For the past seven years and counting, Judy and Morgan have been meeting up for Cluster Tutoring every week during the school year. Their friendship formed when Morgan was in the third grade and their bond has only grown since. Morgan and Judy say they always look forward to Cluster each week.
“I like seeing Judy every week, which is always a joy,” says Morgan. “I like coming here and getting some work done in a different environment – it’s not really school, but it’s not home either. It’s something else to look forward to.”
“I have really enjoyed developing and deepening my friendship with Morgan and watching her grow at such a formative time of life,” Judy says. “Now she’s a young lady, and I got to see it happening.”
Judy, who works full-time with physical therapy students in administration, has volunteered with the Cluster Tutoring Program for over 13 years. She first learned about the Cluster Tutoring Program from an article in the newspaper. Having two grown children, what attracted Judy to tutoring was seeing how her children benefitted from different adults in their life. “Some things children just aren’t going to get from their parents,” Judy explains. “I wanted to be able to give back to somebody else in some way.”
Looking back, they can both remember the pre-pandemic days when there would be over 70 tutor-student pairs at First United. Morgan says that she likes it being quieter than it was before but doesn’t mind being around a lot of people either. While Cluster offered virtual tutoring the previous school year, Judy and Morgan continued to meet over Zoom, but they both prefer meeting in person.
Judy and Morgan work on an assortment of things together. Subjects they study include religion and history. “Sometimes we study for a test or work on a study guide. We do a lot,” says Morgan. “We also read books, which I always enjoy.”
“And math, which I always enjoy,” says Judy.
Morgan says that she also likes biology, world literature, and art. “She is a very talented artist,” Judy mentions. Morgan says she likes to create a little bit of everything, including doing her nails, drawing, and painting.
When asked if she has any advice for new students or tutors, Morgan says, “at first, it’s always going to be hard because it’s a new person and a new environment. It’s not something that you’re generally used to but in the long run, it’s really beneficial.” Morgan says she will come to Cluster as long as possible. “I really enjoy being here and being with Judy,” she explains. “It’s something that you should look forward to.”
Morgan admits that she didn’t initially like coming to Cluster. “I don’t really enjoy homework, most people don’t. So, at first it was frustrating because I was used to having more freewill and not doing work at all,” says Morgan. “But now it’s a lot easier because I have Judy to help. I’m not really an ‘I need help’ type of person, so this is the main person I ask for help from. It’s nice to be able to have someone to help.”
Tutors stand to learn just as much from their students, as vice versa, Judy believes. “I have certainly learned from Morgan,” says Judy. “We have such totally different skill sets. I’m in awe of her drawing and I couldn’t draw more than a stick figure to save myself. I realized how differently she sees the world because of that talent.”
Judy explains how they have sat in all different parts of First United. “I have a spatial deficit while Morgan can sit in a room and notice, ‘This is the wall that’s goes to that street and that connects this way and that window overlooks this.’ I’m befuddled,” Judy says. “And you do that from third grade on, ‘I just have to look out this window; can we go up that stairwell, I need to see this’ and so on.”
Along with the various spaces the two have explored, Morgan remembers playing lots of chess over the years. Morgan and Judy have shared some special moments outside of Cluster Tutoring as well.
“What about our moment at the Art Institute last summer?” Judy asks Morgan. They recall when walking out of the Obama portrait room, they were asked to videotape a “Happy Birthday” message for Barack Obama.
“I also remember, this may have been when you were in 3rd or 4th grade, you were in a Christmas Cantata at Ascension Church that I went to see,” says Judy. “I met your grandmother and sat with your mom.”
Morgan and Judy could continue to go on about all the special moments from over the years. As Morgan and Judy can testify, the relationship that forms between longstanding student-tutor pairs is unique.
Judy adds that she is glad to have the opportunity to meet someone she wouldn’t run into in another walk in her normal life, with the age difference. “Everyone is here voluntarily,” says Judy. “We are here because we want to be here and work together. That’s always a good feeling.”