About
About
About
About
We're on a mission to
in Northeastern Pennsylvania by providing free, easily accessible homework help, one-on-one tutoring, SAT prep classes and educationally enriching experiences.
We're on a mission to
in Northeastern Pennsylvania by providing free, easily accessible homework help, one-on-one tutoring, SAT prep classes and educationally enriching experiences.
level the academic playing field
About the Study Hard Project
About
Every student could use a little extra help
to understand the information being taught in the classroom.
The Study Hard Project is here to join with students in community and foster connection as we meet our short-term and long-term goals inside and outside the classroom!
WE’RE HERE TO PACE WITH YOU AND LEAD YOU TO YOUR ACADEMIC POTENTIAL, DURING THE PANDEMIC AND BEYOND.
Meet Ava
I’m a Senior at Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School. During the summer after my Freshman year of high school, I began working on The Study Hard Project. We launched during my Sophomore year and have been growing ever since. With Study Hard, I’m determined to offer students across Northeastern Pennsylvania the one-on-one academic attention they deserve. From my own experience, I know it can make a big difference!
I learn differently. My differences are called dyslexia and ADHD. I don’t call them disabilities, because while they make things hard and time consuming, they come with some pretty cool abilities, too.
In elementary and middle School, one-on-one tutoring helped me learn in a way that made sense to me. In high school, becoming a peer-tutor revealed to me the benefits of being on the other side. Helping students reach their potential helped me better understand the material I was teaching and helped increase my confidence big-time!
The Study Hard Project provides opportunities for all students in NEPA to experience the benefits of being on both sides of the student-tutor dyad (and much more!) for themselves.
Hi. I’m Ava!
“The book club empowered me to use my voice, tell my story and share my experiences. Even more, when we discussed the topics in our book, This Book Is Anti-Racist, I learned about others’ experiences, backgrounds and stories. Plus, I made amazing new friends!”
Vera, Book Club Member
“Opening your eyes to racial injustice is like turning on a flashlight. You've been in darkness for so long that you haven't truly seen what is there. With the light on, your perspective of the world broadens. You realize that what you see isn't what everyone else sees. That is when real change happens; You can turn off the flashlight, but you can't forget what you saw with the light on. This book club helped me turn my flashlight on. Thanks again and I'm looking forward to the winter book club!”
Grace, Book Club Member
“It really gives me such hope that dialogue like we had are happening here, especially given the lack of meaningful conversations about race and power I had growing up. Forming something like this group is always difficult and it's profoundly impressive that you were able to do this in high school.”
Gannon, Book Club Member
“Making lunches for families in need during the pandemic made me feel a sense of community, even though we were all stuck at home in quarantine. Doing something good for other people made me feel better about myself during a really hard time.”
Lily, Community Service Club Member
“I never realized how smart I am until I started tutoring. It makes me more confident in my work and in myself”
Molly, Tutor
“Working with Study Hard, I’ve learned the that empowering others is the best way to feel my own power.”
Shawna, Tutor
“Through Study Hard I’ve discovered that time is the most precious gift we can give. An hour a week means the world to my middle school students and their parents. Mastering the concepts in our study sessions seems to make my students feel better about themselves, in general. I swear an hour a week can set them on the path to future success. It’s doing that for me!”
Campbell, Tutor
“My favorite thing about Study Hard is that I can be a student one week to get help with my homework, and I can tutor the next week to help a student with something they don’t understand but I do. We can be a student one week and a tutor the next. It’s awesome!”
Ava, Student
“My teachers usually get frustrated with me, because I can’t sit still. My Study Hard tutors are really nice to me and give me breaks. When I can’t sit there anymore, we walk around for 5 minutes or grab a snack or whatever. It’s kind of fun.”
Anonymous, Student
“The Study Hard Project is an excellent free tutoring program. This program provided my children with practice in math skills. The tutors have great knowledge and understanding of various math concepts. The program is directed by Ava Hazzouri, and I was so impressed by the way she contacted me throughout to make sure everything was going well with my children. Also, the tutors Campbell and Molly are so amazing!! This tutoring program is Top Notch!”
Shannon, Parent
“The Study Hard tutors are knowledgeable, kind and respectful. My son is getting tutored in French, but he’s also seeing other high school students his age take initiative. I like that he has gotten to know a group of motivated kids.”
Parent of High School Student
“My kids love meeting with their tutors, which is a relief! Typically, they would fight the idea of getting extra math help, especially over the summer. Learning from older kids who they look up to and explain things in a way that makes sense to them makes a big difference.”
Parent of Middle School Student
Adult Helpers and Advocates
Rachel Bartron
Dean of Upper School
Wyoming Seminary
Rachel Garcia
Upper School Science Department Chair,
Wyoming Seminary
Christian Davis
VP/Director of Advancement,
Scranton Preparatory School
Patty Hein
Teacher,
Scranton School District
Mandy Finella
Teacher,
North Pocono School District
Maura Tripodi
Special Education Teacher,
Scranton School District
Dr. Gail Keating
Retired English and Women Studies Professor, Penn State University
Dr. Lauren Hazzouri
Ava's mom and psychologist,
Hazzouri Psychology
Sandie Lamanna
School Psychologist,
Stories Literacy Center
Senator Marty Flynn
Pennsylvania State Senator
Rep. Bridget Kosierowski
Pennsylvania State Representative
Mayor Paige Cognetti
Change-maker and first female
Mayor of Scranton
Dr. Lia Richards-Palmiter
Director of Diversity,
Marywood University
Sari Rosenberg
AP US History Teacher,
NYC Schools
Natalie Guerrero
Writer and Founder,
Know My Story
Dr. David Palmiter
Psychologist, Author, Professor,
Marywood University
Maria Wolfel
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist,
Private Practice
Dr. Jill Kasper
Primary Care Physician and Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
DR. RYAN LECKEY
TV personality and
High Energy Motivator
BEN TOLERICO
Principal, Holy Cross High School
Dr. Joseph R. Karam
Karam Orthodontics
Joleen Lazecki
Blend Natural LLC
Andrew Keating
Karp Reilly LLC
Jerry Raymond
Raymond and Sons Contracting
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