Academic Achievement Activities - COLLEGE-GOING TOOLKIT

Instructions: Check the activities you will do this month, discuss the activities, adding others that may apply.

Activities with Elementary Students

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Ask children what makes them curious. When children are discouraged from exploring or questioning, they lose the motivation to learn. Connectors can help children aspire to learn by simply asking, ―what do you want to know more about?‖ and then helping them

discover the answer for themselves.

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Encourage children to challenge themselves academically, develop good study habits, and become involved in school- and community-based extracurricular activities. A positive school experience that is both academically challenging and rich in extracurricular activities is important in itself. It can also help young people prepare for college.

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Discuss career and college options with children and encourage their aspirations.

Encourage children to aim high, explore all their options, and plan to attend college.

Activities with Middle School Students

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Review the courses students should take in middle and high school to prepare for post secondary education. If students don't take certain courses in middle school, they may be shut out of certain college preparatory courses in high school. See the Tip Sheet on JCPS courses

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Encourage young people to talk with adults in their life about their education goals:

parent(s) or guardian(s), school counselor, teachers, religious leaders, or other important adults. It is the adults in a young person‘s life, not their friends or media messages, that most influence their education goals.

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Identify free or low cost enrichment programs students could take after school and during the summer. There are many programs in schools and the community that can help build academic skills, introduce new careers and provide a safe and nurturing environment. See directory. Offer to help these programs grow and thrive.

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Talk to young people about their extracurricular activities. Encourage them to participate in a range of activities: sports, community service, music and art programs,

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Investigate college savings programs. It is important to start saving now, even if the amount is small. See Tip Sheet on College Saving Options (www.kheaa.com)

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Hire a young person to do something at your business or home. Just a few hours a week or over the summer will help them manage money, create a work history and learn workplace expectations.

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Encourage students to create a file or choose a drawer to store important paperwork:

Social Security card, grade reports, career options, work history, paystubs, list of

extracurricular activities, letters of recommendations and awards. All of these items will be important when applying for college.

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Give books and magazines as a gift. Reading builds verbal, writing and critical thinking abilities. Reading also introduces young people to new occupations and expands their world view. See Tip Sheet on Reading

Activities with High School Students

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Review the college admissions requirements for several local postsecondary institutions.

Help students understand the importance of signing up for classes that will prepare them to meet these basic requirements. See the Tip Sheet on JCPS courses

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Promote advanced academic options such as AP courses, the IB program, or … Young people who have not taken challenging courses in the past may need some additional assistance to succeed at a higher level. Encourage students to work with a study group or a teacher to stay ahead.

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Help students begin a list of college to which they may apply. Libraries and the Internet have many resources for identifying post secondary schools that offer diploma, certificate and degree programs. Suggest young people talk to their guidance counselor and

teachers to see if they have any recommendations or suggestions.

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Teach good study habits whenever possible. Demonstrate the importance of putting in ones best effort. Many young people believe the grades they earn as freshmen are not important as they apply for college.

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Identify extracurricular activities that allow young people to explore careers and to learn life skills. Guide them to activities that may be new for them, as well as those that interest them. Look for activities that are led by highly skilled adults, are low cost and have a structured schedule. See the Tip Sheet on Types of Extracurricular Activities

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Help young people find a paid or volunteer job that doesn‘t interfere with school work. Talk with them about common workplace issues and how you would resolve them. Tip Sheet on Working Students

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Assist students to open a savings account and to set short and long term goals. Look for savings matching programs, such as an Individual Development Account.

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Review the ACT PLAN test results with students. This test, free and mandatory for every sophomore in Kentucky, helps students prepare for the ACT test they will take to apply for college. The results identify specific ways students can improve academically.

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Encourage young people to develop good study habits and to take advanced classes.

Advocate for students to talk with their guidance counselor about taking the most challenging courses they can handle.

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Research financial aid and scholarship options with students. Encourage parents or guardians to think about how they might help their students pay for college.

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Help students make a list of colleges to which they may apply, considering their grades and ACT scores. Continue to visit colleges and talk with students about their career goals.

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Remind students to prepare for the ACT test they will take in WHAT MONTH of the 11^th grade. To increase their score, students can take the ACT several times, but they must register online (deadlines and fees are posted at www.what.com). Studying for these exams is usually effective. A word of caution: advise students to beware of websites and preparation courses that charge a high price and promise unlikely results. Students should check with you or their counselor before giving money for any ―college prep‖ services.

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Encourage students to consider taking the SAT, a college entrance exam that is requested by many schools. Information is available at www.collegeboard.com. High school

guidance counselors can assist eligible students with a fee waiver.

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Review the course schedule and transcript with students. Ask whether they are taking the courses they need to graduate and whether they are taking the most difficult course they can handle.

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Encourage young people to try new experiences and to reflect on the value of them. Did they learn something unexpected? Did they develop a new skill? Did they find someone who can help them in the future? Did they discover an interest or possible career field?

―Doing‖ is one of the most valuable ways to learn but young people often need encouragement and an adult to help them reflect.

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Review students‘ ILP (Individual Learning Plan) for college and career planning. This tool will help students think about their options, but they will need adults to guide them to careers and post-secondary education that make sense for them.

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Check out the KEES scholarship and help young people to calculate their award. All students in Kentucky are eligible, based on their GPA and ACT score. See Tip Sheet on KEES

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Help students identify role models

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Encourage young people to develop essential learning skills: curiosity, problem solving, communication, persistence.

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Give the gift of reading – newspaper or magazine subscription, a how to book, novel, anything that ties to an interest

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Introduce young people to adults who have an interesting life lesson or occupation to share

In document COLLEGE-GOING TOOLKIT (Page 75-78)