Nikki Jagid '19, Calliste Skouras '19 and Justin Lopez '19 began the study groups in late November, as exams were approaching, and soon discovered the benefits associated with group studying.

“Being able to study with your classmates allows you to discuss topics and comfortably ask questions in a non-competitive environment, which really seemed to help the people who showed up, including myself,” Jagid said.

The study groups soon gained popularity as word spread and exams grew nearer. Teachers such as biology teacher Mrs. Cecilia Calleros '94 and world civilizations teacher Mrs. Jenny Carson '03 occasionally dropped by to answer questions.

“Group studying really helps me and the classmates around because you get the chance to explain and discuss topics in your own words among classmates rather than just reading it from a textbook, and this requires you to be very familiarized with the topic,” Skouras said.

Said Lopez: “Something that I really enjoyed about studying with my friends after school was that I could relax after a busy day of school, and just crack some jokes while preparing for a future assessment. The fact that we could have fun while getting ahead on work was definitely my favorite part of the experience."

The three founders say they hope to keep the study groups alive throughout their high school careers while passing the legacy down to incoming ninth graders. 

Contributed by Nikki Jagid, Calliste Skouras and Justin Lopez.