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Counselor’s Corner

October 2014

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by painstaking

preparation.” –Roger Staubach

September/October “Most Valuable Panthers” Nominees Paradise Honors High School is proud to honor a select group of students for their efforts in and out of the

classroom during the months of September and October. Nominated students were given a certificate and have

their pictures and reason for nomination displayed on a bulletin board on campus.

**Recipients are listed below with accompanying teacher that made nomination**

Paul Hatcher- Ms. Koblinski

Joey Basulto- Mr. Delmont

SaringKan Silpvisuth - Mrs. Denny

Elyse Vincent- Mr. Groves

Hailey Lally- Mrs. Book

Elizabeth McGill- Mrs. Holmes

Natalie Carlson- Mr. Alessio

Jonathan Sweeney- Mrs. Dubois

Skyler Morrison- Mr. Hughart

Abigail Neuer- Mrs. Beachler

Colt Carroll- Mrs. Oliver

Matthew Ellison- Mr. Otten

Brittney Shaw-Mrs. Patterson

Anna Sussman- Mr. Gonzalez

Ashlee Bowers- Mrs. Ramirez

Dallin Packer- Mr. Sahd

Scarlett Humphreys- Ms. Sessions

Austyn Graham- Ms. Snyder

Samantha Cox- Mrs. Turner

Coffee With The Counselors Our next meeting will take place on Friday, November, 14

th from 8:30am – 9:30am at Sunsational Coffee in

Surprise. Please R.S.V.P. no later than Wednesday, November 12th

, by accessing the online R.S.V.P. system on

the counseling website. To access the online R.S.V.P. system, go to http://phhscounseling.weebly.com/, click

the “Calendar” tab, followed by the “R.S.V.P.” tab. Hope to see you there!!

AZ Earn to Learn AZ Earn to Learn is a groundbreaking program that prepares high school students for college with financial

education and matching funds. Qualified candidates can earn up to 8X their savings (or up to $4,500) to help

pay for tuition and other college expenses each academic year. Students must attend Arizona State University,

Northern Arizona University, or The University of Arizona. For more information, please visit

http://www.azearntolearn.org.

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New for 2014-2015 -- Campus Tour Thursday The Counseling Department is sponsoring a new four-year initiative to educate and encourage more students to

consider attending colleges and universities throughout the United States. Each Thursday during the lunch

shifts, students will have the opportunity to take a virtual campus tour of 2-3 colleges. The videos are

approximately 6 minutes in length and are shown inside the cafeteria on large projection screen. Colleges

shown will cover small-large schools, a variety of religious schools, art and music schools, schools from every

state in the U.S., 2-year schools, 4-year schools, trade schools, military academies, expensive schools, value

schools, highly selective-less selective schools, and much more. Since we are using a four-year rotation, once a

college or university has been shown, the students will never see that school again before they graduate. This

means that our freshman will have access to viewing over 400 colleges and universities prior to graduation.

Colleges and universities shown to date include:

University of Arizona

University of San Diego

Chaminade University (Hawaii)

Xavier University (Ohio)

Rochester Institute of Technology (New York)

Idaho State University

Colgate University (New York)

Dixie State University (Utah)

Trinity University (Texas)

University of Wisconsin

University of Montana

Mercer University (Georgia)

Air Force Academy (Colorado)

Adams State University (Colorado)

Presbyterian College (South Carolina)

University of Louisville

Eastern Oregon University

Barry University (Florida)

Butler University (Indiana)

South Dakota State University

Embry-Riddle University (Florida)

University of Mississippi

Tennessee Tech University

California University of Pennsylvania

Ask your children if they are watching these videos. If they are not watching these videos, they are missing out

on valuable information needed for the college search process. The videos cover topics such as the GPA

needed for admission, SAT/ACT scores needed for admission, athletics, extracurricular activities offered,

majors offered, cost of attendance, average amount of financial aid awarded, scholarship information, special

campus events, graduation rates, etc., etc., etc. Don’t let your children minimize what some of the smaller

schools (typically the schools that they have never heard of) have to offer. Remember…there is a lot of money

out there for students that are willing to leave the state of Arizona. If you want your child to stay ahead of the

curve, this is a great way to help them reach that goal. For as little as 12-18 minutes per week, the students at

PHHS have the opportunity to educate themselves on the college search process and gain a major advantage

over their high school peers throughout Arizona.

NCAA Night The Counseling Department will host an NCAA Eligibility Workshop for parents on Monday, November 17,

2014 in the PHHS cafeteria. This workshop will help parents understand and better prepare for the college

athletics process. We will have a special guest presenter, Jacquelyn Johnson, here to cover the “ins and

outs” of college athletics. As a former standout athlete at Arizona State University and Athletics

Admission Counselor at Grand Canyon University, Jackie will be able to help you navigate your way

through establishing NCAA eligibility. If there is even a remote chance that your son or daughter may be

interested in college athletics, this is a must-attend workshop. Parents of students in all grade levels are

encouraged to attend. New changes to requirements will significantly impact those in lower grade levels.

Don’t get caught with you hand in the cookie jar, start preparing now for the future!!

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Generous Colleges and Universities: The Best for Need-Based Aid & Merit ***Sample List***

AGNES SCOTT (GA) ALBRIGHT (PA) ALFRED (NY) AMHERST (MA) AQUINAS (MI) ARCADIA (PA) ASSUMPTION (MA) AUSTIN (TX) BABSON (MA) BALDWIN WALLACE (OH) BARD (NY) BATES (ME) BAYLOR (TX) BELLERMINE (KY) BELOIT (WI) BEREA (KY) BERRY (GA) BETHANY (WV) BETHANY LUTH (MN) BIRMINGHAM SO (AL) BOWDOIN (ME) BRANDEIS (MA) BRESCIA (KY) BRYN ATHYN (PA) BRYN MAWR (PA) BUENA VISTA (IA) BUTLER (IN) CABRINI (PA) CAL STATE-CHICO (CA) CAL POLY-POMONA (CA) CAL TECH (CA) CANISUS (NY) CARLETON (MN) CASE WESTERN (OH) CENTENARY (LA) CENTRAL (IA) CENTRAL FLORIDA (FL) CENTRAL MICHIGAN (MI) CHAPMAN (CA) CLAREMONT MCKENNA (CA) CLARK (MA) CLARKSON (NY) COLBY (ME) COLLEGE OF IDAHO (ID) COLUMBIA/BARNARD (NY) CONNECTICUT COLLEGE (CT) CORNELL (NY) DARTMOUTH (NH) DAVIDSON (NC)

UNIV. OF DAYTON (OH) DENISON (OH) DEPAUW (IN) DICKINSON (PA) DOANE (NE) DRAKE (IA) DREXEL (PA) DUQUESNE (PA) EARLHAM (IN) EASTERN ILLINOIS (IL) EVANSVILLE (IN) FERRUM (VA) UNIV. OF FLORIDA (FL) FORT HAYS (KS) FRANKLIN & MARSHALL (PA) GANNON (PA) GEORGE WASHINGTON (DC) GEORGETOWN (DC) GETTYSURG (PA) GOUCHER (MD) GRAND VALLEY (MI) GRINNELL (IA) GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS (MN) HAMPDEN-SYDNEY (VA) HANOVER (IN) HARVARD (MA) HAVERFORD (PA) HOBART (NY) HIRAM (OH) HOLLINS (VA) HOOD (MD) HOPE (MI) ILLINOIS INST. OF TECH. (IL) ILLINOIS WESLEYAN (IL) INCARNATE WORD (TX0 JOHN CARROLL (OH) JOHNS HOPKINS (MD) KALAMAZOO (MI) KANSAS STATE (KS) KNOX (IL) LAFAYETTE (PA) LAKE FOREST (IL) LASALLE (PA) LAWRENCE (WI) LIBERTY (VA) LINDENWOOD (MO) LINFIELD (OR) LONGWOOD (VA) LORAS (IA)

LSU (LA) LOYOLA (LA) MACALESTER (MN) UNIV. OF MAINE (ME) MANHATTANVILLE (NY) MARQUETTE (WI) MARYMOUNT (VA) MCDANIEL (MD) MERCER (GA) MERCYHURST (PA) UNIV. OF MIAMI (FL) MIDDLEBURY (VT) MILLIKIN (IL) MILLS (CA) MIT (MA) MONMOUTH (IL) MT. HOLYOKE (MA) MT. ST. MARY’S (MD) NEBRASKA WESLEYAN (NE) NEW MEXICO TECH. (NM) NIAGARA (NY) OCCIDENTAL (CA) OGLETHORPE (GA) OHIO NORTHERN (OH) OHIO WESLEYAN (OH) OTTERBEIN (OH) PACIFIC (CA) PENN (PA) POMONA (CA) UNIV. OF PORTLAND (OR) PRINCETON (NJ) PUGET SOUND (WA) QUINNIPIAC (CT) RANDOLPH-MACON (VA) RAND-MACON WOMEN’S (VA) REDLANDS (CA) RHODES (TN) RICE (TX) UNIV. OF RICHMOND (VA) RIDER (NJ) RIPON (WI) ROANOKE (VA) ROCKFORD (IL) ROCKHURST (MO) SALISBURY (MD) SAGINAW VALLEY (MI) SCHREINER (TX) SCRANTON (PA)

SCRIPPS (CA) SETON HALL (NJ) SEWANEE (TN) SIMMONS (MA) SMITH (MA) SOUTHWESTERN (TX) SPRING HILL (AL) STANFORD (CA) ST. ANSLEM (NH) ST. BONAVENTURE (NY) ST. EDWARD’S (TX) ST. JOHN FISHER (NY) ST. JOHNS/ST. BENE (MN) ST. OLAF (MN) SUSQUEHANA (PA) SWARTHMORE (PA) TEXAS CHRISTIAN (TX) TRANSYLVANIA (KY) TRINITY (TX) TUFTS (MA) TULANE (LA) TULSA (OK) UNION (NY) URSINUS (PA) UTAH STATE-EASTERN (UT) VALPARAISO (IN) VANDERBILT (TN) VASSAR (NY) VITERBO (WI) WABASH (IN) WAKE FOREST (NC) WALSH (OH) WASHINGTON & LEE (VA) WASHINGTON ST. (WA) WEST CHESTER (PA) WEST MICHIGAN (MI) WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN (WV) WESTMINSTER (PA) WESTMINSTER (UT) WHEATON (MA) WHITMAN (WA) WHITTIER (CA) WILLIAMETTE (OR) WILLIAMS (MA) WITTENBERG (OH) WOOSTER (OH) XAVIER (OH) YALE (CT)

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SAT & ACT Information

CEEB CODE: 030694

**PHHS will offer the SAT this year on May 2, 2015 and June 6, 2015.**

SAT

Dates

Registration

Deadline

Late

Deadline

ACT

Dates

Registration

Deadline

Late

Deadline

Nov. 8 Oct. 9 Oct. 24 Dec. 13 Nov. 7 Nov. 21

Dec. 6 Nov. 6 Nov. 21 Feb. 7 Jan. 9 Jan. 16

Jan. 24 Dec. 29 Jan. 9 Apr. 18 Mar. 13 Mar. 27

Mar. 14 Feb. 13 Feb. 27 June 14 May 8 May 22

May 2 Apr. 6 Apr. 17

June 6 May 8 May 22

***Seniors: Remember to register for the October SAT or ACT. Visit www.collegeboard.com for

SAT registration or www.act.org for ACT registration. Fee waivers are available to qualified students.

See your counselor for more information.

West-MEC Open House Events Mark your calendars! WEST-MEC will be offering fall open houses to showcase the programs that will be

offered for the 2015-2016 school year. If you are a student that would like a more “hands-on” approach to your

education, please consider attending one of the following informational workshops:

Monday, November 3rd

| 6:00-7:30pm

Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Science Glendale Community College (Public Safety Sciences Bldg.) – 6000 W. Olive Ave., Glendale 85302

Cosmetology

Maricopa Skill Center (Cutting Edge Style Academy) – 7565 W. Peoria Ave., Peoria 85345

Thursday, November 16th

| 6:00-7:30pm

Automotive Collision Technology, Automotive Technology, Climate Control Technician, General

Construction Technology, Medical Assisting, Medical Information Systems, Pharmacy Technician,

Veterinary Sciences

Northeast Campus - 1617 W. Williams Dr., Phoenix 85027

Monday, November 17th

| 6:00-7:30pm

Aviation Maintenance Technology, Avionics/Electronics, Precision Manufacturing, Welding Technology

Central Campus - 6997 N. Glen Harbor Blvd., Glendale, 85307

For information on how to apply, please visit http://west-mec.org/how-to-apply/. Remember: space is limited.

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Arizona Coyotes 2nd Annual HS Leadership Night The Arizona Coyotes are hosting their 2nd Annual High School Leadership Night on Thursday, December 4,

2014. They look forward to building off the success of their inaugural event and seeing students from across

who will have the opportunity to learn from industry-leading sports and entertainment executives about sports

business. The event will focus on marketing, facilities, social media & community relations as well as what life

is like post-career from a Coyotes player.

Coyotes Executive speakers will include:

Guest Emcee - Coyotes Announcer, Matt McConnell

EVP, Corporate and Suite Sales - Mike Humes

General Manager of the Arena - Monty Jones Jr.

Executive Director Arizona Coyotes Foundation/Director Community

Relations - Kimberly Trichel

Chief Marketing Officer – TBD

Senior Advisor, Business Development & Alumni

Relations - Cale Hulse

All information regarding the Arizona Coyotes High School Leadership Night can be found

on www.arizonacoyotes.com/leadership. If you have any specific questions, please contact Steve Gonzales by

phone at 623-772-3485 or by e-mail at steve.gonzales@arizonacoyotes.com.

GCU Flix and Friends

You are invited to an event called GCU Flix and Friends! Meet other students and have a great time on us while

watching a movie, snacking on a free small popcorn, drink and candy! The movie on November 22nd

is The

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. There are various locations across the Valley to choose from but if you

choose the Harkins Gateway Pavilions 18 location, we will be providing free transportation from GCU to Peter

Piper Pizza before and after the movie! The link to RSVP for the movie event is: www.gcu.edu/flixandfriends.

If you are interested in getting on the bus with us, please visit the link to RSVP for the movie event and respond

to this email indicating you would like to get on the bus to reserve your seat. You are more than welcome to

meet us at Peter Piper Pizza (address below) or Harkins Gateway Pavilions 18 (address below). If you invite

your friends to do the same, the person with the most 2015 graduate guests will win a prize from GCU! Feel

free to share this information with anyone who may not have received it. Space is limited! See you at the

movies with GCU!

Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014

Get on the Pizza Party & Movie Bus

Grand Canyon University Arena

3300 W. Camelback Rd

Phoenix, AZ 85017

Check-in begins at 3:00p

Leaving GCU promptly at 3:30p

Peter Piper Pizza Pre-Movie Party

10170 W McDowell Rd

Avondale, AZ 85392

Arriving at 4:00p

Leaving at 5:30p for the movies

Harkins Gateway Pavilions 18 10250 W McDowell Rd

Avondale, AZ 85392

Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m.

Programming Starts: 6:15 p.m.

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Student /Parent Information Sessions Want to be a part of the Sun Devil tradition? Schedule your visit to Arizona State University today by typing

https://visit.asu.edu/campus into your Google search bar.

The University of Arizona offers several different options for campus tours. Choose from Ambassador Tours,

Group Tours, Special Tours, Class Cats, and/or the Arizona Experience to make your U of A research complete!

Sign up for the tour that fits your needs at http://admissions.arizona.edu/general/visit-university-arizona

Northern Arizona University offers a number of ways for prospective students to learn more about what they

have to offer! Attend a Discover NAU Day in Flagstaff on any of the following dates:

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Saturday, November 15, 2014

*spaces fill up fast!!! Register at https://www4.nau.edu/uadmissions/dnau/edefault.aspx

No matter how many tours you attend or brochures you read, you won't really know what it's like to be a college

student until you've walked a mile in their shoes. Now you can, at Discover GCU. During Discover, you will

experience firsthand what it means to be a Grand Canyon University student by sitting in on classes, meeting

financial aid representatives and staying overnight in one of our suite-style residence halls with a student host.

You'll also attend special concerts or other Student Life events on campus during your stay! On your Discover

day, bring your transcripts so we can determine your scholarship award! With dates throughout October, go to

http://www.gcu.edu/Upcoming-Events/Campus-Events/Discover-GCU.php to set up your overnight visit.

Don’t Waste a Minute of Your Break Heading out of town for the upcoming holiday season? Take advantage of your time away from the desert and

visit colleges and universities on your vacation! If traditional tours are unavailable, try the unconventional

route of just taking a stroll around campus! You would be surprised how the “feel” and size of the campus can

help your son or daughter narrow his/her list of potential colleges and universities. With applications fees

running as high as $70 per school, a short list of schools means more money in your pocket! Who says that

school counselors can’t save you money?

United States Air Force Academy Forum The Air Force Academy is coming to Las Vegas! Learn about the USAFA, cadet life, and the application

process. Admissions staff and recent graduates will be available to answer all of your questions! Open to all

students researching colleges, parents, student advocates, and educators. Come discover opportunities to earn

your degree and launch your future as a leader in the United States Air Force and beyond! Other events include

heading to an open house at Nellis Air Force Base, catching an airshow, and/or checking out the football team

as AFA takes on UNLV!

Date: Saturday, November 8th

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: Boulder Station Hotel and Casino

Register today at http://is.gd/lasvegasforum2014

(Limited seating available)

Testing Information The ASVAB military entrance exam will be given at PHHS on December 3, 2014. This test is open to juniors.

There is no cost for the test.

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Upcoming Parent Nights at PHHS (presented by the Counseling Department) Junior Parent Night- November 5, 2014

NCAA Night- November 17, 2014

Sophomore Parent Night- December 10, 2014

Financial Aid Night – January 12, 2015

Junior and Sophomore Interviews Counselors are in the process of meeting with the junior class to continue post-high school planning. Juniors

are down to their final 12 months of college planning. By this time next year, they should be just about done

with the college application process. Parents should take an active role in helping their children through this

process. If you have questions, please contact your school counselor.

Upon completion of working with the junior class, counselors will gear up for another round of student

interviews….this time meeting with members of the sophomore class. The primary focus of these meetings will

be to work with students on establishing realistic and attainable post-high school goals. If students are not

working towards a goal (ex: a specific college), the odds of possessing the ability to properly position

themselves in a manner that affords that student the highest percentage chance of reaching their desired goal

decreases significantly.

“A goal without a plan is a wish” –Tony Dungy

NCAA Student-Athlete Information Any senior student-athlete wishing to compete on the NCAA Division 1 or 2 level must complete an application

through the NCAA Clearinghouse. Log on to http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp to

register. You must complete this process to receive any type of athletic scholarship money! Student athletes

are reminded to send their SAT and ACT test scores to the Eligibility Center by entering the code “9999” in the

box when registering for the tests.

Financial Aid Information Looking for national scholarships? Complete the registration at www.fastweb.com to receive email

notifications of scholarship programs.

Visit www.meritaid.com to find merit-based scholarship opportunities from colleges before you apply. This

website can help students with merit-based scholarships from colleges that reflect your accomplishments and

interests.

Another good resource for researching scholarships is www.finaid.org .

Paper FAFSAs will no longer be delivered in bulk to high schools. Students are able to obtain a paper FAFSA

by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). Students are

encouraged to file the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov for faster processing. A PDF version of the FAFSA

is also available for download at www. studentaid.ed.gov.

The US Department of Education sponsors www.studentaid.ed.gov, which provides helpful information on

preparing for college, types of financial aid, determining who is eligible for financial aid, how to apply for aid

with the FAFSA, and information on repaying your loans.

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Scholarship Information

First Freedom Student Competition First Freedom Student Competition is a national essay and video contest open to students in grades 9-12.

Students compete for awards as they examine the history and current-day relevance of religious freedom, and

then write an essay or create a video production of their evaluation.

Award: $2,500

Deadline: November 17th

(online submission) or November 24th

(mail submission)

Website: http://www.firstfreedom.org/for-the-classroom/first-freedom-student-competition/

AXA Achievement Scholarship Program The AXA Achievement Scholarship Program brings advice and access to higher education into every

community in which AXA has a presence. Fifty-two winners – one from each state, Washington, DC and Puerto

Rico – are selected by our nonprofit partner, Scholarship America, to receive one-time scholarship awards of

$10,000 each. From the pool of 52 state winners, ten are selected as national winners and earn an additional

one-time scholarship of $15,000, bringing the national AXA Achievers’ total scholarship awards to $25,000

each. The application deadline is December 15, 2014, but if 10,000 applications are received before that date,

the program will automatically close.

Applicants must demonstrate:

- Ambition and drive

- Determination to set and reach goals

- Respect for self, family and community

- Ability to succeed in college

Visit https://us.axa.com/axa-foundation/AXA-achievement-scholarship.html for application.

The Gates Millennium Scholarship The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program selects 1,000 talented students each year to receive a good-through-

graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. This scholarship provides support for the cost of

education by covering unmet need and self-help aid, including graduate school funding for continuing Scholars in the

areas of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.

Eligibility Requirements:

- High School Senior, GED, High School Graduate

- Minimum GPA of 3.3

- African American, American Indian - Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, or Hispanic American

- U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident / Foreign National

Application Deadline: January 14, 2015

Visit https://scholarships.uncf.org/Program/Details/2bfd8f53-40aa-4705-9f8b-d92d972e59df

Cyber Security Awareness Poster Contest

Do you have a child or know a child in kindergarten through 12th grade? Every child in Arizona is encouraged to enter

the Cyber Security Awareness Poster Contest presented by ADE and the "Helping Keep Kids Safe Online" campaign. The

deadline for submissions is Friday, November 13th, 2014. For more information about the contest and the associated

prizes, pleasevisit www.azed.gov/itblog/.

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U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, ADE will be nominating up to 10 Arizona students (five girls and five boys) as part of this year's U.S. Presidential Scholars Program via an open application process. Interested students must be planning to graduate or receive a diploma between January and August of 2015, the current program year. In addition to outstanding scholarship, applicants should demonstrate leadership, character and involvement in and service to the community. The 2014-2015 application form is available here, and all applications must be received by Wednesday, November 19, 2014. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. Each year, up to 141 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. For more information, please visit our web site at www.azed.gov/constituent-services/psp/.

LAST CHANCE TO APPLY The Arizona School Counselors Association awards 3 high school seniors with a $1,000 non-renewable scholarship to

assist with post-secondary education costs. Applicants must be a resident of Arizona, complete application, and write a

500 word (max) essay. Applications are available in the counseling office or online at

http://azsca.org/content.asp?contentid=24. Entries must be postmarked no later than Friday, November 1, 2014.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation supports over 1,400 college students each year, with annual scholarships of $3.45

million, through two nationally recognized programs. With the 25th class in 2013, the Foundation has provided over 5,250

Coca-Cola Scholars with more than $51 million in scholarships.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school

seniors each year. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, and their commitment to making a

significant impact on their schools and communities.

Applications are due October 31st

The Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation proudly continues its

support of Two Year Colleges through the Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Program by providing up to

$237,500 in stipends. 200 stipends are awarded annually across four tiers of recipients in varying amounts: Fifty New

Century Gold Scholars are awarded $1,500, fifty Silver Scholars are awarded $1,250, and fifty Bronze Scholars are

awarded $1,000. This scholarship is administered by Phi Theta Kappa, and application details can be found on their

website, www.ptk.org.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be:

Current high school (or home-schooled) seniors attending school in the United States (or select DoD schools);

U.S. Citizens; U.S. Nationals; U.S. Permanent Residents; Refugees; Asylees; Cuban-Haitian Entrants; or

Humanitarian Parolees;

Anticipating completion of high school diploma at the time of application;

Planning to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution;

Carrying a minimum 3.00 GPA at the end of their junior year of high school.

http://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/applicants/#page

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The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards are available to students who have taken part in community service

activities over the past year. Interested students must fill out an application at spirit.prudential.com.

Applications will kick off in September, with a November 5, 2014, deadline to submit the application to the

Counseling Office for final selection.

The secret phrase for October is Campus Tour. The 5th

person to call Mrs. King at 623-455-7422 will win a

college gift package!!!

Teen Wellness

Economy Hits Home Dealing With Family Money Problems

By: Mia Simonsen

Times are tough. A lot of people are feeling the pinch.

And your family may be one of the many caught in the

financial downturn. Along with thousands who have lost

their jobs, maybe your mom or dad has been laid off.

You may have had to cut back on after-school activities,

summer camp and family vacations. And you might be

worried about whether or not your family can afford to

send you to college. Here are some smart ways to cope

during financial crunch time.

Talk to Your Parents

Money is a difficult subject for most parents to talk

about with their children. Parents don’t want their

children to worry unnecessarily about the family’s

finances. But if they think that you’re mature enough to

handle the truth, then they will be more willing to share

the reality of their situation more openly, especially if

you bring it up first.

What You Can Do?

If one or both of your parents has lost a job and money is

tight, then you may want to consider getting a part-time

job, cutting back on your activities, helping out around

the house, and applying for scholarships and financial

aid.

Get a Part-Time Job

Work Permit: If you’re between 14 and 18 years of age,

you can apply for a work permit under the Fair Labor

Act Standard (FLAS). Not all states require work

permits (Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Oregon,

South Dakota, Wyoming and Tennessee don’t require

them) and the age that they are issued varies from state

to state. You can usually get your work permit from

your guidance counselor. The Department of Labor also

has a teen resource page, “Youth Rules,” which provides

useful information about teen employment.

Social Security Card and IDs

Your parents should have signed you up for a Social

Security number when you were born, but if you don’t

have one or you think you lost yours, you can get a new

or replacement card at your local Social Security office.

Every time you apply for a job, you will need to give

your nine-digit Social Security number so the Social

Security Administration can track your earnings for tax

purposes. In addition to your Social Security card, an

employer may also ask for a student ID, driver’s license

or passport.

Cut Back on Activities

Many families have had to scale back significantly this

year and are not able to send their kids to expensive

summer camps or go on vacations. If that’s the situation

you find your family faced with, see if there’s an

inexpensive Parks and Recreation program or YMCA in

your community that you could go to. You could

volunteer to be a camp counselor in exchange for using

the facilities. Or you could even make your own sports

club by inviting your friends to your house or nearby

park to play basketball, baseball, football, lacrosse,

soccer, or whatever sport you like at no cost.

Help Out Around the House

If your family used to have use a cleaning or yard

service, but can’t afford to hire help anymore, then offer

to help clean the house, mow the lawn, wash the car, do

the laundry, vacuum, change the sheets, etc. Your

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parents will really appreciate whatever it is you can do to

help around the house.

Apply for Financial Aid

If you’re planning on going to college soon and haven’t

looked into applying for financial aid or scholarship

programs, talk to your school counselor for help. You

can apply any time after Jan. 1 and the deadline for

sending in your application is June 30. You don’t need

to be accepted by a university to apply, just when you

actually receive the funds. You can call the Federal

Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-

FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) and ask for a free copy of

The Student Guide: Financial Aid from the US

Department of Education. Your local library and high-

school guidance counselor should have copies too.

Apply for Scholarships

There are literally billions of dollars’ worth of

scholarships available to high school, college and post-

graduate students every year, so do some research and

check out some of the these websites that can guide you

to the scholarships that are available:

http://www.scholarshipexperts.com

http://www.collegescholarships.com/scholarships.html

http://www.schoolsoup.com

http://www.findtuition.com

Stay Positive

The economy will eventually pick up and it’s only a

matter of time, so try to stay positive. In the meantime,

plan for your future. You can make a difference in your

own family’s life, just by helping at home and getting a

part-time job. So focus on what is possible, what you can

do to help yourself and your family, and look forward to

a bright future ahead.

Family Meals Lead to Healthier Teens Eating Together Has Benefits Beyond Food By: Kim Keough

You’ve seen the photos of family dinners: Dad at the

head of the table, mom with the kids, and a juicy turkey

as the centerpiece. For centuries, families have bonded

over food preparation and used the kitchen as a common

gathering place. Spending quality time over meals can

increase communication among family members and

create an everyday occasion for dialogue.

Many studies have shown that family mealtime can

improve eating habits and enable teens to make healthier

life choices overall. The National Center on Addiction

and Substance Abuse at Columbia University recently

published a study documenting their findings that “teens

who take part in family meals are less likely to smoke,

drink alcohol and use drugs and more likely to perform

better academically.” Another recent story on teen

nutrition listed how participating in family mealtime is

one of the many important ways teens can improve

eating habits. And one of our BodiMojo psychologists

recently found in her research that more frequent family

meals in the preteen years led to greater family

togetherness and better problem solving in the later teen

years.

Many households report that it’s difficult to have all

members of a family sit down and eat a complete meal

together at home. Between parents working several jobs

and kids running off to sports practice, drama club, or

college prep courses, it’s understandable how sitting

down for an uninterrupted hour might be challenging.

One thing that might help make family meals happen is

to a make a meal plan on a Sunday night (see meal

suggestion recipe below). That way, ingredients can be

purchased and prepared ahead of time to decrease

cooking time and increase quality family time. Another

way to manage a family dinner is to divide jobs between

family members such as setting the table, filling water

glasses, serving food, and doing the dishes. More

helping hands gets the work done easier.

There is much to be gained from an established family

dinner time in addition to a well-balanced meal. This is

great time to unplug: Turn off the TV, leave your cell

phone and computer in another room, and just enjoy the

company of your family. Discussing current events is a

good dinnertime activity, where everyone’s opinions can

be heard. Making plans together for the weekend, a

family outing, or the next big vacation are other ways to

make the most of a family dinner. And hearing about

everyone’s day helps families to stay connected with one

another.

Several organizations and online forums have been

launched to get kids and parents back in the kitchen.

Three of my favorites are Yum-O, Meals Matter,

and Dinner Together. These Web sites were designed to

provide dinner ideas and tips as well as to educate

families about what’s going on their plates and in their

bodies. Featured on each of the sites are sample

shopping lists, pantry basics, and cooking advice about

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measuring, chopping, and meat handling. There’s also

health information on these sites about childhood

obesity, nutrition profiles, and worldwide hunger.

Enjoying the company of your family is an experience to

be cherished. It signifies the importance each member

places on being together, allows everyone to enrich their

relationships, and even benefits both nutrition and a

healthy lifestyle. The following is one of my favorite

recipes for family mealtime. It’s quick, easy, and

nutritionally balanced.

Enjoy!

Chicken with Peach and Melon Salsa

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can peach halves, drained and rinsed

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 teaspoons Jamaican Jerk seasoning

1 cup pre-cut melon medley, diced

1 tablespoon diced pimientos

1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

- Place peach halves on grill pan and grill 2 to 3

minutes per side. Set aside to cool and then dice

into small pieces.

- Season both sides of each chicken breast with 1

teaspoon Jamaican jerk seasoning. Place chicken

breasts in pan and grill for 6 minutes per side, or

until cooked through.

- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine grilled

peaches and remaining ingredients. Stir

thoroughly.

- Serve chicken topped with peach and melon

salsa.

Improving Parent-Teen Relationships

How well do you really know each other? By: Kendall S.

Would it surprise you to learn that most teens don’t

discuss their boyfriend or girlfriend relationships with

their parents? That they hide their online activities? That

they don’t feel comfortable asking their parents for

advice on friends or school? These were the results from

a 2009 Pangea Media survey on teen-parent

relationships. Parents may be shocked by this data.

Teens…..well, maybe not so much.

As far as teen activity online, most teens probably aren’t

hiding anything inappropriate from their parents. They

just want privacy. I wouldn’t want my parents hacking

into my computer or looking at my Facebook page. If

they asked, though, I would show them. I’d just like the

courtesy of being asked—and I think that’s how most

teens feel. It seems to me that many parents feel

awkward asking their teens certain questions, like about

relationships or friends. They are afraid of saying the

wrong thing and offending their teens. Unfortunately, if

parents don’t ask questions, teens see it as disinterest.

They don’t talk to their parents because they think their

parents don’t want to know about them.

As a teen, my advice to parents is: swallow your pride.

Ask deeper questions than “How was your day?”

Instead, ask things like, “What did you do this weekend?

How are your friends doing? Are you dating anybody?

How is your relationship going?” Don’t be so worried

about a negative response.

My advice to teens: answer your parents’ questions!

They aren’t asking to annoy you; they just want to know

about your life. Tell them. You’ll feel better if you do.

Parents, if you need help getting your teen to

communicate with you, try doing something your teen

likes. You could take your teen to a movie or go out to

lunch. I do a lot of theater, and though it is not my

parents’ particular area of interest, they make sure that

they come to every show I’m in and we always go out

for dinner afterward. Another good idea is to try to eat

dinner as a family at least once a week. This means that

parents need to be home from work on time and teens

may need to wait a little longer before heading out with

friends. But it’s worth it: the dinner table is a great place

for family discussions.

Did you know: The best way to improve communication

is to listen without judgment and to give the other person

freedom to express their feelings.

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Mom or BFF Can I Tell My Parents Everything? By: Remy M.

I used to love chatting with my parents about what’s

going on with friends or at school, but now that I’m a

teenager the things going on in my life have gotten more

mature and awkward to talk to them about. I mean,

saying I think a boy is cute is fine, but what about when

I feel pressured to do something I don’t want to do, or

I’m confused about something I noticed with my body? I

sort of want to talk to my mom about it, but at the same

it’s sort of weird and I’m afraid she might freak out or I

might get in trouble.

Every teen has faced this dilemma about whether or not

they can tell their parents everything, and it can be hard

to decide. But no matter what other people tell us to do,

how can we decide whether or not to really tell our

parents anything?

I have a really good relationship with my parents, and

while I don’t feel like I need to tell them everything, I

think communicating and staying on the same page

is so important. And while there are no defined rules

about what you should or shouldn’t tell your parents, I

have a few guidelines for how be open without

giving TMI.

- Ask your parents what they want to know. A

few years ago, I sat down with my parents and

asked them if they would want me to tell them

some personal things that I knew would

probably happen as I got older. Different parents

have different views on this, so finding out what

your parents would want to know beforehand is

really helpful.

- If you’re hurt or in danger, speak

up. Harmless little things don’t always need to

be shared, but you should definitely tell a parent

if you think that something bad has or may

happen to you or someone else – they may not

be happy about what they hear but they will be

able to help you.

- Be open but calm. Starting off a tricky

conversation by saying “Hey, I have a quick

thing I needed some advice on, do you have a

few minutes?” is a casual way to reach out but

not make your parents get worried.

- Be responsible. If you’re responsible and have

a good relationship with your parents, then

they’ll trust you to make good decisions. This

trust will both strengthen your family and make

parents less likely to panic when you talk to

them about things going on in your life that they

may not love or approve.

- Honesty Rocks. Keeping things from your

parents is a recipe for disaster and so not worth

it. If you consistently talk to them about what’s

up in your life, you’ll stay connected, trusted

and supported through all the rocky points and

will always feel comfortable going to your

parents when you need them.

While you don’t always have to tell your parents every

little thing, you certainly can – and will benefit from it,

too! So connected with your parents - it will go a long

way for all of you.

When Divorce Hits Home Getting Through Splitsville By: Mia Simonsen

About half of all marriages in the United States end up

in divorce, and 40% are affected or over 1.5 million kids

– so if your parents are separated, going through a

divorce, or already divorced, you're not alone. At times it

may feel like your life has been completely turned

upside down, but you can get through this and still have

a healthy and happy life.

Divorce Tips for You

1. It's NOT Your Fault: The number one thing

that you need to know is that it is NOT your

fault. Parents get separated and divorced for

many reasons, usually because of the couple’s

problems with each other, not with their own

children.

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2. It’s Normal to Be Upset: It's normal to feel

anxious, surprised, angry, worried, scared,

embarrassed, lonely and sad. But you shouldn't

feel guilty. All of these feelings are normal as

you cope with all the changes that are going on

in your life.

3. Talk to Someone About Your Feelings: If you

don’t feel comfortable talking to your parents,

try to find a friend, a counselor or someone else

in your family who understands what you are

going through for moral support.

4. Making Adjustments: You may have to move,

change schools, spend time with both parents

separately and deal with stressful situations,

especially when it comes to custody

arrangements. This may take some time, but

that will give you the opportunity to adjust to

these new changes and see what works best for

your family.

5. Your Financial Situation May Change: If a

parent didn’t work, they may have to find a job

to make ends meet. So, you might not be able to

afford the same things that you had before the

divorce. This is probably one of the hardest

things to deal with when families are split up.

This is a good time for you to learn some

important coping tools and build up your

support group.

6. See a Family Counselor or Therapist:

Divorce is stressful for everyone involved. It

makes sense for the entire family to see a family

counselor or therapist – this can help everyone

express their feelings are in a neutral and safe

environment. Research shows that families in

counseling fare much better, and teens –

especially those who acted out or had the most

distress at the beginning – were coping quite

well compared to families without counseling.

7. Keep in Touch With Both Parents: When you

are shuttled between two homes or legally live

with only one parent, sometimes you may feel

out of touch with the parent that you see less

often. But depending on the circumstances and

the parent-teen relationship, you can keep in

touch by calling, sending an email or twittering

to tell them how you are, what you did today, or

how much they are missed.

8. Special Occasions: If you have a special

occasion that you want both of your parents to

be present at, try to work out a compromise or

agreement so they can both be there for your

birthdays, sporting events, school plays, recitals,

special events, etc.

9. Talk Openly With Both Parents: You

probably have a lot of questions that you want to

ask your parents, such as whether or not they

can still afford to send you to college, if you

have to go to a new school, if one of them is

getting remarried, etc. You shouldn’t worry

about upsetting your parents because it’s

important for you to be able to talk openly with

your parents. Keeping your feelings bottled up

inside can make you feel frustrated, bitter and

alone.

10. Learn Coping Skills: During this stressful

time, you might want to yell and scream and

even act up. You may want to live with the

parent that gives you the least grief or is the

most lax with rules, but that is not always the

best situation either. But there are better ways

you can cope with stress and redirect your anger

and frustration, such as writing in a journal,

listening to music, perfecting a hobby, playing

sports, working out or doing yoga, or spending

time with friends. But if you feel overwhelmed

and could use some help and guidance, you

should definitely talk to a therapist, social

worker or counselor.

11. Enjoy Your Life: Even if your parents are

getting a divorce and you have to deal with all of

the changes that a divorce causes, that doesn’t

mean that your life has to be put on hold. You

should still focus on your schoolwork, activities,

goals and dreams for your future.

12. Stay Positive: You don’t have much control

over how your parents behave, but you have

control over how you respond. You might not

believe that things will ever get better, but time

does heal. So try to stay positive and appreciate

all of the good things and comfort you can get

from trusted relatives and friends.

13. Get Support: Make time to see your friends,

your friend’s parents, and extended family

members that are supportive. Let them know

that you are going through a hard time so they

can be there for you. Adult children of divorced

parents often reflect back on the support of other

adults, teachers, and families that were there for

them during the rough times. Staying connected

to others during this time is key. If you feel

depressed, tell your parents, school counselor or

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doctor so they can find a professional to help

you. You might even be able to find a support

group for teens whose parents are going through

a divorce.

Have lemons? Make lemonade. It may be hard to imagine, but with the support of your

friends and family, you can find the strength inside of

yourself to cope really well. Your life as you know it

now may not be the way you had imagined it to be.

Sometimes life throws you lemons, so why not make

some lemonade? Try to make the best of what life has to

offer you and think about all the good things that you

have in your life. It’s all about how you look at things.

So try to see the glass half full instead of half empty.

DIVORCE PLUSES: Some children who have gone through a divorce grow

up to be better problem solvers, more compassionate and

more resilient because of what they went through.