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College and Career Counseling

Beth Anderson, College & Career Advisor

Be sure to watch for announcements with reminders about the various opportunities and deadlines mentioned below.

Career & College Advisor Notes

May 2022

Hello Students and Families,

Along with all the beautiful wildflowers, May brings lots of schoolwork and test-taking, transitions and culminating projects, positive change and sometimes difficult choices. Whatever you’re working on this month, I’m here to support you! This month’s content focuses on employment opportunities for students and soon-to-be-graduates. 

Career Spotlight: High School to Highways Program

WSDOT is looking for enthusiastic career-minded individuals to join their dynamic Highway Maintenance teams to support the vast infrastructure across Washington State. WSDOT is coordinating with local Career and Technical Education (CTE) partners to blaze a career path for recent high school graduates (ages 18-23) looking to enter the workforce full-time. The current salary range for these positions is $3,401.00 – $5,012.00 per month.
 
With “High School to Highways,” selected candidates are hired as an entry-level Highway Maintenance Worker (HMW), provided a formal on-the-job training plan, and paired with a mentor to coach and support them toward obtaining the experience and credentials needed to advance their career in transportation. Visit High School to Highways for more information, including details on how to apply. And check out this interview with a maintenance tech in the HSH program:

Additional Jobs for Summer 2022 and Beyond

Okanogan County Public Works also has positions available in the Methow Valley for seasonal workers and full-time road maintenance workers – you must be 18 years old to apply. The seasonal positions have the potential to turn into a long-term apprenticeship opportunity, where you would get paid to learn on the job and take classes to build your skills and knowledge.

Many local businesses, especially in the construction and hospitality industries, are seeking workers. Those jobs sometimes include the opportunity to learn from a highly experienced tradesperson: for example, a local painting contractor is looking for an apprentice to work alongside him this summer. If you’re interested in working hard and learning how to paint houses, contact Rusty at rustyjensen5@gmail.com.
 
Alder Creek Firefighting is recruiting firefighters for the 2022 summer season; training and certification will be provided at no cost to recruits (must be 18 years of age or older to work on fires but can start training at 17). Interested applicants should contact thedays1994@gmail.com.
 
There are also many local job postings in the Employment section of the Methow Valley News Classifieds. Both summer and long-term work opportunities are available!

Juniors – Looking Ahead to 2022-2023

As we approach the end of the school year, I’d like to meet with each member of the Class of 2023 to talk about what you’re thinking of doing after high school. There’s no need to be certain about your future plans, in fact, this is a great time to talk about a range of possibilities! Stop by my office or send me a message to schedule a time that works for you (families are also welcome).

Campus Visit Opportunities for Juniors

A number of colleges and universities offer “fly-in” programs for rural students that include free transportation to and from their campuses. Talk to me for more information on which schools host these programs and how to apply!

Please stop by my office, send me an email, or leave a voicemail if you have any questions.

Congratulations, Class of 2022!
Beth/Ms. Anderson

College and Career Advisor
Methow Valley School District
banderson@methow.org
(509) 996.2215, x4175

 

 

Upcoming Events & Deadlines

Monday, May 9 & Tuesday, May 10 • Deadlines for Kiwanis/Eagles Scholarship Applications
There are still scholarship opportunities out there, Seniors!  The Scholarships 2022 Google Classroom has all the applications and deadlines. Scholarships are available for all students who will be doing any post-high school education or training that requires tuition, supplies, or funds for housing.
 
Thursday, May 19 • Six Colleges Webinar on Starting Your College Search Process
The sixcolleges.org crew will be hosting a special session for first-generation students or families with fewer financial resources. Join admission officers from Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams to learn more about what you can do to prepare for college. They’ll have pointers for students and families: RSVP here.

Ongoing • Finish the FAFSA
There’s still time. Really. FAFSA application application and qualify financial aid at many post-secondary institutions for the fall of 2022.

Throughout the month of May • Celebrate the Class of 2022 on Social Media
We are celebrating EVERY member of the Class of 2022, whether you attend LBHS, the ILC, Running Start, or homeschool. If you have not done so already, PLEASE submit a bio and photo so your families and the MVSD community can celebrate your accomplishments on Instagram and Facebook. 

 

Helpful Resources

Application Process

  • College Board
    The College Board website provides you with all the information you need for applying to college. It allows you to compare colleges. It provides you with GPA and SAT information to how you compare with other students. It provides financial information about the cost of schools and how they distribute their financial aid. This website also has a Expected Family Contribution and a Net Price Calculator available.
  • Common Application
    Start your Common Application.

Career Exploration

  • Naviance
    Career and college research tools available to all LBHS/ILC students. (*Coming soon* – sign in with your methow.org Google account!)
  • ReadyWA
    Career exploration & financial aid resources for students and families.
  • Find Your Grind
    Research careers based on your lifestyle assessment; free to all LBHS students.

Financial Aid & Scholarship Information

  • Watch the Recording of Paying for Post-HS Education Night: Ongoing
    The Zoom presentation by financial advisor David Aramaki is still available. Watch the recording. (You’ll be prompted to enter this case-sensitive passcode: A3+c278W)
  • FAFSA Checklist & Financial Aid Timeline
    FAFSA checklist and timeline displayed in an easy to follow format.
  • FAFSA
    Official site for the 2022-23 FAFSA. Opens October 1, 2021.
  • Washington Student Achievement Council – financial aid resources for all Washington families, and the new home of the WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid), which is the financial aid application for WA residents who do not qualify for federal aid due to immigration status.
  • Fastweb
    “Leading online resource for finding scholarships to help you pay for school.”
  • Scholarship Training Guide – Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF)
    “Twenty-six years ago, members of Washington’s tree fruit industry formed the Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) to develop, promote and manage the industry’s charitable works. The foundation has increased support for college-bound students annually. This year 310 students are on college campuses with help from $1 million in WAEF scholarships.”
  • The College Solution – “Guide for Finding the Right School at the Right Price” by Lynn O’Shaughnessy (website & Book)
  • Unigo/Scholarship Experts
    “Sign up to get matched to scholarships that are perfect for you.”
  • WashBoard
    “Looking for scholarships? We connect Washington students of all types with Washington scholarship providers….for FREE.”
  • Western Undergraduate Exchange Tuition Reduction
    List of all schools in the Western Undergraduate Exchange. Students who are residents of WUE states are eligible to apply for a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition at participating schools.

School Lists & Virtual Tours

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About the College and Career Counseling Program

The goal of our College and Career Counseling program is to provide students and their families with the information and resources necessary for them to make well-informed choices about their post-secondary education. Liberty Bell recognizes the diversity in our families and understands that what might be right for one student may not be a good fit for another.

Therefore, we work individually with students and their families to help them successfully develop and achieve their post-graduation goals – whether that is applying to a 4-year, 2-year or technical college, designing a productive Gap Year plan or entering the military or workforce. Some of the specific services that we offer include:

  • Educating students and parents about the post-secondary educational choices available to them.
  • Meeting individually with juniors, seniors and parents to help them with their college lists, the application process, college essays and financial aid needs, including the FAFSA, the Profile and College Bound Scholarship, as well as with SAT/ACT prep and registration.
  • Holding college information evenings for students and parents to make sure that they have all the resources and support they need to reach their goals.
  • Working with the guidance counselor to ensure that 9th and 10th graders take the necessary classes to be eligible for college admissions.

Applying to college should be a fun and exciting process; but at times it can be a bit overwhelming. If you find yourself feeling stuck, or if you have questions about any part of the application process, contact our office at (509) 996-2215.

We would like to thank the Public School Funding Alliance for their generous support of this program.

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Our Mission

To expect, encourage and facilitate the pursuit of excellence in our students, preparing them for a world in which life-long learning is critical to their success and happiness.

A Vision for Methow Valley Schools

Working in partnership with our families and community, we develop curious, creative, compassionate, competent, action-oriented citizens prepared to change the world.