December 2024 Newsletter

• December 3rd: AR Governor's School Interest Form and Meeting (PrimeTime)

• December 12th: FAFSA Lunch and Learn via Zoom with Mrs. Powers

• December 14th: Deadline for Spring Schedule Correction Requests

• December 19th - 20th: Semester Exams

• December 21st - January 6th: Winter Break

• January 15th: FAFSA Completion Night

• University of Arkansas - Little Rock
  • Monday, December 2nd
  • Cafeteria
  • 10:00am & 12:00pm
• Arkansas Tech University
• Friday, December 6th
• Cafeteria
• 12:00pm

• Savannah College of Art and Design
• Wednesday, December 11th
• Cafeteria
• 10:00am

• ACDC House

• Dr. Randi Huebner

• randi.huebner@sdale.org

• ACME House

• Mr. David Clouse

• dclouse@sdale.org

• HABIT House

• Mrs. Rachel Colananni

• rachel.colananni@sdale.org

• MEDS House

• Mrs. Seanne Farrar

• seanne.farrar@sdale.org

• PHEDS House

• Mrs. Kimberly Powers

• kimberly.powers@sdale.org

Special Contacts:

• College Reps: Mrs. Powers

• Community Service: Dr. Huebner

• Foreign Exchange: Mr. Clouse

• Learning Center: Mrs. Powers

• Military Liaison: Mr. Clouse

HBHSWebsite: https://har-ber.sdale.org/

• Remember students and teachers leave for winter break on December 23rd. Please make sure all of your applications with January 1 deadlines are added into Naviance by Monday, December 9th. This will give your counselor and teachers enough time to write you a letter of recommendation and submit your transcripts. Make sure to request a transcript to be sent to your universities.
• Admission decisions for early decision, early action, and restrictive early action are typically released by December 15th.
• If you applied and were accepted into your early decision school, you are obligated to withdraw your other applications.
• NO college applications/documents will be processed over winter break. You MUST enter ALL of the universities you will be applying to on Naviance on or before December 9th.

1. Congratulations! You have nearly made it to the end of the semester!

2. Each year, we build the master schedule around student requests. This Google form provides students with an opportunity to identify scheduling errors for the spring semester. The deadline to request a schedule correction is December 13. Please read the form below for additional information.

3. Be sure to check Naviance for new scholarships posted. While this picks up steam in January, there are still scholarships being posted each week.

4. GPA’s and class rank will be updated again in January once all semester grades are finalized.

WHAT: Arkansas Governor's School 2025

WHO: Current Juniors

WHEN: Summer Session Dates, Sunday, July 6th - Saturday, August 2nd

WHERE: Arkansas Tech University

Deadline to submit this Interest Form is Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 10:00am.

The Arkansas Governor’s School is a four-week summer residential program for upcoming high school seniors who are residents of the state of Arkansas. The program is funded by the Arkansas State Legislature as a portion of the biennial appropriation for Gifted and Talented Programs through the State Department of Education. State funds provide tuition, room, board, and instructional materials for each student who attends the four-week program on the site of a residential college campus, sponsored by the State. The Arkansas Governor’s School is a non-credit program that seeks to create a unique experience for a select group of Arkansas’ best students—the potential leaders of the 21st century. Both inside and outside the classrooms, AGS provides highly motivated, creative students with an intellectual atmosphere impossible to sustain in ordinary academic settings. The excitement of intellectual and artistic pursuits and the expectation of significant conceptual gains permeate all aspects of the participants’ lives for the full four weeks.

HBHS Juniors, please sign up below to show interest and be called to a meeting to discuss the AGS and the nomination process. You must be able to attend all four weeks to be nominated. The program is at Arkansas Tech University.

For More Information:

https://www.atu.edu/ags/

Mrs. Powers will be holding a Lunch & Learn session about the FAFSA! She will provide information, answer questions, and go over the list of items to bring to our January 15th FAFSA completion night. The link for the session can be found in the Class of 2025 Google Classroom (Join Code: 7ockfy3), and we will also upload a recording of the meeting afterward.

Date: December 12th

Time: 12:00pm

Location: Zoom - Passcode: ugb5E4

Join with this link

If there is a teacher who has supported you in the college application process by writing a letter of recommendation, please consider dropping of a handwritten note letting them know how much you appreciate their time and assistance!

GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program - Deadline Jan. 3, 2024

Honoring the legacy and character of our nation’s 40th President, the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program rewards college-bound students who demonstrate exemplary leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship with financial assistance to pursue higher education.

Each year, the Program selects numerous recipients to receive a $10,000 scholarship renewable for up to an additional three years – up to $40,000 total per recipient. Awards are for undergraduate study and may be used for education-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, and board. In addition, Scholars are invited to participate in a special awards program and receive ongoing leadership-development support. Click here to apply. Application deadline January 3, 2025.

The Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship - Deadline Jan. 9, 2024

The Jackie Robinson Foundation provides a multi-faceted experience designed to not only address the financial needs of students who aspire to attend college but to guide them through the process of higher education. JRF Scholars receive college scholarships of up to $35,000 over four years and are financially sponsored to attend JRF's annual, four-day “Mentoring and Leadership Conference“ in New York City and other events throughout the year. Click here to apply. All application components are due by 5:00 p.m. EST on January 9, 2025,

To be eligible for a Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a graduating, minority high school senior
• Be a United States citizen
• Present evidence of financial need
• Demonstrate a record of academic excellence
• Demonstrate leadership potential and a dedication to community service

I am thrilled to share a new mentorship opportunity designed for female students at NW Arkansas High Schools. As part of our engagement at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship (an official LPGA tournament), a collective of business leaders come together each year to create a space that gives women a place to network and learn more about the sport. We do this in partnership with the Walmart Women’s Officer’s Caucus and global consumer brand, Kimberly-Clark.

As part of the evolution of our efforts, we launched a mentor circle program in 2024 for high school juniors, from Bentonville and Rogers schools and we're excited to expand to Springdale this year.

We welcome your help in identifying high school counselors we can connect with for the program along with high school juniors as candidates to apply for the 2025 program activation.

Over the course of six months, students will meet virtually once a month with incredible female business leaders to learn about topics that will help them increase self-confidence, learn leadership skills and build potential as a leader.

Applicants must be high potential female-identifying high school juniors with at least a 2.5 GPA who are committed to pursuing higher education upon graduation. As part of the application process, students seeking to be part of the mentor circle program must submit an application, resume and 500-word essay based on predetermined topics.

Each student participant must commit to attending each one-hour session throughout the duration of the program. Minimal pre-work/homework may be required as part of the commitment. The deadline to submit applications, resumes, and essays is Friday, January 10, 2025 via email, WEMNCircles2023@gmail.com.

Following review of submissions, applicants that advance may be asked to participate in a 1:1 interview before announcing final selections. All mentor circle sessions will occur between March and September 2025 - culminating at the 2025 LPGA tournament in September.

A list of potential students from your high schools interested in this opportunity would be great by Mon., Nov. 15th for us to submit communication (counselors will be cc'd). To help drive awareness, the application and further details about criteria is forthcoming soon.

I am more than happy to get on a call with you to share more or provide clarity. Until then, feel free to contact Holly Gilbert or Simona Rabsatt Butler via email at WEMNCircles2023@gmail.com.

We look forward to your students getting involved and being the second WEMN Mentor Circle class!

---

Holly Gilbert and

Simona Rabsatt Butler

WEMN Mentor Circle Leads

WEMNCircles2023@gmail.com

Wednesday, December 4

• Circles NWA - Community Meal, 695 E. Calvin, Fayetteville - 3:30 pm -8:30 pm Info & Sign-Up

Friday, December 6

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

• Arkansas Support Network Holiday Family Festival - Springdale - 4:30pm-9:00pm Info & Sign-Up

Saturday, December 7

• A Christmas to Remember - Monte Ne Baptist Church - Multiple shifts/jobs - Info & Sign-Up

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

• The Special Santa - Rogers, AR - 8 am - 1 pm - Info & SIgn-up

Sunday, December 8

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

Wednesday, December 11

• Circles NWA - Community Meal, 695 E. Calvin, Fayetteville - 3:30 pm -8:30 pm Info & Sign-Up

Friday, December 13

• White Elephant 5K/1 Mile - Fayetteville Square - 3:00 pm - 10:00 am - Info & Sign-Up

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

• Hygiene Blessing Bags at Squire Jehagen Outreach Center - St James Baptist Church, Fayetteville - 6:30-8:00 pm - Info & Sign-Up

Saturday, December 14

• White Elephant 5K/1 Mile - Fayetteville Square - 3:00 pm - 10:00 am - Info & Sign-Up

• Bentonville Community Bed Build - 8:00-noon - Info & Sign-Up

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

Sunday, December 15

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

Friday, December 20

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

Sunday, December 22

• Winter Glow - Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville - 4pm to 9pm Info & Sign-Up

Join your grade's Counseling Center google classroom for announcements, tutorials, and more!

Classroom Codes:

• Class of 2025: 7ockfy3

• Class of 2026: oxfn5gp

• Class of 2027: jxzqoj6

Go to act.org to sign up. If this is your first time, you will need to create an account. Once you sign up, check your ticket and go to the appropriate location you signed up for on the testing day. If you qualify for free and reduced lunches, you can request an ACT waiver permission slip from the Counseling Center front desk. If you are eligible, you can request up to 4 free fee waivers.

You must request a transcript through Naviance for all college applications including the University of Arkansas. Below is a quick one-page tutorial.

Students applying to a Common Application school should make sure their Naviance account and their Common Application account are linked. Do not use Common App to apply to University of Arkansas.

• Parent Tips: Helping your child with the college application process
• FAFSA Website - students and parents can go ahead and get ready to file the FAFSA by signing up for an email address and password which are needed prior to filing the FAFSA.
• NEXT Magazine is another good source of information about college in our state and careers in general.
• The Top Scholarship Search Engines
• This blog post on College Vine contains a list of all schools that meet 100% of demonstrated student need. Some may surprise you!
• Free ACT Prep Resource that can be ordered directly from ACT
• Are you a first-generation student? If you are the first in your immediate family to attend college, the whole college process can be overwhelming. The College Tour offers a free online class that will help you get more information on the process. Check out this LINK for more information and to begin.

We can be the hardest on ourselves. It is important to practice self-love and self-compassion. Here is a great article on the topic of self-compassion. If time is an issue, you should read the following sections: The Physiology of Self-Criticism and Self-Compassion, Fear vs. Truth, & Sometimes Life Is Hard. Can You Be Kind to Yourself?

Toward the end of the article, it discusses how you can help find your “compassionate voice” by writing a letter to yourself whenever you struggle or feel inadequate. Instead of writing a letter, you might try drafting an email to yourself. You can schedule it to send to you at a later date.

Whether you choose to do the activity or not, remember to check negative self-talk and show yourself some compassion.