Viewpoints: Sarah Shipley - Viewpoints - Looking past graduation
Columns | Sat, 09/25/2010 - 9:32 am | Read 372 | Commented 0 | Emailed 0
photo illustration By Sarah Shipley
The Oregon Student Assistance Commission began the ASPIRE program in 1998 to encourage post-secondary education and help students find money to pay for it. ASPIRE is an acronym for Access to Student Programs in Reach of Everyone. Staff and volunteers provide students and families with information about college, alternatives such as vocational and apprenticeships, and financial aid for education.
ASPIRE measures success by the number of students it helps. With the help of community volunteers trained by staff, we work directly with students and their families to ensure success for as many as possible.
What’s in it for high school students?
One of my favorite memories of my first year as program coordinator is of one prospective student, who interviewed me to determine if ASPIRE would be worth her time. At the end of the year, I was thrilled to see in her journal an entry stating that ASPIRE had been valuable for her.
Through ASPIRE and OSAC, Oregon offers high school students an array of tools to help with questions such as “What would be a good career for me?” “Which college is best for me?” “Where can I find an apprenticeship?” “Am I smart enough to go to college?” and “How can I afford to go to school?”
Of the 54 seniors enrolled in the McMinnville High School program in 2010, 23 received a total of 58 scholarships. At Yamhill-Carlton, the 55 students who received coaching earned 64 scholarships.
We know that, in addition to scholarships, many of the program’s students successfully filed FAFSAs (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) thanks, in part, to coaching and ASPIRE financial aid night sessions. This allowed many students to qualify for federal Pell Grants or Oregon Opportunity Grants to assist in paying for their education.
ASPIRE staff and volunteers provide information and mentoring to help students talk through concerns, organize information, keep track of key deadlines and check admissions requirements. They discuss ideas for essays, do proofreading and help interpret scholarship letters. They assist students using the state-administered electronic application to apply for any of the 400 scholarships in the OSAC database and help work with FAFSA staff to resolve any issues identified after FAFSA submission.
High schools in McMinnville, Amity, Dayton, Sheridan and Yamhill-Carlton have ASPIRE programs. To get started, a student need only fill out an application and get a parent’s signed permission. While the mentoring is most urgent for seniors, others — juniors, sophomores and even freshmen — are encouraged to sign up. This gives them a jumpstart on their plan for a successful future.
What’s in it for families?
ASPIRE and OSAC offer tools to help families find and gain access to opportunities for their students. Both the OSAC and ASPIRE websites have resources that anyone can research. In addition, OSAC also offers brief podcasts on key subjects such as completing the electronic application, avoiding scholarship scams and finding financial aid for foster youth. ASPIRE joins with career centers at these high schools to provide reference material and free government publications about job growth, salaries and resources.
What’s in it for volunteers?
You didn’t think I’d get through this without making a pitch for volunteers, did you? In McMinnville, 10 seniors did not have individual mentors. Some joined the program late or didn’t need a mentor. But for some, it was because there weren’t enough mentors.
This year, we are partnering with Linfield with the goal of expanding our mentor ranks with college students who want to participate in the community. Kelsie Burdick, a 2010 McMinnville High grad, serves as a mentor and as Linfield ASPIRE program student coordinator.
We need and would love to increase our volunteer ranks at all five schools in Yamhill County. Volunteers can be effective by donating as little as three hours a month. It’s a rewarding way to support and have a positive impact on our youth and young adults. We require a background check to meet school guidelines, and we supply training and materials. Please contact your local ASPIRE program coordinator to learn about becoming a volunteer.
Guest writer Sarah Shipley, coordinator for ASPIRE at McMinnville High School, moved to Oregon in 2007. She coaxed one daughter to follow her from Texas, but she must venture to France and Australia to visit the other two.
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