BHS Bulldog Senior Bulletin

• FAFSA is now open!
• Upcoming College Fairs
• Michigan Achievement Scholarship Update & Additional Scholarship Opportunities
• Upcoming Lunch N Learns (12/11 - International Sales - see below for more info)
• Senior All Night Party Info & Volunteers for Planning

Previous Newsletter items included at the bottom for your reference:

• Counseling Update from Mrs. Grossfeld
• Yearbook Ordering
• Senior Meeting 10/23 - Slides
• College Apps and Transcripts
• Fentanyl Fathers Presentation
• Senior Events

Hi Seniors!

The 2nd quarter is cruising right along! I know that many of you have heard back from some colleges, college coaches, and recruiting offices already. I'd love to hear about your exciting news, whether you are going to college, into the military, a trade school, traveling, have an internship or going right into the workforce! Send me an email, stop by the main office, or stop by our table at lunch and share the excitement!

I have a few goals for you this month:

1. Complete your FAFSA, regardless of what your plans are next year. FAFSA Night is Thursday, December 12th at 6 pm in the BHS Media Center. Click on this form to sign up by 12/10!
2. Start filling out some scholarship applications. You'll be amazed at how much it can help pay for your future!
3. Stay on top of your academics. For many of you, "Senioritis" is kicking in, but now is not the time to let your grades slip. Stay engaged, you've got this!

The beginning of this bulletin is updated with information that is coming up, but I've also included repeat information at the bottom so that it's all in one place for you. Families can refer to Mr. Evans weekly communications as well, so there is some overlap of information. We are trying to be as proactive as possible to help you have a successful year. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!!

~Mrs. Richards

The 25-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open! Regardless of what the plan for after high school is, we encourage every senior family to fill out the FAFSA. This email includes many financial aid resources for your convenience.

Here's what you can start doing NOW in terms of financial aid:

• Each senior and a parent should aim to create their FSA IDs prior to applying. (They take time to verify)

• Use this tool or this resource to find out which parent(s) needs to be part of the FAFSA process.

• Attend a financial aid webinar or watch this recorded webinar.

• Learn about the Community College Guarantee and Michigan Achievement Scholarship. Informational webinars can be found here.

• Look into scholarships offered at the schools you are applying to. Local scholarships are updated here throughout the year. National scholarships can be found at websites such as Going Merry, Fastweb, CollegeBoard Big Futures, and many more.

• Review Federal Student Aid video resources

• Reach out to Ms. Farina in the Counseling office if you have questions. She is here to help students and families with anything college-related, including financial aid! (farinac@brightonk12.com)
  

Why should I fill out the FAFSA?

• Everybody is eligible for some amount of financial aid. You won't know what you qualify for unless you fill out the FAFSA.

• It is the only way to qualify for the Community College Guarantee, and is necessary to be considered for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship.

• You are planning to attend college OR a career training program after high school.

• It allows schools to consider you for more scholarships, grants, and other aid.

• It's FREE and you do NOT have to accept any of the aid that is offered to you.

There are a number of college fairs coming up between now and the end of the school year. The Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling and the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers keeps a list of upcoming, accredited College Fairs that they post for anyone who is interested. The list can be found here.

Seniors, You could get a college or career school scholarship!

• A TUITION-FREE associate degree or skill certificate at a local community college with the Community College Guarantee. The scholarship also covers tuition for students attending community college before transferring to a four-year university. Plus, students receiving the Federal Pell Grant qualify for an extra $1,000 to help pay for living expenses. All Michigan high school grads are eligible and there are no GPA or household income requirements.
• Up to $27,500 for a private or public university through the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. 7 out of 10 students may qualify just by filling out the FAFSA, no matter their academic or athletic abilities.
• Up to $4,000 for a career training program with the Michigan Achievement Skills Scholarship. Students simply choose an eligible career training provider and complete their application through the MiSSG student portal (on the link above).

We are regularly looking for potential scholarship for our students to help offset the cost of any type of postsecondary education our students pursue. One of these options is the scholarship directory. Within this directory, you can find scholarships available for a variety of different categories. Scholarships specific to this year's Seniors can be found here. You will find scholarship information for a multitude of scholarships dated as far out as August 31, 2025. You may also be interested in some of the Michigan-specific scholarships listed as a separate category. This page is one of many resources available for students when it comes to potential scholarship opportunities so we would encourage you to check it out! Our counseling website also includes pages for both local/state and national scholarships that your student may apply for.

The American Legion Department of Michigan offers high school students several opportunities to gain valuable experience that will last a lifetime. At the same time, students can earn money for college or earn the needed community service points required on many college entrance applications, including the West Point Military Academy. They are currently offering over $75,000 in scholarships for both college, as well as skilled trades. For more information, check out their information here!

There is a Brighton-based construction company, Schafer Construction, offering $2000 scholarships through their Build Better Foundation. Students may use this money for tuition, certification, PPE and other equipment. The deadline for this scholarship is December 31, 2024. For more information about this scholarship opportunity, and how to apply please see the link in your email.

Seniors - take advantage of these Lunch N Learn opportunities during Advisory! It's a chance for you to hear from professionals in the field, and ask questions about what that career pathway might look like for you.

We are excited to announce that our next Lunch and Learn will be on Wednesday, December 11th during Advisory! The following information has been shared with our students:

Our next Lunch and Learn will be on Wednesday, December 11th during Advisory!

• Report to the STEAM Center this week immediately following 4th hour
• They will be presenting material from 11 am - 11:55 am, then students will be released to go to C Lunch
• We will have light snacks and refreshments available
• Students do NOT need a pass to attend these.
• When you arrive, you will need to scan a QR Code for attendance, so you are not marked unexcused absent from Advisory.
• You may not come late or leave early to attend a different lunch.

The next Lunch and Learn presenter will be:

Date = Wednesday, 12/11/24

Topic = International Sales/Account Manager

Tracy Trupiano

Analog Devices

We hope to see you there!

Please see the following message from the Chair of the Senior All Night Party Committee:

ALL PARENTS!!! It's that time of year where we start recruiting parents that want to be a part of the planning committee for the Senior All Night Party (SANP). We have a few openings due to last year's members' kids graduating.

What has made the party so successful is having underclassmen parents be a part of the planning - so just because you don't have a Senior does not mean you cannot help. WE NEED underclassmen committee members to ease some of the burden on Senior parents and to help with consistency year to year.

If you are interested in being on the planning committee, please either reach out to me (Michelle Letendre) via messenger or email at michelleletendre@gmail.com

Additional Info:

To order your senior's SANP ticket, click on THIS LINK.

To order the yard sign, click on THIS LINK. (*note - this yard sign is different from the one that you will receive as part of your senior fee. The senior fee yard sign will have their senior picture on it. This yard sign is a general "Class of 2025" yard sign, and is a fundraiser for the Senior All Night Party.)

NOTE - this is only recruiting people that want to be a part of the planning - not volunteer just the night of. That request will come out after Spring Break.

Seniors,

• You are 25% done with your senior year! Time is really flying.
• Make sure you are continuing the application process as it is never too late to apply!
• Starting in January, you should be checking the counseling website for scholarships several times a week.
• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is opening in December! Be sure to create your FSA ID, which takes up to 3 days to activate, ahead of time HERE. Keep an eye out for upcoming FAFSA family help nights in December.

MYTH: Pursuing the trades after high school means not going to college.

FACT: Skilled trades often require a certification or associate's degree, which can be earned at a community college (Washtenaw Community College has a variety of trade programs). These credentials lead to higher pay and more opportunities in the field.

As always, come down to counseling and see me if you need help with anything :)

- Mrs. Grossfeld

Yearbooks are available for order at https://www.yearbooknerds.com/brighton-high-school

Senior parents, consider purchasing a personalized yearbook ad for your student to allow for a personal message with your favorite photos! Yearbook ads can be purchased from the same site listed above. Click on the BHS Senior Yearbook Flyer for more information.

There was a lot of information shared to seniors on 10/23, and linked HERE are the slides for your reference. There is additional information and due dates on baby pictures, senior video submissions, Senior All Night Party and lawn signs. These lawn signs are a fundraiser for SANP, and are different than the lawn signs we put out in front of the school and at the stadium for graduation for every senior. The ones we put out in front of the school have their senior portrait on them, and these were included in your senior fee. You will get to take these home AFTER graduation commencements in June. The senior class composite picture is also available for order here = https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001172795 .

Included here is the list of schools with free applications! See the link to the 24/25 Application Fee Waivers here. In addition, here is a link (Michigan Institution Updates) to a list of all public and private, 2-year and 4-year colleges in Michigan. You can find institution-specific information, such as admissions and financial aid. Some really great information if you are planning on attending a Michigan institution, so we hope you find this helpful!

Many of you have already completed your applications in Common App, but if you haven't it's not too late! Here is the link to sign in: https://www.commonapp.org/. The early action deadline for many colleges was November 1st, but there are regular action deadlines of February 1, 2025. Check with college's website before applying.

10 of the 15 public universities banded together and are guaranteeing admission for students who have a 3.0 GPA or higher; all the student needs to do is apply. For more information, a list of participating schools, as well as an updated FAQ, visit the MAAP website.

You may not be able to apply to some schools via Common App, or you may make the decision to apply directly to a certain school via their website. Directions for how to create an account and request a transcript be sent via Parchment can be found here. If you applied through CommonApp, Mrs. Grossfeld send your transcript.

Video from the 11/6/24 senior presentation.

Senior Class Council has put together a 1-page document with important information for the upcoming year that will be made available to all students at Back to School Registration. However, there are some dates included below that you may want to put on your calendar now and your student may want to participate in. We would encourage you to follow the social media accounts listed and also join the Remind App listed at the bottom of the page based on your last name to receive updates over the course of the year. These Remind groups are for BHS senior students only!

Sunday, December 1st - FAFSA is Open!

Wednesday, December 11th - Lunch N Learn (International Sales/Account Manager)

Thursday, December 12th - FAFSA Night

Friday, January 10th - Senior Recognition Ads Due

Wednesday, January 15th - Lunch N Learn (Finance/Banking/Mortgages)

Monday, January 27th - Baby Pictures Due

Wednesday, January 29th - Lunch N Learn (Pharmaceutical Sales)

Wednesday, February 5th - Lunch N Learn (Nursing)

Wednesday, February 5th - Junior vs. Senior Volleyball Game in the BHS Fieldhouse @ 7:30 pm

Wednesday, February 12th - Lunch N Learn (Engineering)

Wednesday, March TBD - Lunch N Learn (Law Enforcement)

Wednesday, March 5th - Senior Class Council 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Wednesday, March 12th - Lunch N Learn (Fire Authority)

Tuesday, April 1st - Senior Photos/Videos due for the Senior Video

Wednesday, April 16th - Mandatory Spring Senior Meeting during Advisory

Tuesday, April 22nd - Graduation Speech Tryouts 7 am and 2:30 pm in D47

Tuesday, April 22nd - Staff vs. Student Basketball Game

Wednesday, April 23rd - Lunch N Learn (Construction Trades)

Tuesday, April 29th - Graduation Song Tryouts 2:30 pm in LGI (Old Choir Room)

Friday, April 25th - BHS Lip Dub

Wednesday, May 7th - Lunch N Learn (International Business)

Wednesday, May 15th - Lunch N Learn (Clinical & Pediatric Psychology)

Monday, May 19th to Friday, May 23rd - National Honor Society's Senior Survivor Week

Tuesday, May 27th - Seniors' Last Full Day

Wednesday, May 28th to Friday, May 30th - Senior Exams

Thursday, May 29th - Senior Sunset in the BHS Stadium starting @ 8 pm

Friday, May 30th - Cap and Gown Pick Up starting @ 8 am

Friday, May 30th - Senior Walk at BHS starting @ 9:45 am (family and friends encouraged to attend)

Friday, May 30th - Senior Picnic in the BHS Stadium following the Senior Walk @ approx. 10:30 am

Friday, May 30th - Senior Elementary Walk (more information to come) @ approx. 11:30 am

Wednesday, June 4th - Summa Cum Laude Breakfast (invite only) in the BHS Cafeteria @ 8 am (parents invited)

Wednesday, June 4th - MANDATORY Graduation Practice in the BHS Fieldhouse @ 10 am

Friday, June 6th - Brighton High School Commencement Ceremony in the BHS Stadium @ 7 pm (rain date is Saturday, June 7th @ 7pm)

Saturday, June 7th - Senior All-Night Party at BHS from 10 pm - 4 am

I'm here to support you throughout your senior year!

Email: richardst@brightonk12.com

Office: (810)299-4114

To schedule a meeting: https://calendly.com/richardst_bhs/scheduling-meetings