Would you return to junior high: the agony of puberty, the struggle with authority, the turbulence of emotion and — on top of all that — algebra? It takes a special kind of individual to smile calmly and re-enter that place many of us were only too glad to leave behind.

St. Anthony Park resident Cindy Vik Thrasher brings the smile, as well as energy and commitment, to the Pilot One-on-One Tutoring program she started at Murray Junior High. It’s her job to recruit volunteers who will work shoulder to shoulder with seventh- and eighth-grade students, helping them solve problems, both real-life and mathematical.

Thrasher says her inspiration for the program came about because she knew, as a parent, that a big piece of student success in school comes from support at home. From experience as a school volunteer, she also believed that all students could be successful with “daily attention from an adult who believed in them, cared about them and held them accountable for their homework.”  She saw a particular need for such support in junior high, and pitched the idea for a tutoring program to the Murray administration in 2008.

Murray’s principal, Dr. Winston Tucker, welcomed the offer to help students who need extra support to succeed. “If they don’t receive that support,” he says, “they are likely to quit trying and will not do well in school.”

The transition from elementary school to junior high can be difficult. Suddenly there are more teachers and assignments, which requires more organization than ever before. Pilot One-on-One Tutoring, in its second year at Murray, targets students who have Ds or failing grades in core academic areas: math, English, science and social studies. Tutors work one-on-one with students, helping them get work turned in on time and prepare for tests.

With Thrasher as tutor coordinator, the program this year has doubled the number of tutors and students they are able to serve. “Even after one trimester, there are significant improvements in grades,” she reports.

The program supports students and their families. Thrasher calls parents every month, reporting on progress, making suggestions, fielding questions.

She also organizes a kick-off dinner at the beginning of the year. Students and their families share a meal and listen to presentations by the principal and school counselors. Thrasher talks about the importance of regular bedtime and homework routines. Matt Anderson, Murray’s technology support person, shows parents how to use the computer to check on grades and homework progress for their children.

The program also relies on community resources. Financial support has come from the St. Anthony Park Community Foundation and Park Midway Bank. Local churches support the program, and some volunteers come from St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church and St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church.

Tutors represent a variety of backgrounds. Some, like Thrasher, are parents with experience helping children with homework. Some are college and seminary students from area schools. They might be interested in becoming teachers or earning credit for community service. Some volunteers are at the other end of their career, like Bob Peterson.

Peterson, retired from the University of Minnesota, lives in Lauderdale and tutors for two hours on Tuesday afternoons. “Most of these kids are pretty sharp,” he says. “They roll quickly with things that come their way.”

Peterson sees the potential to turn “sharp” students into “good” students. “They need to be motivated,” he says. Recently he worked with Sandy, a seventh-grader, who admits she doesn’t do much homework at home because “no one’s really around so I have to do it by myself.” She likes having a tutor. “When I get stuck on something I want someone to catch it,” she says.

Kristin Mason, an architect, found out about Pilot One-on-One Tutoring through a colleague. Like many who are riding the waves of the recession, she stays busy between jobs with volunteer work. Part of her job as a tutor is to fill out an evaluation sheet each time she works with a student, part of the system to track work on assignments as well as grades and goals.

Tutors are given suggested questions to ask: “What time of day do you like to do your homework?” “Do you have a routine?” “If you have questions about school, do you have someone you can ask?” “What would you like to do when you graduate from high school?”

Deshawn, a seventh-grader, is discussing history day topics with Americorps/VISTA volunteer Abby Miller. He says he’s interested in shoes. Miller helps him refine the research topic to athletic shoes.

Deshawn says he gets “decent grades,” adding, “I just have to catch up a little bit.” He says his favorite subject is math. “I used to be the worst,” he admits, “but then I got some help. And now? I got A+.”

To volunteer with the Pilot One-on-One program at Murray, contact Cindy Vik Thrasher at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the school at 293-8740.