History of the Learning Resource Center
The Learning Resource Center (referred to as the LRC) began as an insignificant, small room, less than half the size of what it is today. It had old, stained tile flooring, and poor lighting, creating a far from optimal learning environment for past students. After going through extensive renovations, the LRC doubled in size, and grew into a place for students to be productive and efficient in their studies. Careful planning went into constructing the new area, as they installed optimal lighting, rocking chairs, and walls with an erasable surface, allowing students to use them as whiteboards. This allocation of resources and attention to the LRC has fostered a positive environment for students to assist each other, and to grow comfortable with seeking help from their peers.
The Student Perspective
“As a student athlete and someone who is in many clubs and extracurriculars, the LRC helps me get work done at school during my free time so I can have less worries at home. In the LRC I have gotten plenty of help with my English essays because of all the teachers there and many of my friends have helped me study for upcoming tests.”- Henry French 26′
To show the genuine impact of the Learning Resource Center, here are responses from Jesuit students about how the LRC has personally helped them, and how using this resource has assisted them as members of the Jesuit community.
Sophomore Henry French discussed how he has taken advantage of the LRC to maintain a well-rounded set of extracurricular activities, and excel in all aspects of his Jesuit life.
Another sophomore, Bryce Patterson, helped to explain the environment that the LRC helps to foster.
“The LRC is a great, studious, supportive and academic environment that really helps students focus to complete their work. The English teachers within the LRC are a great help to many students no matter how good they are at English. The community within the LRC is very supportive with many people regularly helping others if needed and keeping the LRC very positive and uplifting also helping the staff keep the noise level down when it gets too loud. Between the community and all the teachers and staff, I find the LRC and its positive, uplifting environment to be my favorite place in the whole building.”
Establishing of a Positive Community
Along with physical renovations to the LRC space mentioned previously, faculty and staff are working to establish an uplifting environment for students to flourish academically, and to comfortably assist their peers when in need of help.
On the walls of the Learning Resource Center, there is a poster board labeled “On The Ball” which is a space for students to write notes about their own success, and to thank other students for the help they’ve received. This incentivizes students to show gratitude for their Jesuit brothers, creating a closely-knit community promoting selflessness and the ideal “Men for Others” motto.
Beginning this year, quotes have been painted on the walls to remind students of fundamental values and ideas to become a productive and positive student. Personally, I’ve taken the time to understand these words of encouragement and remind myself of these practical messages during times of seemingly unbearable stress and anxiety. My favorite of these messages is, “Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes,” which emphasizes students to have a proactive approach to their studies and take responsibility for their own academic success.
Faculty Role In Students Success
In the LRC, there is nearly always a faculty member in the room to help students in need of assistance in any subject. The facility opens early in the morning, allowing students to come during alfa period before school, and in the mornings there is a faculty member there to help students with any questions. Throughout the day, students who are enrolled in the LRC class all have access to an English teacher in their respective period. A-F block, and during all five periods of the day, there is an English teacher in the Learning Resource Center who is there to help any students with questions. This is especially helpful for students who are busy outside of school and have limited time to meet with teachers to understand concepts.
Student’s Role In their Peer’s Success
Although the teachers play a central role in the development of students, the primary source of help and support is the Jesuit student body. With an increase in the usage of the LRC, odds are that there’s at least one student able to help their brothers in any given situation.
This student-student relationship is the primary cause for the intrinsic support within the LRC community, crafting the ideal environment for any student to exercise their academic potential, and to learn to help others, embodying the ideal “Man for Others” promoted by the Dallas Jesuit community.
