SANFORD — Elizabeth Bernier was finishing up Grade 8 when she noticed some students on social media were talking about their English assignments. They may have expressed dissatisfaction with their teacher, she said, or didn’t understand the assignment.

Bernier, who is graduating from Sanford High School this week and is among the class top 10 students, began sending a message to those expressing dismay, asking how she could help.

To say her online tutoring has been a success would be an understatement.

Since that initial email went out, Bernier has logged 3,636 hours of community service, tutoring students online in Maine and elsewhere.

Sanford High School requires 20 hours of community service to graduate.

“She did go above and beyond,” said Principal Matt Petermann.

Over the years, she’s had about 40 students, some of whom have stayed with her for the four years she has been offering the free help in English literature and grammar.

Bernier would create online group chats.

“I’d create a class so they could help each other and I could help them,” she said. Bernier said sometimes, in a conventional classroom setting, the pace moves quickly, and students are often reluctant to ask for assistance.

“They needed to develop the confidence to ask for help,” said Bernier.

She said it always mystified her that those who needed help, but didn’t ask — but she now knows they felt they couldn’t.

So given all that, it might seem like a natural career for Bernier, 18, would be teaching. But besides tutoring students, she has another passion — one that began when she was in fifth grade with a visit to Sanford optometrist, Dr. Daniel Roy for an eye exam.

“I was fascinated by optometry as a kid,” said Bernier. she said that first visit to Dr. Roy opened up a world of magic.

“I didn’t understand it,” she said of the equipment and the practice of optometry. “But as I began to understand more — it is still magic.”

Bernier plans to attend the University of Southern Maine and then go on to the New England College of Optometry.

She intends to continue her tutoring, and will do so at USM, with a work study program this fall.

“Before glasses, you don’t know what you can’t see,” Bernier said. “I will be able to be that person, opening people’s eyes.”

Sanford graduation is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cobb Stadium, or inside at Sanford Veterans Memorial Gym if there is rain. Valedictorian is Sophie Isabella Cote; salutatorian is Jenna Beaudoin. Guest speaker will be Sanford High school science and technology teacher Harry Spiliopoulos. An estimated 200 graduates will receive their diplomas.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].