Giving Thanks
No, this is NOT an article about CLASP Thanksgiving. It’s about Abigail, a 4th grade CLASP student, and her tutor, Stephanie. Abigail wrote a heartfelt thank you letter to her Stephanie, when she thought they would not see each other after Stephanie’s season for tutoring ended. Stephanie is a first-year student at The Webb Schools.
After receiving Abigail’s handwritten thank you, Stephanie stated “I felt incredibly appreciated and special to be the one who received such a meaningful note from Abigail. It was so cute and thoughtful of her to write it, especially since we thought we might not be able to see each other later. I truly believe that Abigail and I formed a spectacular bond.”
Reflecting on Abigail’s note, Stephanie said “Abigail tried to spell my name and ended up misspelling it, which I found adorable because it showed so much of her personality. She also drew a beautiful picture of a tree and wrote ‘World’s Best Tutor’ on top. That meant so much to me, as it showed that even in a short amount of time, I was able to build a close connection with such a wonderful person.”
When asked what Stephanie enjoyed most about tutoring at CLASP, she said “The amazing kids. Each child is full of energy and spirit, and they are all so respectful and charming. The time before tutoring begins is especially fun because I get to see the kids run around and do the things they love. It even reminded me of myself growing up, as I struggled in school too but never had a program like this to support me.”
Stephanie went on to say, “When I first met Abigail, she was very shy and didn’t speak much unless I asked her questions, especially when we filled out the ‘getting to know your tutor’ exercise. Before we started a tutoring session, we would draw with chalk and talk about her day at school. Over time I really got to see her personality come out. Now she tells me all about her day and even shares some of the drama happening at school. I also believe her math skills have improved a lot, as she barely needs my help anymore when we work on math. This is amazing to see.”
Abigail and Stephanie are an enduring partnership with Stephanie, her tutor, being a defining influence in her student’s personal growth, and character.
This is just one example of a CLASP student who appreciates what CLASP and its tutors accomplish in the program. After reading Abigail’s thank you note, Stephanie committed to another season with Abigail, the maximum allowed by the Webb School administration.