CCR Update
St. Charles North-February 4 , 2024
The CCR Update is a weekly newsletter from the St. Charles North College and Career Office. It contains information to help navigate students through high school and into post-secondary options. A variety of links will be provided to assist students and families in making choices along this journey. For additional information students should reach out to their individual counselor.
Rock Chalk Reception Chicago
This event is for admitted seniors and prospective juniors who would like to learn more about KU.
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
The Westin Chicago Northwest, 400 Park Boulevard, Itasca
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Event check-in at 6:30, junior presentation and admitted senior mixer begin at 6:45, with KU info fair prior and after the main event program. Main event program at 7:15, featuring KU current student and alumni panel. RSVP at https://go2.ku.edu/portal/rockchalkreceptions
ASVAB Career Exploration Assessment
The ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP) is a FREE career planning resource available to high schools nationwide. This comprehensive program includes one of the most widely used multiple-aptitude test batteries in the world and an interest inventory complemented by a thorough occupational database all designed to give students an in-depth look at the world of work. The results of this exam are also used by the armed forces for students who are interested in pursuing this as a career option.
St. Charles North is offering the ASVAB to interested sophomores through seniors on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 7:20 am. The exam is digital. Attendees must bring a charged Chromebook to the administration. Interested students should register through the ASVAB 2024 Sign-up Form.
American Legion Boys' & Girls' State
Boys and Girls State is a simulation patterned after the State of Illinois; it follows Illinois governmental procedure as closely as possible. It is a practical application of Americanism and good citizenship which attempts to teach and instill in our youth a love of America and a sense of individual obligation to community, state, and nation. It is a powerful, intense learning experience.
Hundreds of boys and girls from various communities throughout the State of Illinois will attend in June. They will learn the way a two-party system works. We have two fictitious political parties, the Nationalists and the Federalists. They will caucus, have Primary and General elections, and participate in a party Convention.
They will elect city, county, and state officials. They will learn the duties of various public offices their functions, limitations, and powers. They will have their own legislature where they introduce, debate, and pass their own bills. They regulate their own cities, enforce their laws, and prepare county projects.
Each boy and girl has a chance to learn for himself or herself that the government is just what he or she makes of it. They learn the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities that will help them participate as American citizens.
- FREE to interested Juniors
- Boys' State: June 8-14, Girls' State: June 16-22
- Located at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL
- Participating students compete for nearly $20,000 in scholarships
- Email mtfoulkes@yahoo.com for more information or to register
Seniors-FAFSA is now Open
The State of Illinois requires all Illinois public high school students to complete either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. FAFSA opened on December 31. We recommend all students planning on, or even thinking about, attending either a two or four college in the fall complete this sooner rather than later. Even if you don't qualify for federal aid, many schools use this information to provide institutional aid.
For students who choose not to file an application, a waiver may be completed by their parent. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) makes this available through their website. This is also available through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) Student Portal.
Check out our Financial Aid Website or contact your counselor for more information.
Course Selection for 2024-2025
Individual Course Selection Meetings have concluded. If you missed your meeting please reach out to your counselor ASAP.
A Course Verification email will be sent to students and parents on February 13. This will contain a list of courses that were chosen for next year. It is not a guarantee of being in those classes, nor is it a schedule. If everything is correct, then no action is necessary. If any changes need to be made, you must contact your counselor no later than February 16. After Course Verification the counselors will not have access to make changes until the summer after the master schedule is created.
Please visit the Course Selection website for detailed information and resources.
Career Speaker Series
We will periodically have individuals from various career fields come to St. Charles North to speak with students about their experiences. Typically they highlight the path they took, the education/training required in their field, and the opportunities available to students. These are great opportunities for students to expand on their career exploration.
Students must sign up for visits on Naviance. This is how the representatives know a student is interested. Students are also required to get a pass in the CCR Office as least one day prior to the visit. This pass then must be signed by the student's classroom teacher. Passes will not be issued on the day of the visit.
We understand students may have class during the scheduled time of the visit. If that is the case, students should communicate with their teacher regarding the opportunity they are hoping to take advantage of. While we encourage students to attend these sessions, please note that what is happening in the classroom is more important, and teachers may deny the request to miss class if they feel it is in the student's best interest to be in attendance.
If a student is unable to attend a session they should talk to Mrs. Roberts in the CCR Office, or their counselor to learn more about a particular field.
More information can be found on the CCR Website.
Career Speakers Wanted
We are looking for parents and community members who are able to give a 40 minute presentation about how they got into their profession and what they do. We would love for you to bring in either artifacts to pass around, a digital presentation we can share with them, or even an experience for them to try.
Students will be signing up to come to the presentation and we will keeping the number of students to around 20, so that there can be a lot of interactions with you, the presenter.
We would be honored if you would share your career and experiences with our students. Please fill out this form and someone from North will contact you to finalize the details with you. Thank you for taking the time to help our North Start students!
Save the Date-College & Career Readiness Events
- February 13-ASVAB Career Exploration Assessment-Register Here
- April 4-IACAC Regional College Fair, 6:00-8:00 pm, South Elgin High School
NIU-Global Youth Leadership Camp
The Global Youth Leadership Camp is a six-day program organized by Northern Illinois University and funded by the US Department of State. It will be held on May 3-12. This is a free opportunity for selected Illinois high school students, ages 15-17, to work alongside peers from ten Southeast Asian countries, to learn about diverse cultures, to build lasting friendships, practice leadership and civic action skills, and to join a tour to Washington, DC. Selected students will also take part in a challenging academic environment and intensive civic leadership training. To succeed, the participants must be highly motivated and be able to collaborate with people of different social and cultural backgrounds.
Download and complete the application or complete it online. All materials must be received by March 1, 2024
If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Program at cphanenbecker@niu.edu, 815-753-6956.
Scholarships
A frequently updated list of local and regional scholarships can be viewed by students through their Naviance account under the “Colleges” tab and then by selecting “Scholarship List”. It is organized alphabetically, and the search bar can be used to search the list for keywords. the number of local scholarships listed will increase as we move into winter. During that peak time, we recommend that you check the list every or every other week for updates as additional scholarship applications are consistently opening up.
City of St. Charles Job Shadow Program
Have you ever thought about a career as an electric lineman, firefighter, police officer, lab technician, tree maintenance, or in IT/Networking? These are all people, and many more, who are employed by the City of St. Charles.
The City of St. Charles is offering a career pathway job shadow program to St. Charles high school students interested in exploring a career in municipal government. Students may schedule up to three different job shadow experiences per school year, during which they can explore work sites, ask questions, see demonstrations, and learn about education and certifications. Students will be responsible for transportation to and from the City. The date, time, and length of the job shadow will be scheduled outside of school hours directly with the City’s job shadow program coordinator. See the back of the Registration Form for a complete list of job shadow opportunities.
Interested students should complete the Registration Form and return it to Mr. Peters in the CCR Office.
AP Credit Policy Search
Your AP scores could earn you college credit or advanced placement (meaning you could skip certain courses in college). Use this tool to find colleges that offer credit or placement for AP scores.