Senior Summer Productivity

After the post I wrote a few days ago related to college visits I started thinking about the incoming seniors and wondered how all of you are doing at being productive this summer with the tasks/ projects/ responsibilities we had started discussing back in February at your junior student/ parent meeting.

Just to give you a reminder of some of the things we had discussed that you could (and should) be starting to work on this summer, here is a list:

- Researching colleges
- Making college visits (see post from a few days ago)
- If you need recommendation letters hopefully you asked your teachers (or me) for a letter before the school year ended - the next few weeks would be a great time to send them an email to ask if they need any additional information from you to help as they are writing your recommendation letter
- Creating a resume
- Developing your final narrowed list of where you plan to apply to college
- Doing prep work for the ACT/ SAT as needed
- Registering for the upcoming ACT/ SAT tests as needed
- Working on your college essay - By the way, hopefully you haven't lost your information and resources from the College Application Essay Brainstorming Workshop this spring, but if you didn't attend or have misplaced your forms, you can find additional copies on the Counselor Website
- Volunteering
- Completing your summer coursework for any AP, IB and Honors classes if applicable
- Organizing materials related to your intended colleges - deadlines, materials they require, essays they want, etc.  (If you're not sure about this for some of your schools, the Common App will roll over to the Class of 2020 on August 1st so you'll definitely be able to find it then.)
- Searching for Scholarships
- And we didn't talk about this at the Junior Meetings, but don't forget that I strongly encourage you to do the free YouScience aptitude assessment to help you get additional ideas related to possible careers and majors that could be a good fit for you.  It also has great information to assist with recommendation letters.  If you haven't already asked for an access code, feel free to email me and I will send one to you.

I realize it isn't even July yet, but just starting to think about all of this excites me for the journey that is ahead of you!  I can't wait to hear about all that you have accomplished since our junior meeting and to see all that is ahead of you in senior year.  For those of you who are looking at this list and experiencing far less excitement and a lot more anxiety instead, please take a deep breath, and start.  Just begin the process - one step at a time - and you will be able to productively move forward to help yourself be successful.

Also, for the procrastinators among you, please do not wait until we return to school to begin working on all of this!  I know that it is summer, but your schedule will only get busier once we return to school and you are in classes for 7.5 hours a day, plus homework, plus sports, plus time with friends, etc.  I promise, starting your college prep work now will be worth it!

College Visits

One common summertime activity for many students and parents is making college visits.  We are lucky that there are a large number of colleges all within a short drive of Central Ohio and each college that you have the opportunity to visit will help shape your view of what it is that you do (or do not) want in a college.  Additionally, while traveling this summer for family vacations, don't forget to stop by the local colleges and explore their campuses.  It is always beneficial to see a variety of different college environments to get a feel for the options available to you in the future.  I strongly encourage you to see big schools, small schools, rural schools, urban schools, and suburban schools - the more variety you can get the better you will be in the long run.  And no, your visits don't have to be just to the colleges that you are seriously considering for the future - any campus that you visit will help to provide you with a broader view of college which will help in the long run because it will make the process of evaluating the colleges you are actually interested in considering easier.

To assist students with the college visit process, the WKHS Counselor website has resources and information to help you.  Here is a link to the main college visit page:  http://www.wkhscounselors.com/index.php/college-visits

But once you are on that page, be sure to check out the sub-pages that are in the menu bar on the right side where you will find additional tips for making your visits and a lengthy list of questions that you can ask students and staff on the campus as well as ideas on things to reflect on yourself as you tour the campus.

I am also going to ask that you please be sure to take a picture of you somewhere on campus for me to have for the Oh The Places You'll Go board!

Here is also an article that gives suggestions about questions you can ask on college visits:
https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-college-solution/2010/10/19/36-questions-to-ask-on-a-college-visit

Summer Sports

For some students, the summer months provide well earned down time, but for the majority of our student athletes, summer can be among the busiest months related to athletic competitions.  Instead of competing with your high school teams, you are busy with weight lifting and conditioning - doing everything that you can to improve yourself in the off-season so that you will have a better year once competitions resume.  And, for many sports, the summer is filled with club or travel team sports.  Students and families are attending practices and competing with their out-of-school teams.  Lastly, other students will fill their summer months with athletic camps in the community or, more often, on college campuses.

I love sports.  I love the concept of pushing yourself to achieve at your highest levels, of working hard to improve in small ways that add up to a bigger accomplishment, and of the team bonding and memory sharing which comes as a result of athletics.  But I also know that sports can be a pressure cooker for so many students.  You desire to push yourself physically and emotionally to be "perfect" when perfection isn't possible.  Don't get me wrong, I want you to work hard, but I don't want the extra pressure this can generate.  Sometimes students feel this pressure from parents, grandparents or peers who expect them to be the next great star in college athletics.  Sometimes it is internal pressure that comes from trying to be "the best."  There are so many different reasons that we can take something that started out as FUN and turn it into something that is PRESSURE.  So, try to remind yourself of why you love your sport.  Work hard at practice, conditioning, summer leagues, camps, or whatever you're doing this summer for the LOVE of your sport and the good that it brings to your life.  Try to use the summer months to reconnect with that passion and interest in your sport.

And, for those of you who are looking ahead and thinking about playing sports in college, I wanted to pass along this article about some of the common myths associated with sports in college. 

4 Myths About Athletic Scholarships

Job Shadowing

One of the best ways that students can use a day or more of their time during the summer is going out and shadowing someone in a job that interests you.  The summer is the ideal time to try to job shadow because you won't have to miss school and most jobs have consistent responsibilities throughout the entire calendar year.

By going out and shadowing individuals who are working in the fields that are potentially interesting, you will be gaining a behind the scenes look at what the career really entails.  You will also have the opportunity to network and make connections with people who can, potentially, help guide and mentor you in your own future career path.  But, because so few students actually take the time to arrange for job shadowing opportunities and follow through with it, what I like best about is that it allows you go have a leg up on everyone else when thinking about this as a potential future career.  You know just a little bit more about what a day in the life would feel like, what the stressors and high points are in the job, and you will more clearly have an idea of if this is truly a good career fit for you.

If you are interested in setting up a job shadowing experience, start by identifying the job you would want to shadow.  Consider asking family members and the family members of your friends if they know anyone working in that field to see if they could help give you a contact name to reach out to about spending a day following them to learn about their career.  If you cannot find anyone who knows of someone within that job field, you can always contact companies that have that field as a career and asking blindly if they would allow you to shadow someone.  If you are making a blind contact, you might benefit from starting with their Human Resources department.

When your day arrives to job shadow I have a few hints for you...
1. Dress appropriately for the job.  (If you are unsure what approrpriate attire would be, ask when you are setting up the visit.)
2. Be on time.  (This is your first impression.  Don't blow it by being late.)
3. Smile, shake hands, look people in the eye and maintain a positive attitude.  Ok, that is a lot in one hint, but the way you approach the people you will interact with throughout the day will be important.
4.  Leave your phone in your car.  Seriously.  I know, it is a challenge to have your phone far beyond the stretch of your arm, but here is the thing... you end up checking text messages, social media, or the time just out of mindless, random habit.  You don't want to do that when you are shadowing.  So, for this one day, leave your phone in your car.  Or, if that truly is going to send you into withdrawl, then turn your phone OFF (not just do not disturb) and put it away and only turn it on during your lunch break or when you are in the restroom.  But, again, please, let me stress to you to please just leave your phone in your car!
5.  Come up with some questions you'd like to know about the career professional that you are shadowing and their job as a whole.  Throughout the day, spread out those questions and give them the opportunity to share with you their career path and experiences.  It's important to remember that your day there isn't just about interviewing them - they have a job to do, but having a few thoughtful questions or developing additional questions in response to things that you are observing in the day is a good use of your time and of theirs.
6.  Bring something (notebook and pencil) to jot down thoughts and questions as they come up throughout the day.  Remember, no phone means you won't have access to the Notes app on your phone so you have to go old school on this one.
7.  Keep track of anyone that you meet throughout the day - especially anyone who helps share insights or information with you that helps further develop your understanding of the job field.  Most professionals will have business cards that they can share with you or you can write down their names in your notebook. 
8.  Later, after your visit is over, send a thank you note to the person who allowed you to spend the day shadowing them.  But also consider sending a note to any of the people you identified in point number 7 above.
9.  For yourself, jot down some notes - a few sentences or bullet points are fine.  But take the time to reflect back on what you thought of your time at the job.  Did you like it?  What was the best or worst part to you?  What surprised you?  By having those brief notes, you will potentially be able to use it for yourself when you are writing a college essay, filling out your application, or trying to remember some piece of information a year or more from now related to the visit experience.  I know that it seems as if you won't forget any of it, but I promise, it will not stay as fresh in your mind as you anticipate, so just write a few simple thoughts and reflections down before you leave the experience behind.

We are still early enough in the summer that you could shadow several different jobs if that is appealing to you.  There are so many careers (like nursing for example) that have drastically different settings and so even if you have picked out a career that you want to shadow you may be interested in learning from people in a range of different settings.

I can't wait to hear about your experiences as you go out and job shadow!  Good luck and I hope you learn a lot.

Volunteering

Volunteering provides the chance for you to do something to help someone else.  But do you know that often, when you are spending your time and energy helping others, the person who benefits the most is YOU?!

I realize that may sound crazy, but it is true.  There has been a lot of research about the importance of focusing on how you can help others and the ways that it impacts you.  But if you pause and think about it, I am confident you will know it without needing research as evidence.  When you help someone else, you tend to feel good about yourself.  We all want to be needed.  Volunteering allows you to share your gifts and talents with someone who needs it.  This also boosts connection which decreases loneliness and stress levels.  Feeling as if you have a purpose and that your life is bigger than just the world you tend to focus on of your day to day actions is incredibly beneficial and meaningful.

But perhaps you don't even know where to get started.  And the good news is it can be ANYWHERE and doing ANYTHING!

Is there a cause or issue that is important to your heart?  Start there.  Maybe you are a lover of animals or someone in your family has fought against a disease, if so, start looking online or with organizations connected to similar causes to see how you can help.

Is there a future career path that interests you?  That is another good option to consider for volunteering.  If you want to work in medicine or research, volunteer at a hospital.  If you want to study environmental science, look at options volunteering in environmental areas.  If you want to teach, seek camp programs that are in need of teens to help out.

Is there a passion or talent that you love that you could try to share with others?  If you love playing soccer, volunteer as helper with a local youth team.  If you enjoy baseball, volunteer with the Miracle League.  If you are talented at music, volunteer your time to perform at a local nursing home.  If you love to read, see if the library, book store, nursing home, or rec center would allow you to host a story time.

The opportunities are truly endless.  Don't be limited to just the ideas or examples that I mentioned here, think about what would be personally rewarding and fulfilling to you and then figure out how you can help out.  I promise, someone out there will be thrilled to have your assistance!  And, what a great way to spend a portion of your summer!

Forever DrewStrong

There are so many things I love about working in Worthington, but none more than the way the community rallies to support and encourage one another during times of need.  This is seen each fall when food drive competitions are held to help restock the Worthington Food Pantry, during the holiday season when our students and staff draw together to provide gifts for others in the community who are in need, and, sadly, it is unbelievably evident at times like this when someone who is loved and cared about in the community dies.

Perhaps you didn’t know Drew George.  Drew was not one of “my” students, but everyone knew this 2016 WKHS graduate because of his bright red hair, his athletic talent, and his strength.  Drew played soccer, basketball and baseball during his years at WKHS.  During the fall of his sophomore year of high school Drew was diagnosed with leukemia.  He fought bravely and always with a smile on his face.  That spring, he received a transplant from his older sister, Tori, during her senior year of high school.  He later relapsed and received a second transplant from a stranger.  Sadly, this year he relapsed yet again and even though he fought with everything in him, Drew’s battle has ended. 

I mentioned that I personally didn’t know Drew well, but in so many ways I felt as if I did because I have heard the most incredible “Drew Stories” over the years from his friends, family members and the WKHS staff.  So here is what I can tell you about Drew.  When I think of him, I will always think of a story Mrs. Gratz shared of being at a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Light the Night event with Drew and her niece, Chloe (who had battled leukemia at just 6 years old).  During the ceremony Drew and Chloe held hands and went forward to celebrate their survival against cancer.  Drew, as Mrs. Gratz’s student, and Chloe, each hold incredibly precious places in her heart and even the thought of them, hand-in-hand, standing there to celebrate their success in the fight against cancer brings tears to my eyes.  Or, perhaps it would be the story of Drew and the connection he had with one of my student’s families who felt that Drew was the brother they never had in their family of girls.  They knew that Drew would always have their back no matter what, but he loved to laugh and have fun too... even if they were trying to force him to watch The Bachelor with them.  There are stories of Mr. Souder (always known as Coach to Drew) giving Drew haircuts and their two families sharing in regular outings for “El Vaquero nights.”  There were stories of Drew playing hide and go seek in the dark in the basement.  And, there are lots of stories with Drew involving sports like Drew going to OSU football games and Drew’s passion for Lebron James, Tiger Woods, and pretty much anything sports related.  But most of all, it would be the stories of his strength.

You see, Drew was strong WITHOUT cancer.  Cancer just put a spotlight on him and his strength.  Drew believed firmly in friendship and prized the relationship with his friends.  Yet he also was generous with his time and attention and could make others feel important even if they were not in his inner circle.  Nothing was more important to Drew though than his family.  He loved them fiercely and wanted to be strong for them no matter what was happening.  And, during his battle with cancer, this was clearly evident.  Drew hated to see those he loved sad and struggling.  He wanted to take away their pain.  He wanted to know that they were ok now and would be ok in the future.  And through everything he always tried to maintain a smile on his face and a “can do” attitude.  When everyone else was devastated at the news that his cancer had returned for a 3^rd time, Drew simply said, I have beat it twice before, I can do it again and his courage gave everyone else hope and courage too.

So, where does that leave us now?  Sad.  So many in our Worthington Community are sad today.  They are feeling lost and confused, questioning and hurting, angry and disappointed because this was NOT the end of the story anyone had wanted.  And that is ok.  We need to feel all of those feelings – as uncomfortable as they are – because that is what allows us to grieve and to grow.  But then we also have a responsibility to Drew.  His strength was too big for one young man.  His gift is that if you knew him in person or even if you had only heard of him, that strength is now yours to hold onto, to nurture and to spread to the world around you.  We need more strength in our world today and now, as a way to honor Drew’s memory, we all can work to be #DrewStrong in our own hearts, minds and lives each day.

That isn’t always easy, but just as Drew gave so many gifts to our community, it is the greatest gift we can now give back to Drew…

Please remember, that if you are struggling with managing your feelings related to Drew’s death or any circumstance in your life, help and support are always available.

ACT Registration Reminder

Just a quick reminder for all of the "To be Seniors" out there.  If you are still planning to repeat your ACT before applying to college, you may want to consider signing up for the July 13th test.  After that, you only have the September test left to try to have scores ready in time for the college Early Action/ Early Decision application deadlines.

The deadline to sign up for the July ACT is on Friday, June 14th.  Register directly on the ACT website.

Transcripts, Report Cards and More

I have been getting emails from many recent grads about their final transcripts.  When you completed your Mandatory Graduation Questionnaire back in late April/ early May, you wrote down where you wanted your final transcript to be mailed.  These have now been sent.

For those of you who took classes through CC+, it is possible that your new colleges will want a copy of your CC+ transcript directly from the college and not just off of your WKHS transcript.  If this is the case, you can find directions and links on the WKHS counselor website to request your transcripts be sent to your future collegiate home.

I wanted to remind all students and parents that report cards are not mailed home, but they are available for you to access and print from Infinite Campus.  Additionally, your transcripts have been updated so you can see what that looks like too - including your GPA.

The Worthington summer school session is underway.  Along with the summer school classes, there will be the opportunity for students to re-take any of the End of Course tests that you didn't do as well on as you would have liked.  Scores were just released to schools this week so I have been trying to go through results and get in touch with students and parents who need to strongly consider retaking a test this summer.  Please take advantage of this opportunity if it applies to you!  

While it is summer vacation, some of you have signed up for classes that include summer assignments.  Please start looking at those assignments, get the books, and plan your summer so that you can get through all of the assignments before school starts back up.  There is a planning calendar along with all of the summer assignments available for you to access on the WKHS Counselor website - www.wkhscounselors.com.  

Diploma Presenter

If I was forced to pick my favorite tradition at WKHS it is the fact that our graduating seniors are given the opportunity to select what person they want to have hand them their diploma during the Commencement ceremony.  This individual has to be someone who has been a part of their educational career during their years in Worthington... so for students this gives them a wide range of people to select.  And, this year I was unbelievably honored to have 6 of "my" students allow me to have the honor of handing them their diploma.

Pictured Left to Right are the students I was able to present with their diplomas this year:  Jack Corcoran, Nicoly Anicio, Lily Burhenne, Tori Blake-Lounsbury, Erika Diaz-Avalos, and Demetrius Barlow

I love the fact that students are able to share that moment when they officially become graduates and receive their diploma with someone that they know.  But for me, my favorite moment actually comes before we are on stage together.  I love the moment when I am on stage and lock eyes with the student whose name is about to be called.  The smile the students give and the excitement and pride just makes my heart so happy.

Jack, Nicoly, Lily, Tori, Erika and Demetrius,
What an honor and a joy it has been to know each of you!  You each had very different experiences as you worked through your 4 years of high school and I could not be prouder of you for all that you have worked through and all that is ahead of you in the future.  Thank you for allowing me to share in your graduation day!  Love, Miss Abbott

YouScience

A few months ago I had mentioned the program, YouScience, and I have great news to pass along... we now have access to it for all of our students FREE of charge! 

I am so excited about this opportunity for students.

For those of you who don't remember YouScience, allow me to share some of what I have learned about the programs after doing it myself.  YouScience is a measure of aptitudes.  Aptitudes are your natural abilities to do things.  It is not about saying you are good at math or science - it is more about the specific strengths that cross over to various subject areas.

When you take the assessment it is all online so you can do it from any computer or chromebook.  The entire process from start to finish is 1 hour and 15 minutes, but you can split it up over however many settings that works best for you.  The assessment consistents of a variety of different small computer challenges.  Each of these challenges is timed and you just do the best you can on each one of them.  When you start any of those timed tests, you have to finish that piece before you could stop and save to return later.

I took the assessment and was fascinated by how many pieces it was able to say about me just from doing these fun tests.  At the end, about 1 day later, you will receive an email with links to your results.  There were 3 main things I liked best about the results.  1, there is a 41 page personal summary that can be downloaded that talked about things that are easier or harder for you based upon your results.  2, there is a discussion summary guide which is a great resource to help you for use in recommendation letters, resumes and college essays.  3, the career specific information is interesting.  I really liked that the career information could be divided out so that you could look at it based upon which careers fit for people with your aptitudes, for careers with your interests, or for careers that overlap well with your aptitudes and interests.

If you are interested in taking the assessment (or if any of your friends want to do so), please email me at babbott@wscloud.org and I will send you an access code.  You will then use that to create an account for free.  It is important to note that you will not be able to use your wscloud email account because you won't be able to receive your emails from YouScience with your results.

I believe that the summer provides the perfect time to for students to be able to complete the YouScience assessment as you can always find an hour that you are bored or when it is raining or you want to come up with new ideas about what you should do someday.  So please, send me an email if you are interested (and even though you'll get a bounce back saying I am out for the summer I will make sure to check my email regularly over the next few days) and I will send you the access code.