RSS Channels IndexNational Event Celebrates More than 17,500 Students' Success and Post-Secondary Plans
Newswise — The National College Advising Corps (NCAC) will sponsor "National Decision Day" events in nine states to honor graduating high school seniors and their decision to continue their education. The celebrations will take place on or around this Friday (May 1) " the day most young people must inform a college of their plans to enroll. Decision Day festivities will be held at more than 60 partner high schools. In order to be admitted to an event, students must bring evidence of their post-secondary plans in the form of a college acceptance letter, military orders, or a similar offer letter.
Decision Day is the brainchild of Ebonie Leonard, a second-year adviser in the Carolina College Advising Corps, one of the 12 partner programs of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-based National College Advising Corps. The event was so popular with high school students and Leonard's fellow advisers that the idea was adopted by other advisers across the country, who decided to make the program a national event this year.
"At both of the high schools where I serve, there was a very heavy emphasis on celebrating the accomplishments of the athletic teams and the drama department; therefore I felt it was just as important to celebrate the post-high-school decisions of the seniors," said Leonard. "The event was a huge success because it was all about the seniors and the hard work they had done applying to college, getting accepted and applying for scholarships the entire year. Not only was it a great way to congratulate the seniors, but it was also a great way to promote higher education to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. Decision Day is now an event that everyone at my schools looks forward to and enjoys."
In keeping with President Obama's goal for "every American to pursue some form of education beyond high school," Decision Day aims to celebrate students' success and commitment to postsecondary education or training while encouraging awareness among younger students who may not otherwise consider going to college. According to a recent report, roughly 39 percent of American adults hold a two- or four-year degree at a time when college attainment is becoming increasingly important in today's economy.
"Every student should have the opportunity to attend an institution of higher learning that will serve them well," said Dr. Nicole Hurd, executive director of National College Advising Corps. "The Advising Corps is excited to see young people pursue higher education and the purpose of this event is to celebrate high school accomplishments as well as launch them on a path to degree attainment and success."
Launched in 2007 with $12 million from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and additional support from the Lumina Foundation for Education, the national corps aims to increase the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students entering and completing higher education. Advisers are recent college graduates who work full-time to help students plan their college searches, complete admissions and financial aid applications, and enroll at schools that will serve them well. The program includes 12 institutional partners: Brown University; Franklin and Marshall College; Pennsylvania State University; Tufts University; the University of Alabama; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Missouri, Columbia; the University of Utah; the University of Virginia; the University of Georgia; the University of Illinois; and UNC-Chapel Hill, which serves as the program's national headquarters.
To mark the day, advising corps advisers are planning a variety of fun and educational activities for the participating students. Following are examples of some of the events taking place on Friday (May 1):
* At Manheim Central High School in Manheim, Pa., seniors with a plan to continue their education after graduation will wear T-shirts from the college at which they plan to enroll, place pins on a map to indicate where they will be attending college, and enter a raffle to win a variety of college-related prizes. Representatives from local universities will also be on hand to distribute brochures and speak with freshmen, sophomores and juniors.
* At West Caldwell High School in Lenoir, N.C., seniors will get the opportunity to dunk a teacher by showing proof of their college acceptance letters. The day will also feature a panel of recent high school graduates who will talk about their experiences in college.
* At Dorchester Education Complex in Dorchester, Mass., Decision Day will feature breakfast, a raffle drawing and a panel about college life. Seniors will also receive a college care package containing paraphernalia and items to use in decorating their dorm rooms.
* At West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C., adviser Pharen Bowman has organized a DJ, free Italian ice, and T-shirt decorating for seniors with acceptance letters.
* At Lewistown Area High School in Lewistown, Pa., students will show letters of college admission, military enlistment or employment to receive two raffle tickets. The raffle will include college-related prizes such as planners, frisbees, mugs and T-shirts. Information about transitioning to college (what to pack, how to schedule classes, where to buy cheap textbooks, etc.) will be available for seniors. Faculty will wear alma mater shirts and some will contribute baked goods.
For more about the National College Advising Corps and a complete list of participants, please visit www.advisingcorps.org.
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