Guidance Gazette
2019-2020, Issue 1
September 2019
Counselor's Corner
Please feel free to contact LaTonya Ragland, High School Counselor, and Carrie Hawkins, Registrar/High School Student Services Assistant with RCS High School Guidance questions or concerns. We are located upstairs in offices 222-A & 222-B and can be reached by email at raglandlo@rocborocommunityschool.org and hawkinscb@roxborocommunityschool.org.
If the Gazette does not cover a topic that you desire more information on, please give a member of high school guidance a call or send an email. Your feedback is highly encouraged and welcomed!
Suicide Prevention Month
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. All month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.
National Suicide Prevention Week is the Monday through Sunday surrounding World Suicide Prevention Day. It’s a time to share resources and stories, as well as promote suicide prevention awareness.
World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10. It’s a time to remember those affected by suicide, to raise awareness, and to focus efforts on directing treatment to those who need it most.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Transcript Request
For North Carolina Colleges/Universities
Submit your transcript from the CFNC Transcript Manager
Go to CFNC.org.
Sign in with your CFNC account.
Choose Apply.
Choose To College.
Choose Transcript Manager.
Enter all necessary information in Your Profile and qualify to submit transcripts electronically.
Select the Go to Transcript Manager button.
Select a college from the list and click Send My Transcript. Track the status of transcripts requests from this screen.
The college/university should receive a successfully requested transcript within 1-2 business days.
For Colleges/Universities Outside of North Carolina & Special Programs
To send an official high school transcript to out-of-state colleges/universities, special programs, current high school students and graduates must submit a Transcript Request Form.
Transcript Request Forms are located on the wall outside of Room 222, the front desk, and are linked on the Guidance page of the RCS school website.
Please be sure that all areas of the form are completed and that it contains the complete mailing address for the college/institution or special program to which the transcript should be mailed. Incomplete forms can not be processed. Requests should be submitted at least one week before the transcript is needed.
Ask your teen to be responsible for limiting digital device use
According to the Pew Research Center, 54% of teens say they spend too much time on their phones and other mobile devices. They feel pressured to respond immediately to social media posts, text messages and other notifications.
Experts agree that this technology addiction can have a negative effect on teens’ learning and academic performance. While it’s unrealistic to think your teen will give up his phone for good, you can help him learn to limit his usage responsibly. Here’s how:
- Encourage him to spend one day tracking the number of times he picks up his phone or other digital device and the amount of time he spends on it.
- Challenge him to reduce that time the next day. Help your teen brainstorm ways to accomplish this. Perhaps he could turn off notifications and check his phone only during specific times.
- Help him establish technology- free times. These are times when digital devices should be turned off or out of reach, such as when your teen does homework, eats meals with family, reads a book, drives and goes to bed.
As your teen learns to take more responsibility for his screen time, he may be surprised at how much more he can accomplish in a day!
Reprinted with permission from the September 2019 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2019 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: J. Jiang, “How Teens and Parents Navigate Screen Time and Device Distractions,” Pew Research Center, niswc.com/high_addiction.
Featured Scholarships
Lenoir-Rhyne University is currently recruiting Teaching Scholars for the 2020-21 academic year. This scholarship program provides financial aid and enrichment activities for students who wish to pursue teaching as a career. Scholars receive an award of $5,500 a year in addition to other assistance for which they qualify. A scholar typically receives close to $16,000 annually to support their education and LRU. RCS has the opportunity to nominate up to three seniors for the chance to be invited to apply for this program. Any senior interested should contact Mrs. Ragland by email no later than September 20, 2019.
Park Scholarship – NC State University
The Park Scholarship is a four-year scholarship awarded based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. RCS will nominate up to two students for this opportunity and other eligible students may self-endorse until November 1. For additional information, visit the Park Scholarships website: http://park.ncsu.edu/apply/
Any senior interested should contact Mrs. Ragland by email no later than September 20, 2019
Morehead-Cain- UNC-Chapel Hill
The Morehead-Cain is considered one of the nation’s premier undergraduate scholarship programs and recognizes leadership, scholarship, the moral force of character, and physical vigor. Morehead scholars are usually in the top 10% of their class and well rounded, having a history of participating in clubs and extracurricular activities. Applicants cannot apply early decision to any other university. RCS will nominate up to two students for this opportunity, and other eligible students may self-endorse by going to www.moreheadcain.org. Deadline, October 15.
Ron Brown Scholar Program (RBSP)
The Ron Brown Scholar Program seeks to identify African-American high school seniors who will make significant contributions to society. Applicants must excel academically, exhibit exceptional leadership potential, participate in community service activities, and demonstrate financial need. A minimum of ten students will be designated Ron Brown Scholars and will receive $10,000 annually for four years, for a total of 40,000.
Deadlines: November 1- the application will be considered for the Ron Brown Scholar Program AND forwarded to a select and limited number of additional scholarship providers.
January 9 - final postmarked deadline in order to be considered for the Ron Brown Scholar Program ONLY. https://www.ronbrown.org/section/apply/program-description
Davidson College
1. The John M. Belk Scholarship, Davidson’s flagship merit program, covers the comprehensive costs of attending Davidson (room, board, tuition, and fees) – valued in 2019-2020 at over $67,000. Belk Scholars are game-changers – recognized for outstanding intellectual ability, leadership skill, commitment to service, personal vigor, and potential for impact.
- Nomination Deadline (your school may nominate one or two students) Seniors who are interested should contact Mrs. Ragland by October 1, 2019
- Nomination Deadline (your school may nominate up to three students) – Seniors who are interested should contact Mrs. Ragland by September 20, 2019.
The Cheatham-White Scholarship is a merit scholarship program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and North Carolina Central University. Cheatham-White Scholars represent students with a broad range of interests, proficient in areas of both the arts and sciences, demonstrate leadership potential and a strong commitment to service. Recipients are awarded a fully-funded four-year scholarship. Seniors who are interested should contact Mrs. Ragland by October 1, 2019. For Eligibility Requirements visit https://www.northcarolina.edu/Scholarships/Cheatham-White-Merit-Scholarship
The Levine Scholar- UNC Charlotte
The Levine Scholars Program seeks outstanding high school seniors who demonstrate a commitment to community service, hold an academic record that reflects a sustained passion for knowledge, and possess a capacity for ethical leadership that elevates fellow students to a higher standard. The four-year scholarship includes full tuition, room, board, a grant to implement a service project of the Scholar’s own design, and four summers of experiences that will develop leadership skills, social awareness, and an international perspective. For more information https://levinescholars.uncc.edu/about Any senior interested should contact Mrs. Ragland by email no later than September 20, 2019
Set your teen up for success by focusing on attendance
One of the best ways to support your teen’s education is to make sure he attends school every day. Attendance is important. Your teen can’t learn if he isn’t in school.
Teens who miss school frequently are more likely to:
- Drop out. Missing too many classes is often the first sign that a teen is giving up on school.
- Get into trouble. One study found that 78 percent of people who ended up in prison had a first arrest for school truancy.
The beginning of the school year is a good time to develop positive habits. To make school attendance a priority:
- Talk to your teen about the importance of attendance and punctuality. If your teen didn’t show up at his job, he’d get fired. Let him know that attending school is just as important.
- Avoid scheduling medical and other appointments for your teen during school hours.
- Communicate with teachers. If your teen must miss a class, have him talk to the teacher to see how you can all work together to make sure your teen stays on track.
- Set a good example. Make an effort to attend school events when possible. Ask your teen about school every day and encourage him to get involved in school activities.
Reprinted with permission from the September 2019 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2019 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: “What’s the Link Between Truancy and Delinquency?” San Bernardino County District Attorney, niswc.com/high_truancy.