COLLEGE PLANNING FOR ALL STUDENTS

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COLLEGE PLANNING FOR ALL STUDENTS

• Grade-Specific Age-Appropriate Postsecondary
  Planning Activities
• to serve 100 of Cohort
• Leroy Werkhoven, NLA Group

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Yakima Valley GEAR UP

• Meeting GEAR UP goal of serving 100 of cohort
  with college outreach field trip preceded and
  followed by college planning activities tied to
  grade-specific EALRs
• All school field trips served to date
• 6000 6th graders
• 4500 7th graders
• 3000 8th graders
• 1250 9th graders

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Guiding Concepts

• Convene ALL students to build a region-wide
  cohort ALL planning for college
• ALSO ALL parents families, ALL teachers, WHOLE
  communities
• Extended families in the Yakima Valley
• Build the system, the mindset, whole atmosphere
  to see ALL students as College Material

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Other considerations

• Support State-graduation requirements
• by 2008, all students must have a 13th Year
  plan
• Help students undertake structured, directed,
  purposeful planning for a long-term goal (Ruby
  Payne)
• Capture planning milestones in electronic
  portfolios to share with parents and family
  members, help sustain commitment to postsecondary
  aspirations

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5-years of Whole Cohort Activity

• Yearly field trips with activities preceding,
  during and after
• 6th Grade College Fair Overview of
  Postsecondary Options in Yakima SunDome with
  motivational speaker representatives from all
  postsecondary sectors
• 7th Grade Day at College Yakima Valley
  Community College
• 8th Grade Career Showcase 65 speakers
  students explore 3 career options
• 9th Grade The 4-Year Experience Central
  Washington University
• 10th Grade Career/College Plan Students develop
  a personal plan and consult Mentor in their
  chosen field

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Pre-Field Trip Activities

• In-class structured activities, aligned to
  grade-level EALRs are completed prior to the
  field trip.
• High-quality print materials provided to each
  student to provide complete and accurate
  information on postsecondary options in the
  classroom and home
• Structured activities (learning style inventory,
  career exploration, decision-making style,
  personal support teams etc.) help students
  develop a personalized postsecondary plan

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Field Trip

• Designed to provide age-appropriate, meaningful,
  engaging activities tailored for interests and
  attention span of students as they move from 6th
  to 11th grade
• Mix of activities -- academic, student services,
  career planning, financial aid, admissions
• Guided by college-age campus tour leaders with
  questions designed to engage students in
  thoughtful tour to really experience the campus

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Post-Field Trip

• 6th, 7th and 9th grade 5-paragraph essay
  following state requirements using field trip as
  content
• 8th grade Display and verbal presentation on
  career of choice anticipating required 2008
  graduation requirement
• (Students compete for prizes for best effort
  first within district then against other district
  winners.)
• 10th grade Thoughtful plan incorporating 6-9th
  grade planning efforts with input from mentor in
  students chosen career field

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Challenges Rewards

• Challenges
• Teacher-buy in first year of event
• Time to complete assignments
• Logistics for 1500 students
• Collecting planning activities to capture on
  E-Portfolio
• Rewards
• 6th grade teachers request event date change
• 8th grade teacher testimonial
• 9th grade - Toppenish teachers develop materials
  
• Support from administrators, counselors
• Evaluations positive from teachers and students

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How to Go to College

• Excellent Higher Education Coordinating Board
  materials spanning 6th 12th grades
• Complete, up-to-date information on financial
  aid, admissions, secondary school course
  requirements
• Reliable checklists to ensure students know when
  to complete necessary tasks to prepare for
  postsecondary opportunities

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Leroy Werkhoven

• Northwest Learning and Achievement Group NLA
• www.nlagroup.com