Volunteer at High Rocks

There are many ways you can help support the work of the High Rocks. We are always looking for volunteers to help with maintenance, support the staff through office work, and (of course) work with the girls! We count on the time and energy contributed by parents, girls and community members to make High Rocks possible.

The High Rocks needs your help! Our services are free to all participants, and we count on community volunteers to make the program possible.

Our volunteer wish list includes:

• Tutors to work with girls at the High Rocks on Tuesday nights (see Tutoring FAQ below for answers to some frequently asked questions!)
• Drivers to help keep our carpool going,
• On-call office help to answer phones and prepare mailings,
• A volunteer or team to clean our building
• Mowing and grounds maintenance,
• Plumber,
• Electrician,
• Handyman (or woman),
• Carpenter,
• Tech support for our office computers

To volunteer, or for more information, please call 653-4891 or email susan@highrocks.org. Thank you for your support!

Tutoring FAQs:

1. When is Tutoring?

The first tutoring of the year is in September. Tutoring is every Tuesday from then through the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. High Rocks shuts down tutoring from Thanksgiving until New Year's. In January, we do some tutoring at HR and some in communities to help girls prep for exams. In February, we take a break from tutoring (bad roads), and then resume again from the first Tuesday of March through mid-May.

2. Where is Tutoring?

Girls from all three counties that we serve are bused or carpooled to the High Rocks lodge, just outside of Hillsboro in Pocahontas County, approximately 35 miles from Lewisburg. Unfortunately, we can't afford reimburse volunteers for mileage costs, though we do encourage you to carpool! Occasionally, particularly in January and May, we do tutoring after school in communities to give girls extra help preparing for exams. Those tutorings usually take place in the library or some other central location in Lewisburg (Greenbrier Co.), Marlinton (Pocahontas Co.), or Richwood (Nicholas Co.)

3. What time is Tutoring?

Girls arrive at the High Rocks at approximately 4pm and leave at about 8:30; typically, tutors have a half-hour check in until 9pm. Volunteers are welcome to participate for this whole time. If you can't make it to all of tutoring, we can also work with you to find a 1-2 hour block of time when you could participate in a single tutoring session.

The schedule for tutoring is as follows:

• 4-4:45 Girls arrive at HR
• 4:45-5:15: Welcome! Ice Breaker or Game.
• 5:15-6:15: Dinner (family style, provided by HR parent volunteers) and clean up
• 6:15-7:15 Tutoring session 1
• 7:15-8:15: Tutoring session 2
• 8:15-8:30: Goodbye/Closing
• 8:30-9:00: Tutor and staff check-in (tutors have a chance to report on their session, share, and problem solve together)

4. What are the benefits of Tutoring for Volunteers?

High Rocks Tutors Can:

• Build their resume with solid volunteer/service experience.
• Get valuable, mentored teaching experience through hands-on tutoring and working with highly qualified staff support.
• Give back to their community and support youth to succeed in school.
• Experience the satisfaction of seeing significant, concrete results of their work with individual girls.
• Build real, ongoing connections as mentors and teachers with amazing young women.
• Become part of a vibrant, dedicated team of staff and volunteers.
• (and also have free dinner every Tuesday!)

5. What if I can't come every week?

We understand that it may not be possible for you to commit four hours every week to the High Rocks. While it is most helpful for the High Rocks and the girls to have consistent tutoring volunteers, we are happy to work with you for as much time as you can reasonably give. We just ask that you call and let us know at least a day in advance if you will or will not be at a particular tutoring.

6. I'm not good at math/English/science/history/whatever...can I still be a tutor?

YES! The most important thing that tutors do is teach girls good study skills (like how to look things up in their books, make flashcards to study from, or work through an example problem). They also support, encourage, and motivate girls to do their work, feel smart, and want to succeed. Tutors help girls learn how to do their homework; they don't necessarily have to know the answers.

We will do our best to be sensitive to tutors' requests to avoid particular subject areas, and to provide a qualified volunteer or staff member when a girl requires a tutor with subject area knowledge, but in general, tutoring successfully does not require detailed knowledge of particular curriculum. That said, we are always in need of more people who feel comfortable explaining and working through math and science, the subjects our girls generally struggle with most.

7. How many kids will I be working with?

We typically have about 20 girls at tutoring each week. We do our best to match tutors with girls one on one, or sometimes in a group of 2-4 if girls are in the same class or studying for the same test. There is always a High Rocks staff member on hand to be support to volunteer tutors as needed. For tutors who come weekly, we try to match them with the same one or two students each week so they can become familiar with students' learning styles, classes, and personalities.

8. How do I become a tutor? What kind of training will I need?

If you are interested in being a tutor, or in visiting tutoring, please contact the High Rocks: 304-653-4891 or email sarah@highrocks.org . Typically, we ask new tutors to come to the High Rocks early on their first Tuesday to have a short meeting/orientation and work closely with them during their first few sessions to help them get started. Occasionally, we may offer staff-taught workshops on tutoring techniques or in various subject areas. We will let tutors know of these opportunities as they come up.

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