Throughout the year we announce career and college opportunity exploration in our Connections Center and the community. We understand that often high school students roll with the moment BUT we would like to have your support in encouraging them to sign up and attend. Each of these visits might only happen once in a few years. All of these opportunities are imported to a GOOGLE calendar that ANYONE can add to their personal calendar. This is the ical link: Connections Event Calendar

Here are short videos to walk you through the process.

Video: HOW to add to your GOOGLE calendar

Video: HOW TO Add to your Outlook Calendar

Students can sign up in Naviance, under What’s New and get a pass sent to them, or stop by Connections for a pass.

Last week I met with juniors in class, and we started to think about post-graduation plans. We reviewed common terms used during the process and discussed community service and taking advantage of summer opportunities. February is all about completing a four-year plan and course registration. Below are a few articles to consider during this process.

If you are a perfectionist, you are often your own worst enemy. You must do everything correctly. You must work harder than everyone. You either succeed 100% or you consider yourself a failure. This article helps put things in perspective.

I get a lot of questions regarding honors and AP classes. This article talks about the differences, disadvantages, and advantages to help you decide your best path.

This week, sophomores worked on the first step of connecting their inventory results to career opportunities. We reviewed results from the Career Cluster Finder and the Career Key. Throughout this semester, sophomores will learn the skills to search beyond their current experience and knowledge about careers. This is a life skill that will help with not only their first job but can help them pivot into other opportunities.

The Cluster Finder will help you learn which career clusters may be a good match for you based on activities that interest you, personal qualities that you have, and subjects that you enjoy studying in school. (9th Grade)

The Career Key Inventory is completed in the sophomore year and highlights six personality types ranked by preference (Holland Code). It matches careers for each theme and is sorted by preparation level. (10th grade)

Parents and guardians can see the results of these inventories via the family Naviance log-in under Self-Discovery. For Naviance log-in assistance, contact Jodi Hoffman at tcavisits@asd20.org.

This week, we started goal setting and resume building in Naviance. For goal setting, we teach the acronym WOOP, or Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan. For example, WISH: I want to do well on the History test coming up, OUTCOME: I would like a B or higher, OBSTACLE: I have practice every day and 2 games that week so I have limited time. PLAN: I will start studying in advance 20 minutes per day.

We also started adding items to the resume in Naviance; a high school resume begins the summer BEFORE 9th grade. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of starting early and keeping the resume updated. This is a life skill that will build a successful habit for their future careers.

I encouraged freshmen to find the organization method that works for them. Ideas include:

• Update in Naviance weekly, monthly, or each semester.

• Add a resume category to phone calendar.

• Have a wall calendar by the door to update daily and add to Naviance later.

• In our family, my daughters filled out an index card for that day’s activity title, time, stats, highlights, etc., and tossed it in a box. In the summer, they put those cards into resume sections and updated their resumes. Community service hours were written on a wall calendar.

At TCA

Next Week in Connections, Room 1104
* Tuesday, 1/24 10:30, BINGO
* Wednesday, 1/25 12:20, Xavier University
* Thursday, 1/26 10:30, Grand Canyon University
* Thursday, 1/26 11:25, Western Colorado University
* Friday, 1/27 10:30, Career Chat: Drew Bauer – Film Editor JStu

STEAM Takes the Spotlight Virtual Field Trip on Thursday, February 16 from 11:00-11:30 am Students are introduced to a variety of key STEAM professionals working behind the scenes at the CMA Awards in Nashville, TN. Watch announcements for location.

In the Community

The University of Northern Colorado in Greeley will be hosting the Future Teacher Conference on February 3 from 8am – 2pm. This FREE conference offers a day of informative activities designed to help you learn just what it takes to become an educator. Register and get more information here.

Save the date for Spring RMACAC College Fairs: March 4, 2023, from 9:00-11:30 at Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs and March 5, 2023 from 1:00-3:30 at Cherokee Trail High School in Denver.

Virtual

Save the Date for Spring 2023 NACAC Virtual College Fairs on February 19, March 19 and April 23. All fairs will feature College MatchMaking which matches students to specific colleges and universities based on the criteria they provided. Register here.

Mark your calendar for the upcoming PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES VIRTUAL FAIR on Thursday, February 2, 2023, from 10 am – 12 pm and 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm. This event is free, and registration is open. A professional certificate is a standardized process that enables an individual to demonstrate a certain level of competency in a specific career or job function. A credential certificate is awarded upon completion of requirements, which typically entails passing an exam administered by an industry-specific credentialing organization.

GoToCollegeFairs is hosting a virtual Learning Difference Fair on February 23 from 10am – 12pm and 4:30pm – 6:30pm. This fair is specifically to help students with learning differences understand options and services that are available in college. Registration will open February 8.

Columbia University is offering Summer Immersion: Online and an in-person program, Summer Immersion: New York City this summer. Through their Immersion program, students will have an opportunity to try their hand at over 90 subjects normally reserved for college. The early registration deadline is February 3.

Marist College will be hosting in-person and virtual summer pre-college sessions with over 20 unique courses. This program allows students to test drive their major and earn college credits. See here for more information about course offerings, registration, and deadlines.

The Pinnacol Foundation offers scholarships to students whose parents were seriously injured or killed on the job. Scholarships average $4,700 per student per year and may be used to attend four-year, two-year or trade programs at accredited colleges, universities, community colleges and vocational schools. Applications may be submitted between Nov. 1 and Feb. 15 each year.

The Kit Faragher Foundation will be awarding three $10,000 scholarships to graduating Colorado high school students in need of financial assistance for college, university, or technical school, and demonstrate a positive attitude, strong commitment, and a drive towards accomplishment. Apply here. Deadline April 21.

Fastest Growing Careers: According to careeronestop, this list contains the occupations that are expected to have the largest rate of growth from 2020 to 2030 (for states) or 2021 to 2031 (for national).

Interested in Business? Here are some details about the Business Management major at Agnes Scott:

Studying the Business of Business at Agnes Scott