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September 13th, 2023
Juniors and Families,
We are approaching the end of Osprey Blocks and starting to direct our thoughts back to the regular school schedule.
LINK updates: Elliot will be working with Juniors throughout the next month to on professional communication skills to prepare for the informational interviews: a key component of securing an internship and of this semester's credit for LINK. Students will have the opportunity to put their skills into practice when the entire Junior class attends the Southern Ute Career Fair in late October. Schedule an appointment to chat with Elliot to about LINK.
Postsecondary counseling updates: I will begin meeting individually with Juniors in October to talk about their postsecondary goals and plans, academic planning and course selection for next semester, and what they should be doing now as they embark on the college search process.
Mark your calendar for Fall Junior & Family postsecondary night on Thursday, Oct. 12th from 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Please read all the way to the bottom of this week's newsletter - I have included some information about two really great programs for free tuition and training for certain high demand and also some medical jobs in Colorado: Care Forwad Colorado and Career Advance Colorado.
Finally, I STRONGLY encourage Juniors to attend one or more of the upcoming college fairs. Now is the time to gather information and begin creating a mental (or actual) file about what you are looking for in a college/postsecondary educational program. I am not the omniscient college Oracle - I know a lot of things, but not ALL of the things. The postsecondary counseling process works best when we both do work...so go out there and learn some stuff! Every student I see at the college fair at DHS will receive a prize from me next Wednesday, and each person that attends the fair will go into do a drawing to win one of two $10 Durango Joe's gift cards.
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Upcoming College and Career Events
9/17: RMACAC college fair in Albuquerque 12:00-3:00 (info below)
9/19: College Fair @ DHS
9/20: Colorado School of Mines visit to AHS @ 9:00am
9/21: Colorado Mesa University visit to AHS @ 12:00pm
9/30&10/1: CMU tour and Western Slope College fair trip - there is still room to sign up!
10/4: Colorado Colege visit to AHS
10/5: University of Colorado at Boulder visit to AHS @ 10:00am
10/12: Junior/Family postsecondary night @ AHS 5:30-7:00
10/24: FLC pre-med tour @ 10:00am
College & Career Events Calendar
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Junior Postsecondary planning:
what you should be thinking about right now
DO WELL AND CHALLENGE YOURSELF IN ALL OF YOUR CLASSES
One of the best tips for junior year is to challenge yourself academically. When colleges evaluate your application, they consider the strength of curriculum on your transcript. They want to see that you took advantage of the variety of courses available to you and did well in them. If you're not taking advantage of concurrent enrollment this semester, think about it for next semester. Also consider Honors in math, humanities, or both. Check out this Course selection and rigor presentation for more information.
COMMIT TO AND SHOW INITIATIVE IN ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Your activities outside the classroom can help colleges see what talents, expertise and interests you have beyond academics. Focus on one or two activities that genuinely interest you and through which you can demonstrate initiative, commitment, accomplishment and leadership. Many colleges consider the quality and depth of an applicant’s extracurricular activities over the number of activities on their application.
MEET WITH ERIN & ELLIOT INDIVIDUALLY TO DISCUSS POSTSECONDARY PLANNING AND LINK
TAKE SAT PRACTICE TEST AT SCHOOL IN OCT.
All Juniors will take the SAT at AHS for free in April. Although most colleges are now test optional for admission, strong test scores can help your application stand out at colleges that consider them. As you research colleges, be sure to review any college's test acceptance policies, so you can plan accordingly. A good way to begin to prepare for the SAT is to take the PSAT - all Juniors will take the PSAT/NMSQT on Oct. 10th & 11th for free at AHS. Prior to that test, students wil be provided with their PSAT scores from last spring (if we have them) and given instruction on how to link their College Board accounts to Khan Academy for customized SAT practice. Students can then use their Oct. PSAT scores to study for the SAT in April.
ATTEND COLLEGE FAIRS AND VISITS AT AHS
Whether you attend virtually or in person, college fairs and presentations are great opportunities to learn about schools and connect with admissions reps. One of the best ways to begin to build a knowledge base about what you might be looking for in a college is to go out and gather information for yourself! Check college websites for information about virtual student panels, guided tours, or webinars for students and parents, see below for a list of upcoming college fairs.
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Regional College Fair at DHS
What: Colleges from CO, NM, UT, WY, MT, and AZ will be at Durango High School to talk to YOU!
When: Sept. 19th, 6:00pm-7:00pm *this is different than the date on the flyer distributed at the back to school open house and is the correct date
Why? Talk to admissions representatives to learn about different colleges and their offerings to help you form an idea of what you're looking for in a college. Learn about what is out there for you!
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WESTERN SLOPE COLLEGE FAIR & CMU TOUR
We will be taking 20 students on a visit to Colorado Mesa University and the Western Slope College Fair in Aspen!
When: Saturday, Sept. 30th-Sunday, Oct. 1st
Details: Transportation, lodging, and meals provided.
Depart Animas High School Saturday morning, tour CMU Saturday afternoon, stay in Glenwood Springs Saturday night, attend Western Slope College Fair Sunday, return home Sunday evening.
Cost: $50/student, students who qualify for the USDA free and reduced lunch program attend for free. Students who do not qualify for F&R lunch but for whom the cost would present a barrier to attending can indicate this on the interest form.
Want to go? Fill out this interest form. Spaces will be first come, first served with Juniors and Seniors getting priority if the trip fills up.
Parents/Caregivers: Interested in chaperoning? We could use an additional driver or two, particularly to transport students' bags. Please email Erin CR @ collegeandcareer@animashighschool.com to sign up. Additionally, if you'd like to donate funds to sponsor a student, we welcome your donation!
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Join admissions professionals from Barnard College, Colorado College, Rice University, Tufts University, and Yale University to learn about the exceptional opportunities these schools offer. Representatives from all five schools will host a webinar featuring insights on holistic admissions, making a college list, and applying for admission and financial aid. They will also discuss the academic programs, campus life, and traditions that make these colleges a home for students from rural and small towns.
- As a participant, you will not share your video or audio.
- The session will feature a live Q&A box where attendees can submit questions. Presenters will have access to all submitted questions and will answer as many as possible.
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Registrants will receive a confirmation email with a link to the session and instructions on how to use the tele-conferencing platform Zoom.
- Live closed-captioning will be provided
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The Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network is dedicated to working with high schools and access organizations to widen pathways to higher education for rural and small-town students.
Upcoming events (click to register):
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Are you interested in construction, education, early childhood education, firefighting, law enforcement, or nursing?
• The Career Advance Colorado program provides free training for in-demand jobs through
the state’s 19 community and technical colleges.
• Starting in August 2023, students who enroll in qualifying programs will have tuition, fees,
course materials, and other costs completely covered while program funding is available.
• Students must apply for federal and/or state financial aid to enroll in a Career Advance
Colorado program.
Article: Pueblo Community College offers tuition-free options for high demand jobs
Are you interested? Meet with Erin CR to discuss next steps!
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Starting in Fall 2022, students who enroll in one of the following healthcare certificate programs will have tuition, fees, and course materials covered as Care Forward Colorado funding allows.
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Phlebotomy Technician
- Pharmacy Technician
- Medical Assistant
- Dental Assistant
- Nurse Refresher
- Integrative Health Practitioner & Massage Therapy
- Sterile Processing
- Paramedic Certificate
- Echocardiography Certificate
- Medical Billing and Coding
- Medical Office Certificate
Are you interested? Meet with Erin CR to discuss next steps!
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Sunday, September 10, 2023, 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
2023 Virtual College Fair -SeptemberMore Info
Sunday, October 15, 2023, 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
2023 Virtual College Fair -OctoberMore Inf
Sunday, November 12, 2023, 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
2023 Virtual College Fair -NovemberM
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INTERNSHIP/EMPLOYMENT & other OPPORTUNITIES: | |
The purpose of the Mayor's Youth Advisory Commission is to involve youth participation in city government as stated in the Children, Youth, and Family Master Plan resolution that the City Council adopted in March 2009. The goal is to create opportunities for meaningful youth involvement, to develop citizenship skills in Durango’s youth, foster greater understanding of their concerns and contributions, and encourage greater youth participation in community issues. | |
Animas High School prepares all students for college and postsecondary success by creating critical thinkers and engaged citizens through an innovative, student-centered, project-based curriculum. We accomplish this through:
Rigorous academics, where all students are prepared for college success
Culture of excellence, where students are held to high expectations
Strong student-faculty relationships, where students are well known.
Engaging learning, where students see the relevance in their education
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