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Ft. Recovery High School
Guidance /Scholarship Newsletter: February 20 1 5
M onthly guidance newsletter s are also available at trec o veryschools.org
by clicking on High School > Guidance H omepage
updated 2 - 5 - 1 5
GENERAL NEWS:
1. Students (grades 8-11) will be registering for next year’s classes this month. Be sure to discuss your student’s schedule with them at home.
2. There will be a College Credit Plus ( formerly PSEO) meeting for students and parents interested in taking college classes while in high school on Wednesday, February 4 at 6:00 p.m. in the HS Community Room (new athletic building). THIS MEETING IS MANDATORY FOR 1 PARENT AND THE STUDENT IF HE/SHE IS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM FOR THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR.
3. The Grand Lake International Association is having an informational meeting on February 10 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at The Loft (above Mommy and Me) in Celina. Students who are interested in being a student delegate to Japan in the summer should attend. See Mrs. Kaiser for more details.
4. The Right to Life Oratory Contest is open to Juniors and Seniors and will be held on March 1 at 1 p.m. at Mercer County Hospital. The first place winner will receive $1000 and an all- expenses paid trip to the RTL March in Washington DC in 2015 . Second place is $750 and 3rd place is $500. All other participants will receive $100! The contestants are to research, write, and present an original "Pro-Life" speech on Abortion, Infanticide, Euthanasia, or Stem Cell research and present a 5-7 minute speech. Apply by February 14.
5. Attention parents of college-bound seniors: If possible, try to file your 2014 tax forms before February 15. This is the FAFSA deadline for many Ohio colleges. (If you are unable to file by this date, don’t worry—you can estimate your AGI, etc. on the FAFSA and revise those numbers later.)
6. Parents and Students with disabilities: Ohio State, Otterbein University, and Columbus State Community College will host a College Day on Wednesday, April 8 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Topics include:
a. The transition from HS to college (and the difference between them)
b. Accommodations provided in college
c. How to find the right college fit
d. Assistive technology and options for alternative media formats
See Mrs. Kaiser for more information. Registration is required by March 20.
7. See the last section of this newsletter for important Financial Aid Information!
8. Wright State Lake Campus is offering two FAFSA Workshops to help students/parents file the 2015-16 FAFSA. You need not plan to attend WSU to participate:
· February 3 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
· February 12 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Bring: your 2015-16 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet, 2014 Tax Information, SSN, and Driver’s License. Seats
are limited. Call 419-586-0232 to register.
9. Need a prom dress, and can’t afford one? There will be a "Don't Stress Over the Dress" event at the Findlay Village Mall on March 21-22. FREE prom dresses will be available and DONATIONS (dresses, jewelry, shoes, etc.) are currently being accepted. Pick up a flier in the HS office or contact Denise Foley for more information: 419-429-3445.
10. FRMS would like to have a HS student do the 5K kickoff speech this year for Get REAL Week. The theme is "Above and Beyond". We need a charismatic HS student who exemplifies the theme to speak to our young Indians! Let Mrs. K know if you are interested!
11. Attention Juniors-- Buckeye Boys/Girls State Applications are now available!
These week-long summer camps are sponsored by our American Legion Post, and there is NO COST for students chosen to attend. Delegates learn more about City, County and State Government in one week than they will learn in an entire semester of high school. Mrs. Kaiser has applications and informational brochures for any interested students.
· Boys State will be June 14-21, 2015 at Bowling Green State University
· Girls State will be held June 14-20, 2015 at the University of Mount Union
Last year’s (2014) participants were: Nathan Lochtefeld, Seth Riegle, Rachel Pugh, Haley Knapke, and Lauren Rammel.
Please consider applying— Boys/Girls State is always a fun-filled, memorable experience for those who attend! You will NOT regret it J .
12. Attention parents of college-bound seniors: If possible, try to file your 2014 tax forms before February 15, 2015. This is the FAFSA deadline for many Ohio colleges. (If you are unable to file by this date, don’t worry—you can estimate your AGI, etc. on the FAFSA and revise those numbers later.)
13. Planning a senior trip? You may want to avoid Saturday, June 20, 2015. That is the date of the FR Alumni Association’s annual banquet. All seniors are invited to attend, and if you are lucky enough to win an Alumni Scholarship, your attendance at the banquet is required.
14. Students with disabilities who plan to take an AP Exam in May can request accommodations by contacting Mrs. Kaiser know no later than February 4.
15. Sophomores and Juniors: Win a leadership trip to Washington D.C.! See the Darke-Rural Electric scholarship information (end of newsletter) for details.
16. The Mercer County STOP group is seeking new members for 2014-15. “Students Teaching Others Prevention” is a group where high school students can meet new friends who can support them in times of negative peer pressure. The STOP group comes together to learn about ways to stand strong in their belief not to use alcohol, tobacco, drugs, as well as help prevent bullying and suicide. NEW members are welcome! You can participate if you are drug free or want to be encouraged to start over.
Upcoming STOP meetings (all meetings are held at Celina Frist Church of God, 850 Fairground Rd.—east entrance)
· Monday, February 9 th from 7-8:30 pm Coldwater High School Media Center*
· Monday, March 2 nd from 7-8:30 pm Coldwater High School CAV room
*On March 7, 2015, the S.T.A.R. (Students Teaching About Resistance) Retreat will be held for Mercer County middle school students. You must be an active S.T.O.P. group member to be a leader at this awesome youth-led event!!! Other leadership and volunteer opportunities will also be made available through the S.T.O.P. Group!
Contact Laura Sanford at 419-584-1000 for more information.
17. All students: Be sure to log your service hours , academic awards, and activities! This will be extremely helpful to you when filling out scholarship, job, and college applications. These log forms can also be used for induction into National Honor Society. Keep in mind that being a committed (contributing) member to a few organizations is much more important that being in several clubs. New, simplified forms are available in the Guidance Office.
18. Did you know that INFOhio’s Learning Express Library (ohio.o r g/ER/secure/LearningExpress.asp) has lots of FREE resources for you? Login information is on p. 36 of your student planner.
a. Academic Recourses (for Elem/MS/HS, diagnostic testing)
b. Job Exploration
c. Practice Tests (ACT, SAT, AP Exams, GRE, ASVAB Military Test, etc.)
Job Opportunities (check out the postings near the guidance office as well)
19. Les Wenning Motors, Ft. Recovery, is looking for students to help with car detailing , general maintenance, painting, cleaning, etc. Call Kristin at 419-375-4135 or apply at the dealership.
20. FRES will be offering a “Laffalot Summer Camp” July 20-24 (9 a.m.-2 p.m.). They need 1 HS boy and 1 HS girl to help with the camp. This is a paid position ($190/week). See Mrs. Kaiser ASAP if interested.
21. The Mercer County One Stop Office is offering a youth employment program (TANF) for 14-21 year olds for the purpose of preparing for a career that is rewarding and meets personal goals. Applicants must meet income eligibility guidelines (students on an IEP may also be eligible). Call 419/586-5106 ext. 524 (Elizabeth Rinderle) or ext. 529 (Carol Weitzel) for more information.
22. Job Corps is a federal program that provides career-technical training for your people looking for an alternative to college, or who may be at risk for not completing high school. For more information, see www.recruiting.jobcorps.gov or call 800-733-JOBS.
23. Go to http://hometownopportunity.com/ for information on jobs in Mercer/Auglaize Counties!
Volunteer/ Community Service Opportunities (check out the postings near the guidance office as well)
****remember to log your service hours****
24. Any student interested in tutoring (elem/MS/HS) should see Mrs. Kaiser. Tutors are always needed during study halls, after school, evening
25. Psi Iota Xi Sorority is in need of student volunteers for various activities throughout the year. Contact Cathy Etzler at 419-852-2572 for more information.
26. Fort Recovery is celebrating its 225 th year anniversary in June 2016. The committee is looking for students and community members to help make the celebration memorable and fun! Please attend the planning meetings on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Meetings will be held in the Community Room of the new Athletic Complex. Contact Roger Broerman (419/375-4738), Bob Hull (419/852-9542) if you have questions. All are welcome!
Summer Opportunities:
27. Wright Stat is offering residential camps in a variety of areas. (Science, Theater, Leadership, Writers Pallette, etc.) Call 937-775-3135 or visit www.wrigh t .edu / precollege for more information.
Miscellaneous:
28. All students who plan to go to college should take a college entrance exam. An ACT (or SAT) test score is a requirement for admission to many colleges and universities. Stop by the guidance office for more information.
ACT College and C areer R eadiness S cores: English 18 / Math 22 / Reading 22 / Science 23
** IEP/504 students requesting ext ended time must see Mrs. Kaiser two weeks prior to the registration deadline. **
ACT National Test Dates Registration Deadlines
February 7, 2015 January 9, 2015
April 18, 2015 March 13, 2015
June 13, 2015 May 8, 2015
Students can register for the ACT online at http://www.a c tstudent.org/start. Our CEEB code is 362-165.
SAT National Test Dates Registration Deadlines
March 14, 2015 February 13, 2015
May 2, 2015 April 6, 2015
June 6, 2015 May 8, 2015
Students can register for the SAT online at sat.o r g /register. Our CEEB code is 362-165.
29. FREE Practice tests:
a. Booklets available in the Guidance Office
b. www.actstu d ent.org/ s ampletest, www.act s tud e nt.org/onlineprep, or exam p racticetests . com
c. /ER/sec u re/LearningExpress30.asp. (This is a very good website and has practice AP exams as well!). Click on “Learning Express Library” and then “College Prep Center”. You will need to create a user account (username and password can be found on p. 36 in your student handbook).
30. ACT Prep Courses:
· Edison Community College and Sylvan Learning Center offer classes to review math and English skills, test taking and time management tips, test questions and practice problems. The classes usually meet 6 weeks prior to each ACT national test date. See Mrs. Kaiser for more information.
· Shelly Poeppelman also offers sessions in Ft. Loramie.
31. The Ohio Department of Health’s Help Me Grow program provides information and support for first time mothers. Contact Sandy Dorsten at 419-586-1721 for more information.
32. The National Council for Adoption offers help to expectant moms who need advice. Adoption gives you and your child the opportunity to live your lives to the fullest and not limit each other’s chances. They ask that you consider the possibilities by calling 1-866-355-7965 or visiting iChooseAdoption.org.
33. Need counseling? I have lots of information on private counseling services in the area…just ask!
C ollege and CAREER Info:
General Info:
34. Career Spotlight
· I have books titled 201 Careers in N ursing and Oil and Gas Careers in Ohio for any interested students
· Rhodes State offers respiratory care, nursing, and medical assisting with NO WAIT LISTS for those who qualify!
35. Seniors: don’t wait too long to complete your applications! You never know when school will be delayed or cancelled, so ask for letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc., well in advance!
36. The John Jay Center in Portland offers classes for the High School Equivalency Exam (formerly known as GED). Call 260-729-5525 for more information.
37. Students interested in job shadowing at Mercer Health should contact Betsy Schoenleben at 419-678-5119 or to request a job-shadowing packet. Be specific about the area(s) you are interested in (you can list more than one). Students are required to get a Tb test prior to shadowing.
38. The Mercer County Sherriff’s Office sponsors an “explorers program” for students interested in careers in law enforcement. Call Captain Mark Heinll at 419-586-7724 for more information.
39. Looking for a college or a career that’s right for you?
a. OhioMeansJobs has a wealth of information about current job openings as well as occupation searches, wages, Ohio colleges, interest inventories, and much more! Website: https://ohiom e ansjobs.com/
i. Start by clicking on Individuals (get started) > K-12 (cardinal with the graduation hat)
ii. Navigate using the Guided Tour
iii. #5-- College and Career Readiness Assessment & Training Center has college test preparation. (You don’t need to register, but if you do, it will save your results.)
iv. If you build a resume on the K-12 side, it is private. Save and post on the adult side (monster.com) later.
v. Begin building your personalized “backpack” of information!
b. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, .gov/ooh/a-z-index.htm offers a wealth of information on today’s jobs, wages, duties, and employment trends. This is an outstanding site!
c. The College Board: Check out le g eboard.com/ Click on “Students” to begin.
d. lege-scholarships.com/ohio.htm has links to colleges, universities, career schools, and technical schools (with contact information). There are also many scholarship links.
e. Sinclair Community College has a “career coach” link on their website clair.edu/explore/careercoach/ that is really good! It gives up-to-date statistics about occupations, wages, and how many people are employed in that profession.
f. www.volunt a rysystem.org gives you statistics about many colleges across the nation. These are great websites to help you narrow down your choices!
g. l lege.gov/wps/portal was designed by students for students, and features first-person accounts of students who have overcome challenges such as peer pressure, lack of family support, and financial barriers, to go to college.