Students Aster Bredwell (11) and Bailey McDowell (11) had an idea to set up a place for people across Highlands to get the academic help they needed. This was only an idea for months, but was put into motion in October of 2024 when Bredwell went to Spanish teacher Emily Haffey about his idea.
After getting an excited approval from Jennifer Nash, the Highlands Homework Helpline was created.
Homework Helpline is a website where students can find a tutor for their needs or sign up to be a tutor. Subjects that are specialized in Homework Helpline are Math, Science, English, and Foreign Languages, which include all grade classes and all levels of each class.
Bredwell made this website alongside McDowell, who made the base of the website.
Bredwell finishes the website, manages the website, sets up students with a tutor, organizes meetings, posts advertisements, and designs posters.
“I hope that students find a sense of community within Highlands and feel more comfortable with asking questions not only amongst themselves but with teachers as well,” McDowell said.
Once all of the forms to get the website started were done, an announcement was put out along with a few flyers advertising the helpline to look for students who might be interested in being a tutor; tutors would receive service hours for their time as well.
Tutors were able to select the specific subjects they were willing to help with. And not only students, but teachers as well, were a part of the homework helpline
The teachers who are a part of the homework helpline are English teacher Brady Dowling, Science teacher Matthew Ewald, Math teacher Katie Carelock, and Foreign Language teachers Emily Haffey and Kristin Wilson. These teachers were more than happy to assist students with whatever help they needed in their extra time.
“When Bailey and Aster came up with the idea, I instantly thought it was a good idea. The only thing I would want to change is that I wish we started sooner. I think if we started the year off with it, the helpline would be more popular. I have a lot of hope that next year’s freshmen will use it,” Haffey said.
Along with countless other plans for the future of the homework helpline, a resource hub is in the works. The resource hub will include notes and videos uploaded by tutors and teachers teaching and informing about their topics.
Within these hubs, there will be walkthroughs of lessons and demonstrations of examples.
Anything a student needs to succeed is going to be accessible through the homework helpline.
The Homework Helpline can be accessed here.
