Pictures on Campus

I don't know about you, but I am so happy this is only a 2 day school week!

In talking with many of you recently, I know that some of you will be combining the Thanksgiving break with formal visits or informal stops on college campuses. Please remember that I would like to have a picture of you on EVERY campus that you step foot on - regardless of your intention to apply to that school or not.  I hope you enjoy exploring the campuses you get to see over the holiday!

College Admissions Decisions

College admissions decisions are already starting to come in for some students. Every senior looks forward to receiving their college acceptance letters. It is an exciting time and reassures you that there is more ahead. Depending upon the schools where you are applying, it is possible that you will hear back quickly or you may be waiting to hear about your status on if you have been accepted or not until sometime in March. I do ask that as you begin receiving your acceptance or, sadly, even rejection letters, to please keep me informed about the decisions. For the vast majority of the colleges, the only way I know about your admissions decision is if you share the information with me.

Remember, the only way to receive an acceptance letter is to actually APPLY to the college! (Just a friendly little reminder for those of you who are struggling to get your applications finished.)

Delaware Area Career Center

Yesterday was the annual field trip to the Delaware Area Career Center. As a reminder, don't forget that even if attending the career center, WKHS students are always WKHS students. With most programs you will have the option of attending the career center for full days (where you would take your lab coursework which counts as elective credits and your academic courses all at the career center) or for half days (where you only take the lab coursework at the career center and then return to WKHS for the other half of the day for your academic classes). You will graduate from Worthington Kilbourne and continue to participate on our athletic teams - even if you decide that you want to attend the career center for the full day. I strongly encourage you to check out the programs because the hands on opportunities to learn something new while also gaining your required elective credits can be a very appealing option! If you didn't have the chance to participate in yesterday's field trip, you still have time to visit.  There are second look days in future months.  (For the record, there is a 2nd look day in December, but it is on an exam day so WKHS students can't go on that visit day.) Any students interested in making this visit should stop by the WKHS Counseling & Career Center to pick up a permission slip from the secretaries. Permission slips must be submitted 3 days in advance in order to make arrangements for your visit.  Also, for those of you who made a visit yesterday, don't forget that you can apply online now!

Try to be Patient

I know that it can be frustrating when you have to be patient when waiting for something to happen. Waiting to hear news.  Waiting to hear if you have been accepted to college. Waiting for the next phase of your life. Waiting... waiting... and still more waiting.

But the reality is you need to be patient.

Right now colleges are overwhelmed and frequently back-logged with all of the applications they have been receiving. When colleges are receiving materials it often takes them two weeks to get everything processed and updated in the computer. They often send out notices to students that are automatically generated letters that they send just to remind you that you need to send your transcript and test scores and a recommendation letter. Students tend to panic when they receive that letter and want to send the materials again. Colleges typically do not want that happening as it will simply back up their system even more. 

Try to be patient. If you get one of these letters (from any college) take a moment and double check - did you send your transcript? Are they missing everything or some particular item? If you applied via Common App you can log in and check to see if everything was submitted and downloaded by the college.  If your materials were mailed within a 2-3 week time-frame, then take a deep breath and relax knowing that it is likely just because their system is backed up. Continue double checking on the college website (most will give you access to see your application status) and see if they have everything. If you are nearing the end of the 3rd week and they still don't have all of your items you can give them a call to double check. Chances are they just haven't made it there yet, but there are times where things get lost in the mail or filed in the wrong area. If items need to be sent again then we will work on taking care of that, but first make sure that they really are missing it.

As always, swing by my office to see me if you have any questions.

College Application Step Review

Since getting back the most common question I have heard was, "Did I miss anything?"  The reality is a lot of seniors have been worried that they are missing steps related to their college applications. The most accurate and most important response that I can give to you is to look at exactly what the college is asking for and make sure that they have each item requested by the deadline date. (And remember, that means that they actually have the materials in their office - not the date that you bring it to WKHS to have us mail or even the postmark deadline - it is the date that they need to have your entire completed application packet.)

1. Complete your application - this will be online.

2. Write your essay. I have mixed emotions if I should list this as #2 because you can't actually complete your application without your essay if one is required, but you probably don't know what the essay questions are unless you have started the application. Some schools will not require an essay while others will require multiple essays. Please plan accordingly because they take a long time to perfect.

3. Fill out the blue Transcript Release card for each school that you are applying. You can find this card in Mrs. McDaniel's office (you do not need to wait to try to see me). There is a $1.00 transcript fee unless you are applying to a school that utilizes Common App or SendEDU as we can submit transcripts to those two systems for free.

Another side note related to the transcript release cards- if you are applying to schools with deadlines of December 15th - January 10th we ask that you complete your transcript release card no later than December 9th.

4. Send your test scores - You need to make sure that you have submitted your ACT or SAT test results directly from the testing agency to each college where you are applying. You complete this step directly with the testing companies. If you are not sure if your test was sent, please log on to their site and double check.

5. If your college requires a teacher or counselor recommendation I really hope you have already arranged for someone to write them. Again, you should be giving your recommender at least 30 days notice to write a letter.

6. Double check your entire application, pay your application fee and submit the application.

7.  Sometimes people ask what are the other papers that might need to be mailed. This is one of those pieces that goes back to what the colleges require. Some colleges will have other requests such as a resume, an extra essay, teacher recommendation letters, a picture, etc. If it cannot be uploaded and needs to be mailed to the college, then you should combine it all into the same packet and mail it to the college.

It truly is not meant to be overly difficult, but it does require a great deal of organization and follow through on your part. With 293 seniors in this year's graduating class it is important to remember that you have to stay on top of things because deadlines are real and you do not want to lose the opportunity to apply to a school or to earn a scholarship just because you had not taken care of all of the details required.

If you have questions, stop by and see me and I will try to help make sure that we are all on the same page regarding what you need to do before your deadlines to complete all of your college applications.

Good luck on Pre-ACT

Tomorrow many of my students will be taking the Pre-ACT test (practice test for the ACT) and I wanted to wish you all good luck!  I hope it will be a meaningful practice opportunity for you in preparation for when you take the actual ACT in the future.

If you are taking the Pre-ACT, you will report directly to the gymnasium when you arrive to school on Wednesday morning. You will need to bring your student id with you in order to check in. You will also need a number 2 pencil (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator, and I would recommend a watch. The test will begin promptly by 7:45 and you will finish testing at the start of 5th period.  (If you have lunch 4th period we will be sure you have time to eat and give you pass to go to 5th period.)

Good luck on the test!

Holiday Help

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Except that for many people, it is not really the most wonderful time of year and can, in fact, be one of the most difficult times of year.  The holiday season often presents a challenging combination of high expectations, family drama, and school pressure with semester exams - all of which can result in unbelievably high levels of stress.  This is even more prevalent if you and your family are struggling to make ends meet this holiday season.

My top recommendation for everyone is to try to keep a sense of perspective on what is reality.  It becomes very easy to get caught in the mindset that the holiday is supposed to be this picture-perfect celebration.  Yet, that is seldom the reality.  When watching TV it is nearly impossible to escape seeing commercials and holiday movies that depict images of snow gently falling, families coming together with smiles and excitement, food overflowing on the tables, loved ones unwrapping the perfect gifts, sleigh rides through parks decorated with holiday lights, and communities gathered together singing carols.  I enjoy the sentiments that the movies are trying to depict, but if we begin thinking that this is what life is really like then we are bound to be disappointed.  For example, in my family we have wonderful holidays, but we have never gone on sleigh rides or participated in community caroling and, if I am being completely honest, the wonderful moments are also mixed with stressful times of trying to get everything ready or missing those who are unable to be there for the holiday.  If I were to compare my real holidays with that perfect image seen on TV I would inevitably be disappointed.

So, what can you do to help with the holidays?

Don't expect the holidays to be perfect. They NEVER are.

Focus on what you have, not what you don't. Ignore the commercials where the husband surprises his wife with a brand new luxury car or a diamond ring. This only leaves you wondering, "What about me?" Remind yourself that it's not the stuff that makes the holidays important.

The holidays can bring back memories of loved ones that have passed away. Give yourself permission to grieve, and deal with the loss in your own way. If you want to cry, go ahead. If you want to remember your loved one in a special way, do it - light a candle, put together a scrapbook, decorate the grave stone with flowers, or whatever else you find comforting.

Feel whatever you are feeling.  Sometimes people talk about “holiday blues” or feeling depressed by the holiday stress and others might feel excited, generous or disappointed.  Try not to over-analyze how you are feeling and just experience it – acknowledge it and try to live in the moment no matter the feeling.

Holidays can bring a great deal of joy and holiday spirit and I hope you will embrace that when possible.  This is most evident each year as I watch our school come together to help families in need with the “Adopt a Child” campaign.  It is heart-warming to see our student body unite together to help other students and families.  Knowing that you are helping to brighten the holiday for families experiencing financial and emotional stress is one of the greatest gifts you can give and helping others is often the best way to help make you feel better too.

However, for some students it is hard to focus on trying to brighten the holiday for other families when you are worrying about what you will have for Thanksgiving dinner or how you will eat during winter break.  I hope I can suggest some resources that you (or maybe a friend of yours) could use.  Below is a short list of places where you may be able to get help.

- One of the local churches, Worthington Presbyterian Church, is providing WKHS with all of the food for Thanksgiving meals so that we can distribute them to families in need.  If you need help with a Thanksgiving meal, please contact me ASAP so that I can try to arrange for a meal for you.

-  Community Cares Backpack Program:

     A group of dedicated, compassionate and incredibly thoughtful Worthington mom's do a variety of things to help our school community through the Activity Club.  One of those programs is to provide backpacks of food that students can take home with them over the weekend to add a little extra to their family's food supplies.  Every other week, we receive several backpacks that we can distribute.  If this resource is something that would be helpful for you, please let me know so that I can add you onto the list for future backpacks.  Please note that while this is provided by WKHS mom's, it is still confidential - they provide the backpacks to us and we distribute the bags to our students in need.

- Worthington Resource Pantry: www.worthingtonresourcepantry.org   614-985-1766

     Located at 6700 Huntley Rd., Columbus, OH 43229, the Worthington Resource Pantry provides families in our community with food and other resources of support.  Their hours are Mondays 10 - 2, Wednesdays 3 - 7, and the 3rd & 4th Saturdays of the month from 10 - 12.  

-  Dublin Food Pantry: www.dublinfoodpantry.org

     If you live in the 43016 zip code you could also utilize the Dublin Food Pantry.

-  Faith Mission: 

     If you are in need of a free meal, please join Faith Mission at the Community Kitchen (245 N. Grant Ave.) during the following times. Breakfast: Men – 6:30 – 7:15 (8:30 – 9:30 on weekends and holidays) Women and families – 7:30 – 8:15   Lunch: Women and families – 11:30 – 12:15 Men – 12:30 – 1:30   Dinner: Women and families – 5:30 – 6:15 Men – 6:45 – 7:45  See more at: http://faithmissionofohio.org/do-you-need-help/#sthash.hXbIieez.dpuf

-  Kroger Community Pantry:

     The Kroger Community Pantry is run in partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Bank.  The Kroger Community Pantry is located at 3960 Brookham Dr., Grove City.  Current hours are on Tuesdays from 12 – 5pm, Wednesdays from 4 – 7pm, Fridays from 9 – 2pm, and Saturdays from 9 – 1pm.  Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to posted closing time.  Also, because the pantry relies on volunteers to remain open, the pantry may close earlier than posted times.  Please call 614-317-9487 before you arrive to hear any changes to the schedule.  http://www.midohiofoodbank.org/get-help/kroger-pantry/

-  Hands On Central Ohio: https://handsoncentralohio.org/locate-services/  By phone: 211

     Hands on Central Ohio is an organization dedicated to connecting those in need with resources.  They provide a wide range of resources - Thanksgiving meals, Christmas food and gifts, Winter assistance, etc.  Check out their website for all of the ways they can try to connect you with assistance.

-  Regular Monthly Meals:

     You may already know this because we have this resource is available year-round and is featured on the WKHS Counselor website, but several local churches provide meals to anyone in the community needing assistance.  This page highlights where and when these meals are available to families in need. 

I am fully aware that all needs are not just related to food.  Here are a few resources if you have additional needs.

-  Charity Newsies   http://www.charitynewsies.com/getting-help/

     Charity Newsies is an organization that provides clothing to students in need.  A parent/ legal guardian needs to arrange for the clothing to be provided, but they can provide a complete set of clothing needs for each student that qualifies and needs it.

-  Salvation Army:  Food and Toys

     Perhaps you have seen the red kettles that appear each year - these donations are used to help provide food and gifts for families in need.  Information about their Christmas assistance program is available here: http://co.salvationarmy.org/CentralOhio/christmas-assistance

     Registration for assistance will take place this week (Week of November 14th) and the week after Thanksgiving (Week of November 28th).  Specific details about times and locations as well as required documentation are available on the Salvation Army's website.  Once families have registered for food and toy assistance, you will then go to the Ohio State Fairgrounds on December 19, 20 or 21st to receive your toys and holiday goodies.  If you have questions, you can contact them at 614-221-6561 ext. 600.

-  2 Hands:  Specific Needs

     This online resource helps connect Ohio families in need with those who are willing and able to help.  Families indicate their specific needs on the website and then others volunteer to help meet those needs.  Information about this resource is available at: http://www.2hands.org/online-christmas-help/in-ohio.php

-  Single Parents Alliance of America

     I heard that this organization also had resources to help support individuals who qualify, but I will be honest, I am not sure what those resources include.  It is worth looking into though if you are a single parent to see if it might be of help.  http://www.spaoa.org/splash/?gclid=CPTnge_tg8kCFQktaQodF9sNpA

As always, please stop by and talk if you are having problems this holiday season. If you need food, clothing or just want to talk about some struggles you are having, my door is open for you. I hope you are able to relax and enjoy this holiday season.