Almond College & Career News
November 20, 2022
Gobble Gobble Warren Families!
As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to send my sincere appreciation to all of you in the Warren community. I am constantly in awe of the talented, kind, supportive, adaptable and thoughtful students at WTHS. Our outside guests, like college reps or presenters, are consistently impressed by our Warren students. Those little things say so much about you and I am proud of our school and those of you who make it special. And thank you, parents, for attending our meetings and presentations, reading the emails and newsletters, and sending us notes expressing your appreciation. It means a lot and drives us to want to be better. I am thankful for Warren's supportive and caring community and wish everyone a safe, restful, and happy Thanksgiving break.
*Thank you to our students who attended our first Skilled Trades Career Fair on Friday, 11/18. HERE is a list of the participants, job & apprenticeship opportunities and links to company websites.
JUNIORS:
With all of this cold, snowy weather, it is a good time to plan for warmer summer events! Many colleges and universities offer summer programs either on-campus or virtually to learn about specific career areas or earn college credit. See below for additional suggestions!
*WTHS is partnering with Huntington Learning Center to offer our Junior students a FREE SAT prep course in 2023! See below for additional info. Registration deadline is 12/9.
SENIORS:
December 1st is typically the priority application deadline for common institutions like Marquette University, Loyola University Chicago, Colorado State University, the University of Kentucky, Miami University (OH), University of Cincinnati and others. Early January is often the Regular Decision deadline for many institutions as well.
If you are still thinking of applying to college, we would be happy to start the conversation!
If you are planning to apply for financial aid, it is HIGHLY recommended to apply for the FAFSA or Illinois Alternative Application ASAP. As a reminder, per the Illinois State Board of Education, as a graduation requirement, all HS seniors must file one of these financial aid applications or submit a waiver to Mrs. Carrie Maggiore (email form to cmaggiore@wths.net). Click HERE to reference the latest reminders or click HERE for a helpful FAQ document of the financial aid application process.
For BOTH Juniors and Seniors:
Scholarships
- Scholarships are on the minds of many of our students and families, so students see below to learn about our scholarship workshop on December 2nd during the "A" portion of all lunch periods! If you are not able to attend, please click HERE for a list of financial aid and scholarship websites. If students are looking for national scholarships, check out www.goingmerry.com or www.cappex.com. We will host a senior-specific local scholarship workshop on February 10th to talk about our Warren specific scholarships students can apply for. More info to come early in 2023.
Nursing Speaker Series
- December 1st, 7th period in the CCC
- See below for additional details
We are here to help answer your questions, so students, please check your email often, follow us on Instagram or Facebook (@wthsccc), watch for text reminders or reach out to your counselor, Mrs. Hartley or myself if you have any questions. We are glad to help!
Here is the contact information for Student Services.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday break!
Mrs. McGahan, Post-Secondary Counselor
SENIORS: Financial Aid Workshops
Have questions about the college application, financial aid and enrollment process?
JUNIORS: WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY SPEND YOUR SUMMER
Need to meet with a Counselor?
Parent Speaker Series
WTHS has partnered with Glenbard Parent Series through Glenbard Township High School District 87 to provide access to a distinguished speaker series dedicated to presenting relevant, high-profile authors, educators and clinicians for parents and community members.
Topics include mental health, life skills, support for parents and more!
- These high-caliber presenters offer practical research-based knowledge, strategies, and personal experience to support students’ engaged learning, and well-being
- All programs are free and open to the public
- Many events are presented at both noon and 7pm, and offered in multiple languages via Zoom. Access links are available on their website below.
- You can access the schedule for the remainder of the year here:
- Upcoming Speakers
Dopamine Nation: Why We’re Addicted, Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence
Anna Lembke MD with Jessica Lahey
Wed, Nov 30 @ 12:00 pm CST - 1:00 pm CST
Finding Your Future at College Night
Distinguished Panel and Susanna Melon
Spanish speaking presentation
Thu, Dec 1 @ 7:00 pm CST - 8:00 pm CST
Are you a First Generation College Student?
College Information and Upcoming Events
College Visits to the Almond Campus
Students can view the upcoming college visits in Maia Learning --> Events.
Students are expected to sign-up in Maia Learning for the visit by clicking on Actions --> Attend.
*See a college description of the institution to determine which school may be the ideal for you to visit.
**Students are allowed to attend 3 college visits per semester if they are missing an academic class. You must be passing the academic class during the college visit you are attending. Students attending during a lunch or study hall period will not count towards the 3 visits. If you are not able to attend, but would like the information from the institution, please email Mrs. McGahan (cmcgahan@wths.net).
Tuesday, November 29th
- Period 6: University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou)
Industry Speaker Series: Nurse
We look forward to hosting a series of speakers to expose students to a variety of careers and industries. See upcoming speakers below and sign-up in Maia Learning to attend if you're interested in learning more. By attending, students can expect to gain knowledge about the industry and jobs available within. Information shared by the speakers may include: job history, job outlook, responsibilities, required training/education and practical advice and tips. Students must be passing the class of the event, are expected to talk to their teacher prior for make-up work and attend class if they have an assessment, presentation or project due that period. The absence will be excused as long as they registered by the end of the school day prior. Some of these presentations will be virtual and others in-person but all will be held in the College & Career Center. Students are to report there at the beginning of the period and stay for the duration. If the presentation conflicts with your lunch period, students are allowed to eat during the presentation.
Nurse
Industry: Health Care
Thursday, 12/1 | 7th Period in CCC
To sign-up click on Events in Maia Learning, Actions --> Attend
- This would be a good presentation for you to attend if you like helping others, working in a health care setting, like to think on your feet, have a different type of day each day, communicate with your team, and handle charts and reports. With its competitive wages, various career pathways, significant projected job growth, and specialty options, you will want to hear why Nursing has gained popularity over the years!
Thinking of a Career in Education?
The Golden Apple Scholarship Application is now open! High school students graduating in 2023 or first- and second-year college students can apply to become a Scholar by clicking here. Priority application deadline is December 1, 2022. Applications close on April 1, 2023.
Scholars Receive:
Up to $23,000 in total financial assistance for college, inclusive of paid Scholar Institutes
Extensive classroom teaching experience
Academic and social-emotional support
Job placement assistance
Mentoring from our award-winning teaching faculty
Live Webinar: Navigating A Rapidly Evolving Testing Landscape, 12/1
Navigating A Rapidly-Evolving Testing Landscape
Junior Families: Interested in learning practical, usable information about standardized testing and college admissions?
In response to the pandemic, colleges have radically adjusted their admission testing requirements. Currently, around 95% of US colleges are test optional, but the decision to test and submit scores is not so simple.
Hear from the experts at Compass Educational Group as they lead a pragmatic virtual discussion on college admission testing and the recent outcomes of the test optional movement and the latest key insights on the following:
- The evolving role of ACT, SAT, and AP Exam scores in specific contexts
- Parsing the subtlety and variety of testing policies
- Fresh admissions data from test score submitters and non-submitters
- Making an informed choice between the ACT and SAT
- The diagnostic value of the PSAT and other practice tests
- How to build a successful prep timeline
Click here for advanced registration to access the Zoom link.
National Scholarships Workshop, 12/2
Industrial Technology Night & Mini College Fair, 12/6
Tuesday December 6th 6:30-8:00pm O'Plaine Campus
-Come play in our Industrial Tech labs!
-Explore possible careers!
-Talk with college representatives!
-Visit with Mrs. McGahan & Ms. Hartley, WTHS Career & College Counselors!
-See the fun activities the students have been working on!
The goal of Industrial Technology Night is to showcase student work as well as help families explore possible careers. We open up the O'Plaine Campus labs for students to showcase their work to their family, community members, and prospective students. In each lab the Industrial Tech Department will have fun activities or demonstrations for students and families to get involved in. College & Career representatives will be on hand to showcase their programs and answer questions. Our own WTHS College & Career Counselors will also be on hand to help families with any questions they may have on a post high school process. This is a tradeshow style event so come and explore as you please! Click HERE for a list of schools and additional details.
Guiding the College-Bound Athlete Presentation, 12/8
U.S. Military Reps to Visit Almond Cafeteria
Army Reserve – 3rd Tuesday of the month
Army – 2nd Tuesday of the month
Navy – 4th Tuesday of the month
Marines – 3rd Thursday of the month
Air Force - 4th Thursday of the month
Career/Job Opportunities
Illinois Tech Virtual Internships
Standout Search
Additional Internship and Volunteer Opportunities
Lake County Sheriff Explorer Post Program
Virtual Career Fair
General Resources
Support Services are Available
For a list of our WTHS academic tutors, please click HERE.
Maia Learning: Our College and Career Planning Tool
Maia Learning is a college and career readiness platform that engages students in planning their futures. It allow students to develop profiles, explore careers that fit those profiles, and build academic, college, and career plans. It helps them manage college applications, and build portfolios that will gain them admission. It helps counselors manage student progress, and keeps families involved in the process.
Click here for a brief tutorial on accessing Maia Learning or click here for a shared folder which houses several helpful video tutorials and resources on the college search and application process.
Sallie Mae Paying for College Resource
The Paying for College Resource delivers free, easy to understand information and resources, so your family is confident you have everything you need to figure out how to pay for school.
Wondering if your interested college has test-optional admissions?
Previous Almond Newsletters
For previous info and opportunities shared, visit newsletters below.
- Click here to reference the November 4, 2022 issue
- Click here to reference the October 23, 2022 issue
- Click here to reference the October 9, 2022 issue
- Click here to reference the September 25, 2022 issue
- Click here to reference the September 11, 2022 issue
- Click here to reference the August 30, 2022 issue
Mrs. McGahan
Instagram @wthsccc
(847) 548-6709
Email: cmcgahan@wths.net
Website: https://www.d121.org/Page/313
Phone: (847) 548-6709
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wthsccc