lots of things to get you up to speed

Okay – lots of things to let you know about on this wintry afternoon.

1.       It being nearly next year, please remind your seniors that both they and their parents must get an FSA (Financial Student Aid) ID set up by the end of the year – if they are planning to file their FAFSA on Jan. 1. https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm.

2.       When the shopping and gifting have passed, remind students it’s the perfect time to apply for scholarships. There have been several in Tiger Times. A few new ones have come in and will be in the Tiger Times this coming Monday, December 14.

We have info now from the American Legion for $1,000, due March 1. I’ll get it copied and posted Monday; also the Schweiger Memorial Scholarship for those going into construction or related fields.`

If you have a JUNIOR with strong leadership abilities, consider informing him/her about the all-expenses-paid scholarship to the Bezos Scholars Program at the Aspen Institute from June 25-July 1. Deadline is February 15.

Also a good time to complete their Oregon Promise application. http://www.oregonstudentaid.gov/oregon-promise.aspx

3.       I just found a nifty resource on the OSAC website: Rating Instructions that are given to readers sitting on scholarship committees. Great intel to share with students before they do the OSAC application. The entire handbook is at this link – look at pages 22, 35-38. http://www.oregonstudentaid.gov/donate-doc/OSACScholarshipHandbook.pdf. I’ll make some copies for the office.

4.       Our FAFSA Help Night from 6-7:30 p.m. January 6 is now being considered a College Goal Oregon site, meaning students from near and far may attend. Our wonderful rep from Chemeketa, Julianna Pilafian, will be helping us. Might any of you be available to lend a hand? I promise good treats! Learn more at http://www.collegegoaloregon.org/locations.html

5.       Chemeketa Scholars info session is at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 11 in Salem and Jan. 12 at the McMinnville campus. Eligible students will be sent a postcard about attending.

6.       Jan. 13 is the deadline for the $2,000-$10,000 Kaiser Scholarship, which is even easier to complete this year. Please let your health-career students know that  they can see informative presentations at these links:  http://share.kaiserpermanente.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/NW-KP-Scholarship-Presentation.pdf;  http://share.kaiserpermanente.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/NW-Health-Care-Careers-Exploration.pdf. And the application link is here: kp.org/communitybenefit/scholarship/nw

7.        If you have students interested in engineering or architecture, you must check out the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hugely helpful website: These engineer types have it together! There are lists of industry scholarships as well as all kinds of info about being an engineer. For example:

http://www.asce.org/Scholarships/

•              Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Education and Research Foundation

•              Advanced American Construction – Schweiger Memorial Scholarship

•              Architecture, Construction & Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program

•              American Association of Cost Engineers International

•              American Public Works Association – Oregon Chapter

•              American Society of Civil Engineers

•              American Society of Professional Estimators

•              American Waterworks Association – Pacific Northwest Section

•              Architecture, Construction & Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program

•              Architecture Foundation of Oregon

•              Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon

•              Association of State Dam Safety Officials 

•              Construction Financial Management Association – Portland

•              Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland

•              National Association of Women in Construction

•              National Association of Women in Construction – Eugene

•              Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Association

•              Pacific NW Region of Carpenters

•              Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon

•              Structural Engineers Association of Oregon

•              Union Plus Scholarship Program

•              Wire Reinforcement Institute

               

8.       Some housekeeping notes: The state fire marshal is expected this week or next. He/she takes issue with non-commercial microwaves, so I have stashed ours away in the tall cupboard by the sink. Feel free to pull out and use if desperate for a cup of tea or coffee. Just be sure to put it back in hiding. I’ve also stashed the little heater in the file cabinet behind my desk – in case you happen to be here and it’s nippy.

Kids have begun  receiving letters of acceptance at colleges; hence a brand new “We Got In!!” poster-size, add-your-name list is on the front bulletin board right under the Notre Dame banner – just waiting for names! Please encourage your students to sign up and list ALL colleges they’re being accepted at. They do get a little thrill out of this tradition!   

9.       Now for the last of the scintillating news: The Willamette Promise folks are organizing a major career and college day to be held at YC all day on Feb. 19. At least five or six other schools will be attending as well as our kids. I’ve attached a PDF that provides an overview of the day. Gervais (I think) had one a few months ago, and it was wildly successful. Organizations and companies such as Pepe, John Deere – and their big equipment are expected.

There will be no regular classes that day at YC as it will be all hands on deck to help with the event. It would be so great to have the mentors helping, too – from chaperoning on a trip to a college, to helping presenters to directing student “traffic.” Please think about helping, and let me know. You’re not expected to be here all day (unless you go to a college) – but a few hours would really help.