Counselor Updates
NOVEMBER 2024
HOBY - Youth Leadership opportunity for Sophomores: Due November 20th
Are you someone who…
is passionate about your community.
has leadership potential.
understands and relates to the experiences of others.
is curious and eager to learn.
is interested in service.
is adaptable and self-reflective.
likes to collaborate and work with others.
demonstrates good character.
has a strong sense of integrity.
is excited to connect with peers across the state.
HOBY - Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Foundation is a leadership development opportunity for outstanding sophomores. You will spend 3 days exploring leadership from different perspectives while collaborating with students from throughout the state. Students return from HOBY with a new sense of self-awareness and an elevated confidence in their individual potential.
Those interested in this leadership opportunity, fill out THIS Google form to apply!
Upcoming College Representative Visits
Here are the steps for students to sign-up to attend:
- Log-in to Naviance
- Click on Colleges at the top of the page
- Then select College Visits
- Then select which College Visit you would like to attend!
Soho Hair Academy - Wednesday, November 20th
Iowa Western Community College - Thursday, November 21
The list changes frequently this time of year - so be sure to check it often.
All visits will be held on Wednesday or Thursday during FlexTime (11:04-11:34), location will vary.
Brown Pre-College: Start planning for your summer 2025 application to join this esteemed group of scholars
Brown Pre-College is the oldest and largest Ivy League pre-college program. Our alumni hail from every corner of the globe and have studied across all disciplines.
The educational experiences that students have at Brown Pre-College can define the trajectory of their educational journey.
The friendships and memories built with other students from around the globe often last a lifetime. We love following the journeys of our alumni and sharing their successes.
Learn more about Brown College and apply for Pre-college HERE
Nebraska Maintenance Academy - Vocational Training!
What NMA does:
To offer vocational training to those most in need, including but not limited to non-college-bound high school students, veterans, and any individual who desires a meaningful career change.
To provide educational training, resources, and certification for the Nebraska maintenance prospective and current workforce.
To immediately place those now trained individuals into careers. This is what differentiates NMA from other vocational training; namely, NMA is confident that a very high percentage of our trainees will get well-paying jobs with good benefits.
Train 45 people per year.
Each student is put through a 12-week intensive training.
12-week classroom hands-on training covering the following topics to achieve certification level:
•Drywall & Carpentry •Appliance Repair •Tile & Flooring •Pool Maintenance
•Electric •HVAC •Plumbing •OSHA
4-week onsite paid training will cover the following:
•Turns/Make Ready •Customer Service •Work Orders
•Workshop Safety •Grounds work •Employer Expectations
Click HERE to complete the student application
Click HERE for the website and more information
If you've ever thought of being a health care professional who saves lives or wondered what it's like to research the next breakthrough in medicine, then the UNMC High School Alliance is for you.
The program is your opportunity to observe, shadow and work alongside world-renowned health care professionals and researchers at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and public health advocates.
The year-long experience offers innovative courses for juniors and seniors that are not available in the traditional high school setting, such as infectious diseases, biomedical research and medical decision-making.
To learn more about the program, click HERE.
Free online American Sign Language classes!
Oklahoma School for the Deaf is offering free online ASL classes for FREE!
Click HERE for available courses.
Athletic Training Program Shadowing Opportunity at Wesleyan University
If you are interested, please contact:
Jason Ensrud, ATC
Director of Sports Medicine
Nebraska Wesleyan University
5000 St. Paul Ave.
Lincoln, NE 68504
402-465-7508
FREE TUITION AT METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE THROUGH College NOW!!
College Visits!! Junior and Senior students are welcome to attend!!
This is the time of year when many college representatives visit Millard West. The list changes frequently - so check it often! All visits are scheduled for 11:04-11:34 (during Flex Time) on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, locations will vary.
TO ATTEND A COLLEGE REP VISIT, STUDENTS MUST FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW!
To attend, students should sign in to their Naviance account -complete the following steps:
1) Log into Naviance 2) Click on Colleges on the top of the page, 3) click College Visits, 4) click on whichever college you would like to visit!
Now you can view all of the colleges visiting Millard West and select ones to sign up for.
Scholarship Opportunities:
Click HERE for Scholarship Opportunities
Naviance (under the Colleges Section, Scholarships and Money)
Now is the time - SENIORS... let us know of scholarships you were offered!
Millard West seniors are offered millions of dollars in scholarship money each year because of their outstanding achievements. We love to acknowledge students for these accomplishments, but....… if you don’t notify us we don’t know!
New this year - multiple ways to inform us about your achievements:
1 - bring in the original award letter to Mrs. Marshall in the Counseling Office (she will make a copy for you)
2 - bring in a copy of the original award letter to Mrs. Marshall in the Counseling Office
3 - email a LEGIBLE pdf of the award lettr to Mrs. Marshall dkmarshall@mpsomaha.org
4 - email a photo (LEGIBLE) of the award letter to Mrs. Marshall dkmarshall@mpsomaha.org
Please let us know of any and all offers so your student can be recognized – even if the offers may not be accepted by your student.
SENIORS who plan to serve in the military after high school!!
Applying to UNO?? Interested in Entrepreneurship and Business? Look at this!!
Entrepreneurial Living Learning Community (ELLC), and the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Franchising (CIEF).
CIEF offers an Entrepreneurial Living Learning Community for freshmen and sophomores at UNO and is entering its sixth cohort. The ELLC experiences entrepreneurship and business by meeting founders and owners, touring businesses, running businesses, receiving year-round mentorship from a business owner, participating in ELLC-exclusive workshops designed to create startups, and traveling the country to visit entrepreneurial hotspots. This is a great opportunity for incoming students to be a part of an innovation and entrepreneurship community. Students can learn more about ELLC on our Homepage and apply using this link.
The Kiewit Foundation has partnered with the University of Nebraska College of Engineering (COE) to develop the Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy.
This scholarship program is for incoming freshman students with financial needs who want to pursue careers in engineering, computing, or construction at UNO or UNL, and are committed to the advancement of women in engineering in the state of Nebraska.
The program includes a renewable full-ride scholarship (tuition and fees), room and board, equipment, plus more! This is an amazing opportunity for students who want to enter these career fields!
The student application opens November 1st .
To find out more about the program, visit the Academy website at pkfacademy.unl.edu
Nebraska Machine Company - Profitable career opportunity!
NMC partners with colleges across the Midwest in support of students who choose to begin a career in Diesel Technology. For 20 years, NMC has provided hundreds of students with financial assistance and career opportunities in diesel technology. Regardless of where you are at in your pursuit of a diesel degree, NMC has a program designed to help you succeed.
FULL COLLEGE SPONSORSHIP
Looking for a profitable career opportunity but don’t know where to start? NMC in partnership with Diesel Technology Programs across the Midwest, offers a two-year sponsorship that includes:
- Paid tuition, books, fees, and NMC branded uniforms (up to a $10,000 value)
- Two paid summer internships
- Toolbox and tool set (up to a $12,000 value)
- Personalized mentoring and guidance over the course of the program
- Opportunity to earn an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Diesel Technology
- Employment and career progression opportunities with NMC
CLICK HERE TO APPLY.
Click here to apply or contact NMC recruiting team for additional information.
Email us at recruiting@nmc-corp.com or call at 877-852-0024.
Seniors - What should you be doing - if college is in your plans?
Tools for college planning: Education Quest
types of colleges and their degrees
BigFuture college application checklist
Learn about high-wage, high-demand, and high-skill jobs in Nebraska by visiting H3.ne.gov
Reality Check - tool to determine potential career choices that fit you
Scholarship Application 101 Blog - read for some great tips!! Click HERE!
Seniors.... Activities Resume - do you have one started??
What is Activities Resume?
This free tool will help you track your extracurricular activities, honors and awards throughout high school. Activities Resume will also help you to:
- easily create and customize your resume
- choose from five resume templates
- save or send your resume as a Word document or PDF
Click HERE for information!
College and Career Planning resources from Premier Nursing Academy! Click below for details!
EducationQuest Financial Aid Information!
FAFSA Checklist – Lists the documents and information you need to gather before completing the FAFSA.
- Use this if attending college in 2023-2024
Financial Aid FAQs – Click here to get answers to frequently asked questions about financial aid.
Paying for College Videos – Watch this four-part video series for an overview of the types of colleges, financial aid, the FAFSA process, and how colleges award financial aid.
FAFSA Demo – Watch short videos that walk you through each section of the FAFSA.
Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) Handout – tells you how to set up your account.
College Funding Estimator – Estimates your FAFSA results, including your eligibility for a Pell Grant.
- Use this if attending college in 2023-2024
FAFSA Tutorial – Provides user-friendly clarification for each FAFSA question.
- Use this if attending college in 2023-2024
Other resources to help you pay for college:
Still need Student Ambassadors! Come to the Counseling Office to see if it's a good fit for you!
We need your help AND you get to put this on your resume!
Volunteering as a Student Ambassador looks great on college resumes, but most importantly it demonstrates the Wildcat style and pride we have here at Millard West! See Mrs. Van Ravenhorst in the counseling office if you are interested.
On To College - take a look for some helpful information about test prep!
ACT Prep and ACT Fundamentals, ACT and SAT Courses, SAT Prep, and College Counseling System Click HERE for more information! Click ACT.ORG for more information about registration and testing dates!
These ideas are designed for students who have completed, or partially completed the OntoCollege ACT Prep course and are looking for additional ways to practice and prepare for an upcoming ACT. (Open the Table of Contents on the left for a full list of items available.) Be sure to watch the video of John Baylor explaining how to use these resources.
ACT 1572C Test to Print Solution Videos of each question ACT 1633A Online Access
ACT 0661C Test to Print Solution Videos of each question ACT 0359F Test to Print Solution Videos of each question Video Never Score Below a 20 Again! (7:36)
If you are experiencing a crisis and need immediate assistance, the following resources are available 24/7:
Boys Town National Hotline: 1-800-448-3000
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Nebraska Family Helpline: 1-888-866-8660
National Crisis Text Line: text START to 741741
(text charges from your phone carrier may apply)
United States Military Visits during lunch period!
Navy: 1st Monday of the month
Army National Guard: 1st Thursday of the month
Army: 2nd Thursday of the month
Marines: 3rd Wednesday of the month
Air Force: 3rd Thursday of the month
Nebraska Air National Guard: 4th Thursday of the month
Selective Service Registration
Most scholarships are based on academics, but others are based on community service, school involvement, or a talent. Some are based on financial need as determined by the results of the FAFSA.
Here’s where you can find scholarships:
- ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org houses over 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships. After you create a profile, you’ll be matched with scholarships that fit your criteria.
- Your school counselor’s office. Visit regularly to check on local and national awards.
- The college you plan to attend. Contact the school for a list of scholarships they provide and application procedures.
- National search sites such as College Board, Peterson’s and Chegg.
- Other resources could include your coach, clubs and organizations, and your parents’ employers and civic organizations.
Amy Reoh (A - Bur)
Dellyn Feighner (Bus - Fra)
Maureen Zohlen ( Fre - I )
Shawn Juricek (J - Marr)
Monica Griffin (Mars - Pe)
Kelsey Nodgaard (Pf - St)
Katie Van Ravenhorst (Su - Z)
Naviance
Parents can also explore scholarship opportunities that are available to students. Parents may set up their own Naviance account by emailing your student's name and grade to Mrs. Denise Marshall at dkmarshall@mpsomaha.org.
Education Quest
EducationQuest provides free college planning services, need-based scholarship programs, college access grants for high schools, college access resources for middle schools, and outreach services for community agencies.
With that being said, EducationQuest is an incredible resource that is located right here in Omaha. They are located in Rockbrook Village and can help parents complete the FAFSA and with their scholarship search.
FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Both the student and a parent will each need a Federal Student Aid ID to access and sign the FAFSA. To create an ID, please visit https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm.
Millard West Counseling Office
Website: https://mwhs.mpsomaha.org/counseling
Location: 5710 S. 176th Avenue, Omaha, NE 68135
Phone: 402-715-6015
Twitter: @MWHS_Counseling