b'APRIL 2021 Puente Refocuses Tutoring Program The pandemic changed a lot of life plans. Sisters Luz and Laura Gomez were supposed to be in their freshman year at college, in-person, enjoying dorm life, and living outside of Pescadero for the first time. Instead, they spent the year in remote classes. Keeping up with all those online-only classes took a toll on both sisters. When I was writing, my papers were all over the place, says Laura. The other thing is, Im a visual learner and on Zoom, its been pretty hard. They struggled with English assignments, creative writing, planning and deadlines. And they were not the only ones. A surge of struggling local high school and college studentsSisters, Laura and Luz Gomez meet asking for help made it clear there was a problem. So, in 2021,their tutor via Zoom. Las hermanas, Laura y Luz Gmez se Puente launched a writing coach program for high school andencuentran con su tutora a travs de college students. Zoom. English teacher Peg Hunter has been working as an academic coach with some local students. Her methods provided a major 20academic boost for studentsincluding Luz and Laura Gomez. The students met online with Hunter in youth receivedone-on-one sessions where they brainstormed ideas, tutoring through Puente. worked on grammar, and went over assignments together before turning them in.There are many avenues to help college bound students financially but giving to Puente youth gives donors the best opportunities for successful outcomes." -Tom Barry and Brenda Christensen22'