Three years ago, Gigi Snodgrass was looking for a purpose.

She had just retired from the Penn Hills School District where she worked as a paraprofessional for 17 years. Her husband, Jeff, was still working, and Snodgrass, 67, was adjusting to her new schedule.

“The house was clean, the dishes were done, and I was praying for a purpose,” said the Penn Hills resident.

Her prayers were answered when Charles Morris, head coach of the Penn Hills football team, called Snodgrass and asked for her help with five players taking summer classes. Snodgrass has known Morris since he was young. He was childhood friends with her son, Ryan, and the two graduated from Penn Hills together.

“I knew him since he was a boy, and I knew what he stood for,” Snodgrass said. “So, I said yes.”

The rest was history.

“The first day I go, I come home and say to my husband, ‘I’m back,’ ” she said. “I knew that’s where I was supposed to be.”

Fast forward to the present day, Snodgrass has helped to develop a study table that assists 30 to 40 football players of a 60-player roster each week with a medley of subjects. She and Morris have collaborated with the goal of helping players be “academically sound” and prepared for wherever life takes them after high school.

Each week during the season, the players attend the study table. Snodgrass gets their grades once a week from Morris and speaks individually with each teen about their strengths and where they’re struggling.

“I’ve spoken to them about how they can self-advocate, how to talk to a teacher if they’re struggling,” Snodgrass said.

One of her main goals is to create a safe space for the players.

To help the program run as efficiently as possible, she enlisted the help of school board member Robert Marra. He helps players in small groups with math, such as algebra and geometry. The arrangement has been so successful that Marra has started a study table with the boys basketball team. Their first meeting was at the beginning of January.

And not only do the players know they’ll get help with their academics, Snodgrass makes sure nobody leaves hungry.

“Every Monday, I make them cookies,” Snodgrass said. “The reason I do that is because it has nothing to do with winning or losing. It’s just showing them that someone loves you, someone cares.”

Donovan Burnett, 19, an offensive and defensive lineman who completed his senior season this year, began attending the study table to improve his grade in English.

“It was hard with the teacher trying to teach me and me trying to understand it, but Miss Gigi was able to help me out and help me comprehend it better than what the teacher could,” Burnett said.

He said knowing Snodgrass would have snacks available for the players was a huge motivator for him to attend the session after a full day of school.

“After having a game, then having study tables and being motivated to get through Monday and get through that work, she would reward us with snacks,” Burnett said. “That really brought a lot of change to helping us get our academics higher.”

Jay’mere Ellis, 17, the team’s quarterback and a linebacker, said Snodgrass is like a second mom. He has been attending her study table since his freshman year. He just finished his senior season.

Ellis said he first started attending the study table because he was declared academically ineligible for the upcoming season.

He learned how to take notes and how to study what he wrote.

“I started studying more, and I actually like writing notes,” Ellis said.

Ellis’ grades soared. He ended up being nominated for an award by one of his teachers for his grade improvements and classroom behavior.

“I feel like that’s all because of Miss Gigi,” Ellis said.

Both of the teens were a key part in creating an environment of mutual respect, Snodgrass said.

As seniors, they helped to keep the younger players on the team in check if the session got too loud. Snodgrass said she made it clear she wasn’t a babysitter, and the older players were in charge of setting the standard for the newer members of the study table.

The players agreed their experience with the study table has increased their confidence for their future plans.

“I’ve been looking into majoring in business for college,” Ellis said. “I’m confident in doing that. It gave me more confidence to ask for help. Now, I can ask my teachers anything.”

Burnett echoed that he is more confident as he decides what he wants to study in college. He knows he wants to study chemistry but isn’t sure what type yet.

“I learned how to study, how to put work in for that upcoming test or midterm,” he said.

Snodgrass has been an integral part of Burnett’s academic development, he said. He said she has helped him take what his teachers tell him in class and apply it to his everyday life.

“I got so blessed with them,” Snodgrass said. “It was a joy for me to see them. It was a joy to hear what their weeks were like. I will miss them terribly. I mean, they become — my grandchildren call them my boys. They’re my family.”