Boston – September 24, 2021 – The Boston Public Library today announced that the Homework Assistance Program (HAP) has launched for the 2021-2022 school year. HAP is a free after-school program led by teen mentors that offers homework help, mentorship, and activities for students in grades K–8.
“As we enter a new school year, the BPL is dedicated to helping students across the city succeed, both academically and personally,” said BPL President David Leonard. “HAP is designed to aid students as they face the unique set of opportunities and challenges that the 2021-2022 school year brings. We aim to create a safe space for young Bostonians to learn, and find mentors to help them. Our youth engagement services are critical as we continue to navigate and recover from the social impacts of COVID-19.”
Sessions will take place Mondays – Thursdays, 3:30-5:30 pm and are open on a drop-in basis, registration is not required. Mentorship is available in Arabic, Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Vietnamese. See the full language schedule below. Students can join in-person at the following branches: Adams Street, Brighton, Codman Square, Connolly, East Boston, Egleston Square, Fields Corner, Grove Hall, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Lower Mills, Mattapan, Parker Hill, Roslindale, Roxbury, South End, and Uphams Corner, or online via Zoom from any location.
There will be 55 homework assistance mentors in grades 10-12 spread across the branches, all trained by Harvard University’s Public School Partnerships team, the developers of SmartTALK. The goal of the program is to create both in-person and virtual spaces for students to work on homework with peers or to get extra guidance on assignments in any subject, from sciences to humanities.
HAP is generously funded by Bain Capital Children’s Charity, Ernst & Young, M&T Charitable Foundation, The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Nasella, Eric & Jane Nord Family Fund, Red Sox Foundation, The TJX Foundation, Inc., and an anonymous donor.
To learn more about the Homework Assistance Program, and other online homework help resources, visit bpl.org/homework.
Language Schedule:
Arabic
- East Boston: Monday, Wednesday
- Roxbury: Monday, Thursday
Haitian Creole
- Egleston Sq: Tuesday, Thursday
- Hyde Park: Monday, Wednesday
- Mattapan: Tuesday, Thursday
Spanish
- Connolly: Monday, Tuesday
- East Boston: Monday - Thursday
- Egleston Sq: Tuesday, Thursday
- Grove Hall: Monday, Tuesday
- Roxbury: Tuesday, Wednesday
Vietnamese
- Adams St: Monday - Thursday
- Brighton: Monday, Wednesday
- Codman Sq: Monday, Wednesday
- Fields Corner: Monday, Tuesday
- Hyde Park: Tuesday, Thursday
