YOU CAN ACCESS THE POWERPOINT FROM THE LINK BELOW OR THE QR CODE BELOW. ADDITIONALLY, THE POWERPOINT HAS BEEN EMAILED TO YOU, YOUR PARENTS/GUARDIANS, YOUR TEACHERS, AND HAS BEEN POSTED TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

https://www.facebook.com/AHSSRCounselor

Senior meeting presentation posted to this facebook page, as well as upcoming dates and times.

Elementary Graduation Walk: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qXG5oM9sU5hRyt9nqe_53QqSkQKjJ5n79DOXzLtsOfE/edit

Senior Survey 2023: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1VZRk-HqXCcBtvb59iirXBycNKBQ0S2kINVYr2PK5Mqk/edit

Senior Scholarship Information: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1CC67voSFffPkDyN_qsrSEI9E00P8eoBO1X0XItTrq-8/edit

BOYS

Plain white shirt, dark tie or bowtie

Blue, Black or Brown dress shoes

Blue, Black or Brown slacks, belt

Dark socks (socks must be worn)

GIRLS

Simple dark dress or skirt (no loud patterns)

Shorter than graduation robe but within dress code

Dark dress shoes (may be flats)

Minimal jewelry

*Must meet school dress code, including no facial piercings or colored hair

*If you do not have any of these articles of clothing, see Ms. Ramona Malone privately

If you are not dressed in the proper clothing, you will not be allowed to participate

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A2OE5n7zg6yqPctWPReLWWhJryUC61rr/edit

All fees MUST be paid by graduation practice (May 18, 2023) or students WILL NOT receive a diploma. Fees can be paid online here: https://www.acs-k12.org/AHS or to the AHS bookkeeper, Ms. Maloney. Please direct questions to Mr. Michael Holt.

Seniors, send photos to brandi.foster@acs-k12.org for the senior slide show. Disclaimer: not all photos will be accepted for the Senior Slide Show.

MAY 4 - CAP AND GOWN DISTRIBUTION AT AHS

MAY 7 - BACCALAUREATE

MAY 11 - GRADUATION WALK AND AWARDS DAY PRACTICE

MAY 12 - SENIOR AWARDS DAY

MAY 15 - SENIOR SUNSET

MAY 18 - GRADUATION

SENIORS, DURING THIS VERY IMPORTANT MEETING, WE WILL DISCUSS UPCOMING DATES AND TIMES AS GRADUATION NEARS. WE WILL TALK ABOUT SEVERAL IMPORTANT FORMS TO COMPLETE BEFORE CAP AND GOWN DISTRIBUTION, BACCALAUREATE, AND GRADUATION WALK. WE WILL ALSO DISCUSS THE DRESS CODE FOR GRADUATION.

There are still a few local scholarships you can apply for in the Guidance Office. Scholarship Spreadsheet has been updated to reflect changes and the newest scholarships are in BLUE.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IrFXl05zvy_ffMx8FLXamTSreMcXUrhDO-N4rmqh_7M/edit#gid=0

Catherine Johnstone helps keep our college and career section neat and tidy. She is a master of staging all our pamphlets and helps keep our students motivated to be college and career ready!

On the same day, we had admissions recruiter, Blake Batchelor, to entice our students to check out the awesome University of South Alabama and lure them to fly south for warmer weather...

Big thanks to senior Sydney Lawrence for continually updating, organizing, and managing our delicious scholarship buffet!!! She does a GREAT job helping with this ongoing task.

Many Scholarship Deadlines are coming up! Please visit the Guidance Office to find the right scholarship application(s) for you!!!

Here is the link to the spreadsheet (copy of this spreadsheet also in Guidance Office).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IrFXl05zvy_ffMx8FLXamTSreMcXUrhDO-N4rmqh_7M/edit#gid=0

Claudia Henson has been accepted to the Early Medical School Acceptance Program at UAB. She is one of only 18 accepted out of more than 400 who applied from all over the world and only the second student accepted from AHS ever!!! Claudia has to maintain a 3.6 in her undergraduate coursework and score a 506 on her MCAT to retain her seat, which we know that she can and will do! Congratulations to Claudia on this accomplishment!

New dates added to the calendar here: https://www.acs-k12.org/Page/5181#calendar14978/20230310/month

Or, go to the www.acs-k12.org/ahs, go to "School Information - Guidance&Counseling-Calendar".

All scholarship applications are available in the Guidance Office, at the "Scholarship Buffet". All ten of these scholarships are due no later than March 31, 2023 for the Limestone Area Community Foundation Scholarships and no later than April 7 the other Athens-only scholarships. These ten scholarships are highlighted in yellow on our scholarship spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IrFXl05zvy_ffMx8FLXamTSreMcXUrhDO-N4rmqh_7M/edit#gid=0

Scholarships available through the Limestone Area Community Foundation - due March 31:

Jessica Elkins "Love, Live and Laugh" Memorial Scholarship: $1500

Roy Bolton Patton Jr. Scholarship: $1000

James Ferman and Willetta Elmore Memorial Scholarship: $750

Drew Pepper Memorial Scholarship (band student): $1500

Michael David Goldberg Memorial Band Endowed Scholarship: $750

Martin Endowed Scholarship: $1000

Jackie and Helen Greenhaw Memorial Scholarship: $2500

Additional Athens High School Scholarships - due April 7

Jentzen Caleb Risner Superhero Memorial Scholarship:

Dawn Corine Allfrey Scholarship to The University of North Alabama

University of North Alabama Margie Rose Looney Endowed Scholarship

New Local Scholarships are being added daily...copies of these scholarships are on the Scholarship Buffet in the Guidance Office and are listed on this spreadsheet:

https://www.acs-k12.org/Page/5179

Or, go to the Athens High School webpage, under "School Information - Guidance & Counseling - Scholarships".

If you have any questions, please ask Ms. Hamlin

Seniors, important dates are coming up! Please pay attention to your emails, this newsletter, and announcements. Here is a link to the senior calendar:

https://www.acs-k12.org/Page/5181#calendar14978/20230203/month

Check out the "Events" below for some important rescheduled events...

We had a great visit with Mississippi State University on January 24! If you have any questions, please email Connie Crockett at csc208@msstate.edu.

The University of Tennessee Southern (formerly Martin Methodist) is holding an Honors Day Competition for full-tuition scholarships!! Flyer with QR code below, must register by January 31 for the February 4th competition.

When: Connect Class on January 18th, again on January 25 OR in the Guidance Office before January 31.

$5,000 over 4 years! The "Margaret J. and Ira Goldberg Memorial Scholarship" is strictly for Athens High School students. Eligibility Criteria below, copies of scholarship application in the Guidance Office. Please continue to stop by our "Scholarship Buffet" to pick up copies of LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS and you can view them on this link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IrFXl05zvy_ffMx8FLXamTSreMcXUrhDO-N4rmqh_7M/edit#gid=0

Auburn E-Day - February 24

Stokes Creative Writing Fellow Scholarship -

See information below!!!

Copies of local scholarship applications now available in the Guidance Office. Come get your scholarship applications at the Scholarship Buffet and turn them in at the same spot. Flipbook available where you can find the right scholarships for you, or you can go to this spreadsheet on the school website: https://www.acs-k12.org/Page/5179

These scholarships are being added daily, so stop by often to check the flipbook, or check the spreadsheet on the website. Most of these local scholarships have March deadlines so time to start!!

Here's the link: https://www.acs-k12.org/Page/5179

Or, just go to the Athens High School website (https://www.acs-k12.org/Page/21), go to "School Information", "Guidance & Counseling", "Scholarships". These local scholarships are coming in daily and are listed here along with deadlines and how to access the different scholarship applications. Most are paper versions, and copies are available at the "Scholarship Buffet" in the Guidance Office.

Troy Young and Asa Savoie are the Athens High School nominees for the Bryant-Jordan Foundation Achievement Award, and Scholar-Athlete Award, respectively. These young men go to the next level of competition for the Region. We are very very proud of both Troy and Asa for their hard work in both their athletic and academic careers!

Caps and Gowns! The graduation countdown is on!!!! If you have NOT ordered your cap and gown packages, please go to www.balfour.net and do so! Or scan this QR code below to get to the website. Once on the website, pick "Athens High School, Alabama" at the top of the page, and find the package you want to purchase, and buy!!!

Please come by and let Ms. Hamlin know, or send her an email. I need to know who is awarding the scholarship (a college? a university? a foundation?) and the amount. I am compiling our scholarship offers total and need this information...thanks!

On Wednesday, November 30, interested seniors learned about Calhoun's FAME, EPIC, and AMP programs, where accepted students work (for pay!) two days a week and attend classes three days a week, earn an associate's degree, and get work experience in local manufacturing businesses. Call Nathan Steele at 256-260-4326 at Calhoun Community College. Also, you can come pick up a brochure in the College and Career Station in the Guidance Office.

February 1, 2023 - University of North Alabama: https://una.edu/affordable/index.html

February 1, 2023 - Jacksonville State University: https://www.jsu.edu/finaid/scholarships/index.html

February 1, 2023 - Calhoun Community College: https://calhoun.edu/student-services/financial-aid/calhoun-scholarships/

February 1, 2023 - Birmingham Southern College: https://www.bsc.edu/admission/academic-scholarships.html

February 1, 2023 - University of Montevallo:

February 15, 2023 - Wallace State Community College: https://www.wallacestate.edu/financial-aid/wscc-scholarships.html

March 1, 2023 - Southern Union Community College: https://www.suscc.edu/about-suscc/scholarships.cms

March 15, 2023 - Alabama A&M University: https://www.aamu.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/scholarships/index.html

April 15, 2023 - University of West Alabama: https://www.uwa.edu/admissions/undergraduate/scholarships

May 1, 2023 - Tuskegee University: https://www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/scholarships/freshman-scholarships

University of Mobile: https://umobile.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

Alabama State University: https://www.alasu.edu/admissions/undergrad-admissions/asu-academic-scholarships

Stillman College: https://stillman.edu/endowed-scholarship-application/academic-scholarships/

Must be completed for federal student loans, Pell Grants, etc.

Scan this QR code or go to www.fafsa.gov

On November 9th, interested 12th grade students attended a Calhoun Community College Program/Scholarship Information meeting. We received all kinds of good information, ranging from Calhoun's workforce certificate programs to scholarship applications and everything in-between. For more information, go to https://calhoun.edu/student-services/financial-aid/calhoun-scholarships/ for the one-stop Calhoun scholarship application, go to https://calhoun.edu/workforce-solutions/ to learn about career training and go to https://calhoun.edu/academic-degree-options/ to learn about other degree options. There are brochures for some of these programs in the guidance office, and you can talk to Ms. Greenhaw or Ms. Hamlin if you need help. Thank-you to Missy Greenhaw, our Career Coach, and Chase Allen, Calhoun Outreach Advisor, for arranging this meeting for our kids.

FAFSA Help Day on November 2 was a great day where we enjoyed the knowledgeable help provided by Calhoun Financial Aid Clerks. We will schedule a FAFSA Help Evening for parents/guardians who still want help on the FAFSA but were unable to attend the Help Day on November 2.

College Application Week (October 17-20) was a GREAT SUCCESS. We had 241 twelfth grade students apply to college during this week, and a high percentage of those students were accepted to college on the spot. All of these students are now in a great position to complete scholarship applications, get their spot in campus housing if necessary, and get ready to make their college/workforce decisions. A big big THANKS to LauraLou Smith and Leigh Jackson for planning this week and executing it seamlessly.

Seniors MUST order (at a minimum) their cap, gown, tassel, diploma, and diploma cover from Balfour. This is also the order form for graduation invitations, thank-you cards, return address labels, and Class of 2023 spirit wear.

Use the form below and SCAN the RED QR code to enter your height and weight (required for gown order) and SCAN the BLACK QR code to access the Balfour website to complete and pay for your order.

If paper orders are being used instead of web-based ordering, these paper order sheets must be turned in to our Balfour representative, John Williams, with complete payment, on Wednesday, November 2, during lunch.

October 1, 2022 - FAFSA opens: www.fafsa.gov

December 1, 2022 - Auburn University: https://auburn.edu/scholarship/index.php

December 1, 2022 - University of Alabama, Priority Deadline for Merit Scholarships: https://scholarships.ua.edu/

December 1, 2022 - University of Alabama in Birmingham: https://www.uab.edu/home/

December 1, 2022 - University of South Alabama: https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/financialaffairs/scholarships/index.html

December 15, 2022 - University of Alabama in Huntsville: https://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid/scholarships/freshmen

December 1, 2022 - Troy University: https://www.troy.edu/scholarships-costs-aid/scholarships/index.html

December 1, 2022 - Samford University: https://www.samford.edu/admission/apply

February 1, 2023 - University of North Alabama: https://una.edu/affordable/index.html

February 1, 2023 - Jacksonville State University: https://www.jsu.edu/finaid/scholarships/index.html

February 1, 2023 - Calhoun Community College: https://calhoun.edu/student-services/financial-aid/calhoun-scholarships/

February 1, 2023 - Birmingham Southern College: https://www.bsc.edu/admission/academic-scholarships.html

February 1, 2023 - University of Montevallo:

February 15, 2023 - Wallace State Community College: https://www.wallacestate.edu/financial-aid/wscc-scholarships.html

March 1, 2023 - Southern Union Community College: https://www.suscc.edu/about-suscc/scholarships.cms

March 15, 2023 - Alabama A&M University: https://www.aamu.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/scholarships/index.html

April 15, 2023 - University of West Alabama: https://www.uwa.edu/admissions/undergraduate/scholarships

May 1, 2023 - Tuskegee University: https://www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/scholarships/freshman-scholarships

University of Mobile: https://umobile.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

Alabama State University: https://www.alasu.edu/admissions/undergrad-admissions/asu-academic-scholarships

Stillman College: https://stillman.edu/endowed-scholarship-application/academic-scholarships/

This scholarship is awarded to students who have been recognized by the following:

• College Board's National African American Recognition Program
• College Board's National Hispanic Recognition Program
• College Board's National Indigenous Recognition Program
• College Board's National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program.

Am I eligible? Mississippi Residents and Out-of-State students are eligible to apply.

How much is this scholarship worth? Approximately $40,000 over four years. (Out-of-State students will also receive a Non-Resident Tuition scholarship to cover the cost of the Non-Resident portion of tuition.)

Where do I apply for this scholarship? Students can fill out the General Scholarship Application, which opens on October 1, once admitted to the university.

Last year, MSU awarded over $46 million+ scholarships to our incoming freshmen. We encourage you to browse all scholarship opportunities and learn more using our online scholarship calculator.

Have Questions? Do not hesitate to let us know. We are always happy to assist you.

Full-Ride Scholarship at the University of West Alabama (UWA)

The Biology Opportunities and Scholarships for Success II ( BOSS II ) program offer students annual scholarships of $8,500, renewable for up to 4 years ($34,000 total). Additional scholarships, such as UWA Trustee's Scholarships, offer up to $12,000. Stacking scholarships can make family contributions at a minimum or zero for qualified students.

ELIGIBILITY

• U.S. citizen, U.S. National, or U.S. Permanent Resident.
• Major in biological or environmental sciences at UWA.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and ACT or SAT (22 or 1000 minimum, respectively)*.
• Demonstrate financial need.

*May consider slightly lower scores

APPLICATION MATERIALS

Students must apply for admission to UWA, then apply for the BOSS scholarship by clicking here . Application materials include:

• Personal statement
• One letter of recommendation from an instructor in a STEM discipline. The reference letter should be submitted via the BOSS II website
• The student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) results

BENEFITS

• Free summer college preparation camp
• Academic advising and assistance
• Career services and counseling
• Peer and faculty mentoring
• PAID Internship opportunities
• FREE travel to regional and national conferences
• Research and field trip opportunities
• Study abroad opportunities
• Unforgettable fun and experience!

For more information, click here

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH INFORMATION

College Internet Resources

Following are national scholarship search engines which have been included on Alabama college

websites. Remember, you should never pay for scholarship information. Just “Google” the listing. Some

sites may ask you to register and make an account.

 Going Merry

 Achieve Alabama

 Black Excel

 College Answer

 College Board

 FastWeb

 Scholarships.com

 ScholarshipExperts.com

 School Soup

 Broke Scholar

 Hispanic Scholarship Fund

 Scholarships for Students with Health Conditions

 Scholarshipsandgrants.us

 The Princeton Review

 Cancer for College

 AHS-Redstone Aviation Engineering Scholarship

 Jimmy Rane Foundation

 Smith Scholarship Foundation

 Talbots Scholarship Foundation

 CollegeScholarships.org

 www.thesalliemaefund.org

 Tylenol Scholarship for Healthcare students – apply online: www.tylenol.com

 Actuarial Scholarships for Minority Students http://beanactuary.org/minority

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 Alabama College System www.acs.cc.al.us

 Alabama Commission on Higher Education www.ache.state.al.us

 Alabama Career Information Network www.alcareerinfo.org

 Alabama Student Loan Program www.alstudentaid.com

Go to Parent & Students, click on Publications, and click on the links to Affording Higher

Education and Getting In. Over 4,000 scholarships are listed in Affording Higher Education.

 All About College http://www.allaboutcollege.com/

Links to colleges and universities around the world

 American College Test (ACT) www.actstudent.org

ACT registration, test dates, registration, college searches, and application links

 Athens High School Website www.athenshighschool.org

 Bell Labs Fellowships for Under Represented Minorities www.bell-labs.com/fellowships

 Black Alliance for Educational Options Scholarships

http://www.baeo.org/options/privatelyfinanced.jsp

 College Board http://www.collegeboard.com

SAT registration, test dates, CSS Profile application, college and scholarship searches, and

estimation of Expected Family Contribution (EFC) (To estimate EFC at the College Board web

site,1) type “efc” in the “search” space and click on Return; 2) select “Students Parents –

How to Pay for College: Financial Aid Your EFC;” and 3) select “Your Expected Family

Contribution”)

 Center for All Collegiate Information http://collegiatenet/infoa.html

Information about college majors, departments, faculty, students, home pages, athletics,

financial aid, scholarships

 College Edge http://www.collegeedge.com/

College searches; electronic application for admission; information on majors, careers,

financial aid, and preparation for college

 College Links http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/edemello/univ.html

Links to over 3000 college and university home pages

 College Night http://www.collegenight.com/

Links to college and scholarship searches, financial aid, campus organizations, home pages,

newspapers, and e-mail addresses

 College Search http://college-scholarships.com/

Links to a wide range of college-related sites for topics such as scholarship searches, college

home pages, financial aid information and resources, electronic application for admission,

test preparation, study abroad, and NCAA eligibility criteria and rules

 College View http://www.collegeview.com

College searches and varied information about college life

37

 Educational Testing Service http://ets.org

Test practice questions, downloadable sample tests, financial aid information, and college

searches. Info on SAT, AP, and TOEFL

 Eiworldwide http://eiworldwide.com

Free information and searches for undergraduate business, engineering, and technology

programs in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom

 FastWeb Scholarships http://www.fastweb.com/

Search database of over 400,000 scholarships

 Financial Aid http://www.finaid.org

How to estimate financial need; sources of aid, scholarships, grants, contests, tuition-

payment plans, and scam alerts

 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) ww.fafsa.ed.gov

For FAFSA online, applying for PIN numbers, worksheets, and financial aid information.

 GE and LuLac Scholarship Funds http://lulac.org/Programs/Scholar.html

 Go to College http://www.gocollege.com/

College and scholarship searches and practice for the SAT and ACT

 Historically Black College & University Scholarships

http://www.iesabroad.org/info/hbcu.html

 Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships holocaust.hklaw.com

 Learning Disabilities Association http://ldanatl.org

Information on learning disabilities, programs, and resources

 Microsoft Scholarship Program http:www.microsoft.com/college/scholarships

 Minority On-Line Information Service http://www.fie.com/molis/

Information for minority students about colleges/universities and scholarship and fellowship

sources

 Music Scholarship Resource Network http://www.rams.com/srn/

Scholarship information, searches, calendar, and alerts about scholarship “scams”

 National Assoc. of Black Journalists Scholarships (NAJ)

http:www.nabj.org/fellowships.html

 National Center for Learning Disabilities http://www.ncld.org

Information, articles, and college resources

 Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic http://www.rfbd.org

Information and resources including products, services and books

 SallieMae http://www.salliemae.com

Comprehensive financial information: estimation of college costs, expected family

contribution (efc), borrowing needs, accrued interest, and loan repayment

 Siemens Westinghouse Competition http://siemens-foundation.org/

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 Sports Scholarships & Internships http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html

 Student Video Scholarships http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html

 U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov

 William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarships for Minority Students

http://www.apsant.org/PS/grants/aspen3.cfm

 Xerox Scholarships for Students http://www.xerox.com/careers

(click on university, then internships and scholarships)

 Yahoo Education and Financial Aid http://www.yahoo.com/Education/Financial/Aid/

Access to college financial aid offices; aid sources, grant, loan, and scholarship programs

 Yahoo Higher Education http://www.yahoo.com/education/higher_education/

Information about colleges, universities, academic competitions, and honors programs

Seniors, it's your 12th grade year, but that doesn't mean you are done with high school yet - you could make this school year one of the best and most memorable of your entire life! Don't deny yourself opportunities because you can't wait "to get outta here". Now is the time to start REALLY planning for your future - you WILL actually have to do SOMETHING after High School...college...work...military...your decision...So, let's get started, and let's Make It Count!

I'm Ms. Hamlin, and I want to be your go-to person for all kinds of things - getting a résumé together, completing a confusing job application, helping find a tutor for a hard class, applying for college, looking for scholarships, or just being someone to talk to about being a teenager - just anything, really. I have been a school counselor for 19 years and and was a classroom teacher for few years before that, so I have been helping kids for a long, long time. Also, I just navigated (sometimes painfully) my own son through his 12th grade year, helping him apply for a job (at an Athens pizza joint), getting into college, getting a dorm, earning a scholarship, up to graduating on time and with the right color tie, pants and shoes, so all that to say I can help you and your grown-ups at home do the same!

I did graduate from Athens High School, back in 1990, and went straight to Auburn University for seven beautiful years and 3 degrees, and later earned a school counseling degree from Alabama A&M. I was a high school counselor at Ardmore High School in the early 2000's and have spent 2007 to 2022 at Elkmont High School and Elkmont Elementary School. I have one son, Van Hamlin, who is a freshman at the University of North Alabama, and one daughter, Thea Hamlin, who is a junior at Elkmont High School. I am so so honored and excited to be the 12th grade counselor for Athens HIgh School, and please let me know how I can help you through this exciting time in your life.

Email: april.hamlin@acs-k12.org
Website: www.acs-k12.org
Location: 655 U.S. 31, Athens, AL, USA
Phone: 256-233-6613
Facebook: AthensHighSchoolClassof2023