“Where Excellence is a Tradition.” West High’s motto has fueled generations of successful students and the title of the number one ranked high school in the state of Iowa in 2022. This prestigious title has also contributed to a culture where asking for help is seen as embarrassing and an impossible task. 

“I think because of the intense level of academic competition and the high standards [at West], I think people are afraid to admit when they don’t know things. It’s kind of embarrassing maybe or, I don’t know, there’s a stigma around asking for help because it’s like nobody should need help.” Kerri Barnhouse, an English teacher at West, said. 

Although Barnhouse acknowledges there is some sort of stigma around asking for help, she doesn’t think that all the fault should be put on students who are too afraid to ask. 

“The other thing is, why are people afraid to offer [help]? I think the onus has to be on people who are able to help. Why aren’t they saying ‘hey I know how to do this, I’m really good at this, I can help you’. Why not when you finish early, why not say ‘Hey I can help you if you’re having trouble’.” 

Barnhouse’s Best of West program created during the 2021-2022 school year, has challenged the stigmas around both asking for help and offering help. The program allows students to sign up to tutor and to receive tutoring during AFT on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Unlike AP or other rigorous classes, the Best of West classroom has created an environment where students can observe others asking questions and feel safe asking for help themselves. 

“Right now one of the interesting things that just happened, and this happens everyday, my tutors need help. They don’t understand something that they’re helping somebody with and they go get [another tutor] and they’re like ‘I don’t understand this, can you help?’ I think it’s good for the kids that are being tutored to see that it’s hard for everybody, they’re not the only ones, [and] there aren’t people who know everything and you know nothing. It’s like a whole team effort” Barnhouse explained. 

Kara Thomas ’23, a co-founder of Best of West, notes the dramatic difference in students’ attitudes towards classes since starting tutoring, especially in Math. Many math teachers utilize Best of West to help their students with test corrections and homework. 

Rachel Swack ‘23, a tutor for Best of West, has also witnessed a stigma around asking for help and tutoring. “There’s definitely a stigma around tutoring, I feel like a lot of kids are afraid to ask for help,” Swack said. 

The high academic achievement at West has been a double-edged sword for many students. As a student and a tutor, Swack understands the academic pressure and the idea that students feel the need to take as many AP and honors classes as possible. She notes the effects of this idea. 

 The culture around academics at West is one that has grown harder for students as the years have continued. But, with help from Best of West, tutors and tutees hope they can change the culture around asking for help. 

“I think that the stigma is just out there and I don’t know how else to change it because nobody cares about what I say, it has to be you guys, you kids saying to each other,  ‘there’s no shame in asking for help, I ask for help all the time’. Kids just don’t know people do that, it’s just not normalized.” Barnhouse said.