On the evening of January 20, CFES offered virtual College and Career Readiness (CCR) training to families from coast-to-coast, by training parents to help their children set and achieve postsecondary goals.
Newswise — On a recent, raw January day, CFES Brilliant Pathways provided 1,280 sets of parents the tools to help their children get ready for higher education and careers and 450 students advice and inspiration to move down the pathway to college and career.
“It was a ray of light during a tough time for all of us in schools,” said Rachael Charron, a teacher and parent at New York’s Crown Point Central School.
Learning loss, social emotional challenges and pandemic chaos have made the last two years the most disruptive in the history of American education, conspiring to push college and career readiness activities to the fringe.
“American schools continue to battle COVID-induced obstacles that impose new barriers every day on the already difficult challenge of helping youth enter and succeed in college and the workplace,” said Rick Dalton, president and CEO of CFES.
On the evening of January 20, CFES offered virtual College and Career Readiness (CCR) training to families from coast-to-coast, by training parents to help their children set and achieve postsecondary goals. The 30-minute on-line class, which is followed by three other sessions, focused on topics like: how to develop Essential Skills in their children like perseverance, teamwork and networking; finding the right college and then the money to pay for that college; and earning college credit while in high school.
In the morning and afternoon, CFES students were matched with college student mentors from Middlebury, Castleton, University of Vermont and St. Lawrence University, as well as corporate volunteers. Throughout the day, mentors talked with students about their own college and career pathways and provided advice for dealing with life during the pandemic.
“I found it incredibly helpful to hear from someone who just went through the same experiences as me and how they made the most out of college,” said a student from Beekmantown Central School in Northeastern New York. “It’s one thing to read about it, but to experience it live from someone you can ask questions makes it real.”
The goal of the parent training was to have an impact on families and communities like Van Horn (pop. 1,760), 120 miles east of El Paso. More than 125 parents from the West Texas community participated, equalling the student population of the middle and high schools combined.
“Everyone who signed up said it was really helpful,” said Felix Gonzalez, a college and career readiness advisor at Van Horn High. “We all try to support each other, so a parent-focused College & Career Readiness training like this allows everyone to be on the same page and share information.”
For the past two years, CFES has offered CCR training to teachers, business volunteers and community members with more than 4,000 completing the course and earning a certificate from the University of Vermont.
The need to support schools, students and their families with college and career readiness tools continues to grow. Since COVID hit, enrollment has dropped by more than a million students in America’s colleges. And while some families are saying they can’t find the money to pay for college, more than $10 billion in scholarships and financial aid remains unspent from last year.
“We need to help students find reliable information on future pathways. The high paying jobs of tomorrow require postsecondary study. When we connect the dots and help our children realize opportunities, we provide light and hope,” said CFES’ leader Dalton.
Founded in 1991, CFES Brilliant Pathways has helped more than 100,000 students from 42 states attend college.
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