CURRENT GRADUATION STATUS

1. Ask them first – receive their answer. It is important that if they do not know that you should both investigate together.
2. Login to school portal. Find main advisor email. Write email from the mentee that states a desire to set up a time to meet during the school day to confirm their grade level status if they are unsure.
3. Follow up after the meeting with mentee to confirm status.
4. Update your Mentoring Specialist on their current status.
5. We need to know if they will be graduating in the Spring of 2024 or not.

CAREER EXPLORATION

Begin the career exploration process. The career path your mentee would like to take can dictate what steps will be needed this year

Watch this video with your mentee:

• After watching the video, discuss what areas of interest they would like to pursue, type of lifestyle they would like to have, other questions brought up in the above video
• The video did not discuss that taking a "gap year" after graduating is also an option. This is a good option if you would like to work, save a bit of money, and take some time to really explore what options are out there and would be the best fit for you.
• The Military was also not mentioned and we will have more info on that path next month.
• Remind your mentee there are many options and there is plenty of time to discuss them in the coming months.
• There are several programs and resources we will connect them to that make options affordable, including $2500 scholarship/semester provided by Save Our Youth.
• Help your mentee dream, and know they have support to get there.

DISCOVER PATHWAZE

GET A $50 BONUS!

Discover Pathwaze is a tool that is a personalized assessment and consultation to explore in depth different career options.

Please reply to this email if your mentee would like to complete this 1.5 hour online assessment that provides personalized results that they will have access to for 10 years.

This test normally costs $500 but we get an extreme discount through our partnership with Discover Pathwasze. At our High School Kickoff event we'll have a Discover Pathwaze represenative and they will help our students review their results.

The assesment takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete and does not need to be completed in one sitting. Please complete prior to 11/2 for our kickoff event. Please reply to this email for access and a log in.

AS A BONUS: the first five mentees to complete their assessments will receive a $50 bonus at our Senior Kickoff Event.

You can learn more about Discover Pathwaze: https://discoverpathwaze.com/high-school-students/

ACT/SAT REGISTRATION

If your mentee is desiring to attend college, it might be important for them to retake their ACT/SAT score depending on their range of schools they want to go to.

Many colleges in Colorado are now “test optional” research the school they are applying to confirm the ACT/SAT requiements.

• ACT test date: There are test dates every two months and you need to register about a month ahead of time. Talk to your guidance counselor at school to get registered.
• SAT test date: There are monthly test dates (but not in Jan, Feb, or April) and you need to register about a month ahead of time. Talk to your guidance counselors at school to get registered.

TIP: If your mentee needs to have their fee waived to retake either test: ask the school for a waiver, if they do not provide one, reach out to your Mentoring Specialist.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & REMINDERS

• School Resources: If your mentee is unsure what their school offers for post-secondary planning, log into their school portal and email a guidance counselor together.
• Colorado Free Application Dates Oct. 17-19th
• Application waivers, year round: https://cdhe.colorado.gov/cofreeappdays
• Our December newsletter will dive into more application support.

Scholarships often have deadliines September - November here are some helpful links:

https://www.fordham.edu/undergraduate-financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/reputable-scholarship-sites/

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/best-scholarship-websites/

Daniel’s Fund provides full-ride scholarships and have an application deadline of Oct 15^th https://www.danielsfund.org/Scholarships/Daniels-Scholarship-Program/Overview

Education Department

I am Angela Maher, the Education Manager at Save Our Youth.

I am excited and ready to help you navigate this year with your mentee.

Between you, your mentoring specialist and myself, we can help your senior mentee transition well into the next chapter of their life.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS

Each month, check your inbox for "The Senior Experience" newsletter. Here are the topics we'll cover. Each newsletter will come in our email and will soon be available on our website for an easy reference.

• November: Reality of different post-secondary options and resources for them
• December: Applying for colleges, info on being a first-gen student, intro to FAFSA
• January: Completing the FAFSA and applying for other scholarships
• February: Checking that FAFSA and scholarships apps are completed, check-in on college applications, and deeper dive on budgeting (life skill)
• March: Job prep (resume, interviewing, etc) and intro to our scholar’s program
• April: How to finish senior year strong, upcoming SOY dates, and overcoming common barriers faced after high school
• May: Graduation Celebration! We'll celebrate what you have accomplished, what to do if things did not go as planned (ex. Find out is not graduating on time), and looking ahead to what to focus on in the summer