Counselor Connections

The Counseling Department would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and start to the 2nd semester.

Arizona Community Foundation Scholarships will open this month. Scholarships are available for two-year and four-year colleges and universities, as well as technical and vocational schools. Seniors complete one application that will be used to match them to any available scholarships for which they may be eligible. Scholarships may be based on merit, financial need, geography, or demographic group. More information and the online application can be found at https://www.azfoundation.org/scholarship-seekers/.

If you need help searching for other scholarships, stop by and talk with Mr. Smith in the Career Center.

"The Arizona Professional Skills are taught as an integral part of all CTE programs. They are recognized by business and industry leaders as being the most critical knowledge and skills necessary to obtain the job, be successful in the job, and advance in any career pathway. They are the result of 11 focus groups conducted around the state by the Arizona Department of Education, Career and Technical Skills Department, working in cooperation with the Arizona CTE Quality Commission, advocates for accountability and excellence in Career and Technical Education." (taken from https://www.azed.gov/cte/profskills)

The nine Professional Standards that were determined to be essential for employability in Arizona are:

• Complex communication

• Collaboration

• Thinking & innovation

• Professionalism

• Initiative & self-direction

• Intergenerational & cross-cultural competence

• Organizational culture

• Legal & ethical practices

• Financial practices

Attending class, working in groups, completing coursework by due dates, classroom interactions with staff and peers, learning, as well as other classroom components help you build and strengthen your professional skills so you are ready for employment during and after high school.

Career & Technical Education (CTE) prepares students for a variety of careers and post high school education/training. CTE programs combine academic skills, employability skills, and technical skills. At Verrado, we have the following CTE programs: AP Computer Science: Coding, Digital Photography, Engineering, Film & TV Productions, Graphic Design, Live Entertainment Productions/Stagecraft, Marketing, and Sports Medicine. In addition, Verrado students can apply to attend a CTE program at West-MEC, www.west-mec.edu.

The Phoenix Public Library's College Depot is a free college access center located at the Burton Barr Central Library. They offer virtual meetings and workshops on a variety of topics, including the following:

• Apprenticeships
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• College applications/Enrollment
• Scholarships and Financial Aid
• And more!

Our main Counseling Center is in the process of moving back to the mall area of our building (between the Bookstore and the Auditorium). You can find our Registrar, Data Information Specialist, and Counseling Clerks in this office space.

Don't miss out on academic, college/career, and social/emotional information from the Counseling Department, sign up for our REMIND messaging!

Text the following cohort-specific message to 81010:

Seniors message = @verrado24

Juniors message = @verrado25

Sophomores message = @verrado26

Freshmen message = @verrado27

We have also started one for our incoming freshmen class (Class of 2028) = @verrado28.

In November and December, current students (9th, 10th, 11th) selected their course requests for the 2024-25 school year. Students were encouraged to discuss their course requests with their parents and have their parents sign their Course Selection Sheet. Students met with their counselor to finalize their course selections.

Incoming freshmen will make their course selections this month. Materials and information will be provided to the middle schools during the first week of this semester; the counselors and other school staff will visit the middle schools the following week (January 16-19). Our incoming freshmen must be registered at our school in order to be scheduled into classes. Registration for the 2024-25 year opens January 19th. You will find 2024-25 registration materials here on January 19th.

To assist students with their course selections, the 2024-25 Course Description Book is available on our district's website, www.aguafria.org.

If you are a senior working on a class(es) via Edgenuity that is a graduation requirement, your target completion date is Friday, April 26th. This means all coursework, assessments, and notes are completed. This should ensure everything is graded out and processed in time for graduation ceremonies.

Seniors and families - The FAFSA opened in December 2023 for students applying for Fall 2024 college admissions. The sooner you complete the FAFSA the better! The colleges/universities have their own deadlines so be sure to check out their websites.

The FAFSA determines your eligibility for federal grants, work-study, and loans that can help you pay for college. It is also commonly used for state and institutional aid, including merit based scholarships. Learn more at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. Remember, the filing process is FREE!

Summer can be a great time for students to explore their potential college options (such as ASU's Barrett Summer Scholars), test-out their career choices (like the UofA's Summer Scrubs Program), strengthen their community by volunteering (for example, with the Maricopa Library System's Summer Reading Program and/or teen events) or working (City of Goodyear summer jobs, https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/goodyear). Whatever interests you, start looking now!

The following are scholarship programs that you may be interested in.

• Learn more about the Earn to Learn Program, a matched savings scholarship program, at https://earntolearn.org/students-for-applicants/.

• Students can earn micro-scholarships on RaiseMe. Learn more at https://www.raise.me/.

• The BigFuture Scholarships (previously College Board Opportunity Scholarships) are open to current seniors and juniors. Learn more at https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/bigfuture-scholarships.

National School Counseling Week is February 5 - 9, 2024. The week brings national recognition for School Counselors and their professional skills, knowledge, and expertise. School Counselors hold a minimum of a master's degree as well as state certification in School Counseling. School Counselors assist students with their academic, career/life, and social/emotional development.

Your VHS Counselors are Ms. Schepker, Ms. Palmgren, Ms. Enders, Mr. Pratt, and Ms. Hink.

The Phoenix Zoo is slated to host its Teen Career Conference on February 10th from 9 am - 4 pm. This is an opportunity to explore many different careers in animal science. Space is limited; registration closes January 15, 2024 or when spots are filled.

There will be speaker panels that include experts in Zoology, Conservation and Animal Husbandry. The speakers will offer insights into their career paths and advice on breaking into their respective fields.

Representatives from the Phoenix Zoo and other scientific and educational institutions in the area will be available to share information about their programs and opportunities for you to begin working toward your career right now. You will have the opportunity to attend professional skill-building workshops. In addition, volunteer opportunities, camps and other programs will also be shared.

It is important for students to check their student emails on a regular basis. Your teachers, counselors, and other staff will use it to communicate with you so be sure to set aside time each day to read your emails.

Look for our district's summer school information to be posted on their website at www.aguafria.org > Parent and Student Resources > Summer School. If you want to get ahead on credits or need to recover some credits, we have an option for you. Be sure to talk with your counselor about the course(s) you want to take!

January 17 - UofA,

February 27 - NAU, and

April 24 - ASU

Tri-University Field Trip

For juniors who registered to attend. See Mrs. Smith in the Career Center for more information.

February 3

February 24

April 27

Discover NAU Days

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/discover-nau-tickets-764112389727

February 4

ASU Future Sun Devil Family Day

ASU West

https://eoss.asu.edu/access/programs/future-sun-devil-family-day

April 4

RMACAC Spring College Fair

@ ASU West

https://www.rmacac.org/phxwest

For our future freshmen, Class of 2028, we will host our annual Viper Showcase on January 23rd. Information will be shared with students when the counselors visit their middle school but it will also posted on our school's website at www.aguafria.org/vhs. We are excited for all of you to join the Verrado Viper family and can't wait to see you on the 23rd!

To apply to attend a West-MEC 2024-25 program, you must apply online at www.west-mec.edu. You and your parents must sign the Application Verification Form then you must return it to your counselor so we can complete our part.

For the initial round of he application and supplemental forms, if applicable, were due Friday, December 15, 2023. Late applications will still be accepted; however, students will likely miss out on the initial allocation and be placed on a waitlist.

If you have a question about West-MEC, be sure to talk with your counselor.