Counseling Newsletter

Upper St. Clair High School / December 2024

-- DID YOU KNOW? --

There are a variety of opportunities when students are considering life after high school. Upper St. Clair High School has established programs to assist students with their post secondary planning and pathway. Here are some steps School Counselors have taken to introduce students to career options:

Sophomore Career Program
Guest Speakers from Industry- USC Lunch & Learns
Community Based Learning- The Community Based Learning Program is an experiential learning activity for juniors and seniors. The goals of the program are to:
- provide students with first-hand experience in an identified work place;
- develop in students a sense of responsibility and confidence; and
- allow students to explore careers of interest at this time.
- Click here to learn more about this program.
PartnerUp-PartnerUp is a program that builds connections between career-bound high school seniors looking for an alternative to the college-for-all mentality and employers with career opportunities. The program consists of eight 2-hour workshop sessions, delivered during the school day. From interviewing to skills development, PartnerUp helps students graduate from high school to career-ready. Students and families can find more information here.
Career Technical Education/Parkway- Parkway West Career and Technology Center is dedicated to providing programs consisting of high quality, cutting-edge technical training integrated with a strong academic education and an emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and team-building skills. Students attend the career technology center on a half-day basis each day of the school year and attend their home school during the other half of the school day to acquire their academic credits.

If your student is interested in any of these programs, please have them contact their

School Counselor.

--TRENDING NOW --

JUNIOR MEETING

School Counselors will meet in person with their junior students to discuss post secondary planning. Look for a google meeting invitation to join your student either in person or virtually.

Event Information

Military Information Night

Presentations from the following:

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army

U.S. Navy

U.S. Marines

PA National Guard

PA Army National Guard

When?

Monday, Dec 9, 2024, 06:30 PM

Where?

South Fayette High School Theatre

location_on Open maps

SCHOLARSHIPS

Many local, regional, and national scholarships are available online. To view a scholarship list composed by the counseling department, login to Naviance; click on the "Colleges" tab; click on the "Scholarships and Money" link in the drop-down box; click on "Scholarship List." For a Naviance Scholarship reference guide, click here. Additional scholarship information is available here on the USCHS Counseling website.

Here is a sampling of some scholarships, including local scholarships that are available:

Calvin Coolidge Scholarship- For High School junior student.The Coolidge Scholarship is an annually awarded, full-ride, presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study. Deadline: 12/11/24. Click here for application.
TribLIVE Scholarship Program-Applications are being accepted for the Trib Total Media Scholarship Program, which includes three, inclusive scholarships ranging from writing and reporting to business and marketing. Deadline: 1/10/25. Click here for application.
Good Orthodontics Smile Scholarship- For High School Senior student that is a past or present patient. $1,000 will be awarded to one students. Deadline: 2/1/25. Click here for application.
2025 South Hills College Club Scholarship Award Program- Under this program, at least one $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to a female high school senior. Deadline: 2/7/25. Click here for application.
2025 National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship- For High School Senior student athletes. $4,000 will be awarded to 4 high school seniors in Western Pennsylvania. Deadline: 3/1/25. Click here for application.
Keynotes Music Scholarship-For seniors that plan to attend a music school or will be enrolled in an undergraduate music program at a college or University. Auditions will be held on 5/10/25 at Mt. Lebanon High School. Click here for application.

JOB POSTINGS

Looking for a job? Check out the job opportunities on the bulletin boards by the USCHS Counseling Office.

-- TECH --

USC Lunch & Learn

USC Lunch & Learns are designed to educate students on STEAM career opportunities and inspire them to develop skills to pursue their dreams.

Click here to learn more and to register.

Here is the guest speakers for December:

Plan Accordingly – Tips to Ensure Success Regardless of Your Career Choice

Unmasking Monsters Below: An independent documentary film

The 5 Biggest Technology Trends For 2025 Everyone Must Be Ready For Now

Unbelievable as it seems, we’re rapidly approaching 2025. This means it’s time to once again pick the trends that will be most important over the coming year. The biggest trends go beyond mere buzzwords. They identify the direction of travel of the most transformative technologies, set to drive significant change in the way we live and work, as well as how we understand and interact with the world around us.

-- CAREERS --

What Would It Take to Attract Gen Z to Teaching?

With interest in the teaching profession waning and enrollment in teacher preparation programs reaching historic lows, all eyes are on the next crop of students — tomorrow’s prospective educators — to make up the deficit.

A ‘Great Misalignment’ Between Credentials and Jobs

A new report from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce found a “great misalignment” between projected job demand in many local labor markets and the mix of credentials available to workers seeking jobs requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree.

-- HEALTH --

What Teenagers Really Think About AI

American teenagers believe addressing the potential risks of artificial intelligence should be a top priority for lawmakers, according to a new poll that provides the first in-depth look into young people’s concerns about the technology.

TikTok executives know about app’s effect on teens, lawsuit documents allege

For the first time, internal TikTok communications have been made public that show a company unconcerned with the harms the app poses for American teenagers. This is despite its own research validating many child safety concerns.

The confidential material was part of a more than two-year investigation into TikTok by 14 attorneys general that led to state official suing the company.

-- POST SECONDARY PLANNING --

What Happens to Students Who Back Out of Early Decision Offers

For some people, deciding where to apply to college is a no-brainer. They may have had their heart set on one college for years due to a personal connection, or became attached after a campus visit.

While it's important for applicants to include other colleges on their list, those with a top-choice school may want to consider applying early decision, which can give them a leg up in admissions. But doing so comes with a so-called "binding" commitment.

Read more.

Source: USnews.com

Fewer high schoolers went to college this fall. It's unclear why

Amid struggles with financial aid and anxiety over the affirmative action ban, researchers have yet to figure out what influenced the shrinking pool of first-year students this semester.

Read more .

Source: USAtoday.com

Apprenticeship programs are becoming more popular as an alternative to college

Apprenticeship programs are becoming more popular as an alternative to college. Over a decade, the number of registered apprentices rose 64%, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor. Increasingly, young adults are rethinking the value of college. Amid the heightened demand for workers, rising cost of tuition and growing student loan burden, more would-be students are choosing career-connected pathways over four-year colleges, according to recent reports.

Read more

Source: cnbc.com

-- PARENTING --

Teen Germaphobia: Causes, Symptoms, and How to Help

If your teen engaged in constant handwashing and kept a six-foot distance from people during the height of the pandemic, you likely praised their behavior. If they’re still doing it, there may be cause for concern.

There’s a big difference between taking sensible precautions to fight germs (or avoid them) and germaphobia. If your teen’s dealing with adolescent germaphobia, contamination fears may literally dominate their life—and yours. Here’s what you need to know.

Why Teens Sometimes Reject Their Parents

Our relationships with our children are the most protective force in their lives. That was true when they were two and it is just as true when they are seventeen. It is our unwavering presence and ever-present love that creates a foundation of security. It helps form their sense of self and gives them the confidence to take chances, stand their ground when necessary, and build future relationships. However, we often have moments during the teen years when it feels like they’re rejecting us. It can be painful, and we wonder why.

-- RESOURCES --

Counseling Department

Post secondary planning

Naviance

Niche

Career Planning

Grief Awareness

Highmark Caring Place

Grieving Children

Grieving Adults and Families

Support for Children

Bullying Prevention

How to talk with educators at your child's school about bullying
Get advice on how to communicate with teachers and other leaders at your child's school if you're dealing with bullying.
Tips for parents: What to do if your child is being bullied
Get tips for supporting your child through this very painful experience.
Tips for parents: What to do if your child bullies others
If your child bullies others at school, it needs to stop. Find out what you can do at home.
What can parents do to prevent and address cyber-bullying?
Protect your child from indirect forms of bullying that use text messaging, Web sites, and cell phones.

Click to access the USCHS Counseling Website for helpful information and valuable resources.

The shared content and information is from a third party and is provided for general informational purposes only. The Upper St. Clair School District and High School Counseling Department do not specifically endorse the material and make no representations, express or implied.

USCHS Counseling

The mission of the Upper St Clair School District school counseling program is to maximize student potential, nurturing them as they become responsible, self-sufficient learners and productive citizens.

Email: hscounselingoffice@uscsd.k12.pa.us
Website: https://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/domain/200
Location: 1825 McLaughlin Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Phone: 412-833-1600