“My tutors were very efficient with the way they reviewed… it helped me dial down on what I needed to focus on… but they projected the questions on the slideshow and we couldn’t have them, and they went at their own pace instead of ours. I felt really rushed,” an anonymous student said. “Overall, I’m happy that I went, I just wished that we could go at our own pace.”
The Calculus for A Cause team had to make several adjustments due to distance learning, but in the end, they were able to host an event with a large attendance. The event was completely free for all students, and 100 percent of the donations will go to the nonprofit To Write Love on Her Arms, an organization dedicated to offering mental health resources.
“Although we had a lower turnout, as we expected, I think the event went well. A good amount of kids stuck around for almost the entire event and I think many of them genuinely benefitted from the tutoring,” senior and co-president Matteo Lee said. “I’m just glad we were able to still help out in an online format.”
Calculus for A Cause will continue to hold fundraising events next semester to help students ready for finals and raise money for various causes.
