Photo, from left: Holly Boyle, Piping Design Apprentice; Calixto Mesterhazy, Structural Design Apprentice; Michael McNeil, Structural Design Apprentice; Victoria Edwards, Piping Design Apprentice; Erick Cushman (D408), EBMA Tutoring Program Coordinator.
In 2013, the Electric Boat Management Association (EBMA) kick-started a community outreach initiative to assist middle and high school students in surrounding communities. To date, over 100 EBMA members have volunteered their time to be a mentor, tutor and role model to local students through the Volunteer Tutoring Program.
To get the program on its feet, the EBMA worked closely with school administrators to develop guidelines, and first tested the program in the Old Lyme school district. In the first year, volunteers were tutoring students in Old Saybrook, Lyme, Old Lyme, East Lyme and Waterford. The program has since taken off, with tutors providing assistance to students throughout Southeastern Connecticut and Southwest Rhode Island. Schools that wish to support the program are provided with a list of tutors, subjects they will teach, towns they will support and contact information.
The process for connecting with a tutor is easy. A student’s parent or guardian contacts their school guidance counselor to receive a list of tutors that support their town. The parent or guardian can then contact a tutor of their choice and arrange a session. Sessions typically take place in the student’s home where a parent or guardian is present. If the tutoring session takes place elsewhere, a parent or guardian should remain in the vicinity. Tutors make use of student’s notes and textbooks to better understand subject matter, and can assist students with studying for an upcoming exam, homework, or helping them better grasp a particular subject. To ensure the program is continuously monitored, tutors submit a report after each tutoring session to both the school (upon request) and the EBMA board. All tutoring sessions are free and available to all Electric Boat employees and their families.
While the EBMA is primarily focused on management development, their secondary goal is to foster community activities, establishing and improving relationships within the local communities. Erick Cushman (D408), the EBMA’s tutoring program coordinator, has seen the program do just that, and looks forward to watching it grow. “In the six years I’ve been managing the program, I’ve been continually encouraged by the sincere expressions of gratitude from both school administrators and also parents, and the very positive experiences of the tutors themselves,” said Cushman. By taking advantage of the program, students are receiving guidance from not only a tutor, but a potential career role model, and parents get to watch their children strive for success; it’s a win-win.
Electric Boat employees can also take advantage of the tutoring program. Cushman, while overseeing the program, also volunteers his time as a tutor, and is currently assisting a small group of EB designers in the Apprentice Program. Holly Boyle, a piping design apprentice at EB, is one of the employees in a small physics study group led by Cushman. “This tutoring program is fantastic,” said Boyle. “When I first started reaching out to tutors on the list I was given, they were all so willing to help. After speaking with a few of the tutors, Erick had the availability and knowledge that worked for us in our physics class. We were able to meet once a week for most of the semester. Thanks to Erick, we have done tremendously well.”
In an effort to grow the program and reach more schools and students in the area, the EBMA encourages more employees to commit to helping students in their area. To be a tutor, one must be a member of the EBMA. If you’re a member and are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor, or if you have any questions about the program, please contact Erick Cushman. To learn more about the EBMA Volunteer Tutoring Program, please see the association’s website.
