For many high school students, the transition from high school to adulthood can be particularly difficult. This is a period of growth and self-discovery where you must navigate a whole new world. As you enter your senior year, taking advantage of our school’s resources can help to better prepare you for your future. One resource in particular stands out to many seniors, acting as a compass to help you navigate the new world that has opened in front of you. Located across from the main office, the College and Career Center is a student-focused space where students have the chance to get help figuring out their post-secondary plans after high school. Whether it’s exploring a career opportunity or filling out an application to a college you are interested in, the College and Career Center offers its services to any student in need of help.
The mentorship offered by the College and Career Center is designed to be informative and easy to access. A common misconception about this is that in order to interact with a coordinator, you must schedule an appointment. This is false. The College and Career Center is open during school days from 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with the only exceptions for when the coordinators are doing class presentations. “The doors are open, you can drop in at any time,” said Kelley Milford, one of the College Coordinators. This is all by the design of the College and Career Center, giving students the freedom to check in at any time.
Another misconception of the College and Career Center is that the Coordinators have their own agenda, and want to define where, what, and how you make your after-high school plans. This is also false. It is specifically focused on working with students individually, to help students build a foundation for their after-school plans. This can be filling out college or job applications, reviewing student’s resumes, or providing guidance to help fulfill a student’s needs. “Just walk in and come talk to us, that is the best thing you could do,” said Winston Rivas, another of the College Coordinators. “Email works too, but once you have that face-to-face, a lot of your questions get answered much quicker because a 3 to 4 email chain can turn into a 5-minute conversation.” This gives the College and Career Center its own culture of open communication, a supportive space where students can thrive in collaboration with coordinators.
The importance of communication with the College and Career Center has even gone a step further as of this year, meeting with each junior individually. This is a great way to introduce themselves to students and briefly discuss what they might be interested in for the future. For juniors who are looking for a headstart on college applications, it is recommended to begin the conversation early.
“Earlier is definitely better,” said Rivas. “Our busiest month is definitely October to November, so if you are a student who might need more time to dedicate to the application process, I would say coming in September if you have already identified some colleges you are interested in. From the last week of July to the first week of August a college summer program was held at Lewis and Clark College and hosted by Rivas. This will provide students the opportunity to get help filling out applications for an even earlier head start.
Past the collaborative and cooperative aspects of the College and Career Center, there has always been an emphasis on getting information out to students. To give students opportunities for scholarships, internships, college visits, and career days at the school through emails, Remind and Trivory, they even post information about what’s happening on
Instagram account. Most College information can be found at the surface, but for information on careers, job unions, and even trade schools they will be found on the Career Happenings document.
The Career Happenings is headed by the Career Coordinator Jessica Wade and is updated frequently. As of now, the Career Happenings Newsletter can only be accessed through other PPS newsletters, however, this could be due to change. “We have been talking about moving the document to be more front and center, linking it to the sidebar of our school’s website,” said Milford.
At the College and Career Center, any visit is important — a place where you can plan out your future aspirations with people who are willing to help you discover your path. With effective communication and a willingness to guide students, a visit to the College and Career Center is a step in the right direction.
