By Morsal Abdali
Staff Writer | The Pacific Times
The North Natomas Library has brought back the Homework Zone program as a library resource after the program was stopped in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Homework Zone program is a free, drop-in program for students ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade to receive assistance from teen homework coaches on assignments, school projects, or other academic work they have.
Homework Zone is currently an ongoing program which takes place every Wednesday from 4-5:30 p.m. near the community room in the North Natomas Library.
The program dates back to the early days of the North Natomas Library and has always sought high school students to be volunteer coaches or tutors. Homework Zone coaches offer assistance in all subjects and areas that they can.
“The program has been especially resourceful and useful for first generation children and children of parents who may struggle to help their children with schoolwork,” said Heather Bratt, youth services librarian at North Natomas branch.
In the past Homework Zone or “homework help” has been especially popular in the library, and the Natomas community has always appreciated and needed the program at the library.
“I think it is a wonderful resource that we offer to the community, to give kids a place to work together and be in an environment that’s conducive to being productive and getting school work done but also coaching and getting the guidance you need if you run into problems with your assignments,” said Jon Bafus, a librarian at the North Natomas Library who oversees the Homework Zone program.
Currently, there are six Homework Zone coaches that dedicate their time to Homework Zone in the library every Wednesday. The library has the capacity to assist all students and hopes to see more community involvement and growth as the program becomes better known.
“…we cater to students who need help with their homework, who may find it easier to do homework with a group…there are just so many reasons… it’s not just about homework help, it’s skill-building learning how to attack homework assignments and look at them strategically as well as get them done,” said Bratt. “It’s more than just helping with homework that the teens do.”
The program is free and there is no registration process, anyone who is interested in Homework Zone may show up any Wednesday.
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