Normal West High School offers an Academic Assistance Program where students can go and get help with different subjects or simply have a quiet place to work.

The Academic Assistance Program (AAP) has long been a helpful part of student body life at Normal West.

Teachers and students come together three times a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) for one hour (2:30- 3:30) after school in the Normal West IMC. Teachers from all different subjects are there to offer help to anyone who needs it, or students can just find a quiet place and do their homework.

Mrs. Amanda Long, a science teacher at Normal West, and two year veteran coordinator of the Academic Assistance Program started tutoring at the program her first year teaching, 2012, and has been the coordinator for two years now.  She said, “I thought it was a good opportunity for students to get help, but I wanted to see it grow, and have it be sustainable.”

This year a new feature that the program has is student tutors. If a certain subject does not have a teacher readily available, you will often find a student who is in a higher level class, and is ready to help others learn. “I think this year, having student tutors, has greatly improved the success of the program, which in itself has been thriving the last few years,” said Long.

Jacob Farner, a freshman at West, and regular attendee at the Academic Assistance Program says that the program has greatly helped him with his school work. “I can get all my work done because I get help from other students as well as teachers,” said Farner.

Brandon Roth, a freshman at West, said, “It is a great peaceful environment to focus on your work.”  

Students sign in when they attend the program, and are then put in a drawing for a gift card every Friday. The program averages 30 per students per session.