Profiles - Students

Nathan Tonlaar Biology, Class of 2007 Tamale, Ghana More Student Profiles

Helping kids succeed at the ACT

I was walking by the Pre-College Programs office, and they had a poster up about the ACT. It had ACT on it, and it had pictures of minority kids. It came to my mind that there were people out there who didn't have the opportunity to take the test and to prepare for college. I had just started as the natural sciences coordinator at Calvin's Service-Learning Center. So I said I might like to do something like that - to help minority kids get some kind of tutoring to take the ACT so they could apply for college.

A huge part of the ACT test is the science and mathematics section. I called the principal of Ottawa Hills High School and established that they didn't have a formal program to tutor students in the ACT. She said that was something that was very much needed.

Next, I contacted all of the department heads at Calvin to ask them to be involved in the program: biology, chemistry, physics, math. I talked to them about the idea and sold it to them. And they all pledged support and told me they'd get Calvin students from their departments to volunteer as tutors. The tutors met with the students twice a week. Everybody had their own days and times they set up with their students. I kept track of what everybody was doing. Once we got the program rolling, more people signed up. I got e-mails everyday.

It felt good to actually have it succeed and to know that you're making a difference.

The best thing about being at Calvin is opportunity. I've had the opportunity to do a lot of things I couldn't have done if I hadn't gone to Calvin. All of the service that I have done - all of those opportunities - have helped me to grow. I feel like I've gotten a good education, not just in book learning, but in these kinds of experiences. And I think that's an integral part of a college education.