Bridges Parent Information Night

Quaboag offers an Early College High School program which allows students to earn college credit while still attending high school. The Bridges program at Quaboag allows students to work in one of two pathways that have a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focus. Through the application process, a student can decide if they would like to study in the Engineering or Biomedical pathway. Students in this program are supported in a cohort model and are offered tutoring after school to enhance the curriculum taught during the school day. The vision of the program is to inspire students to engage in a curriculum focused on STEM. Students learn through hands on project and work to build skills in teamwork, problem solving, and communication skills.

Applications are currently available for students that are interested in entering this program.  Completed applications are due by April 1st.

A family information night will take place on Wednesday, March 27 at 6:00 in the library for families to learn additional details about this program.

Scholarships for Seniors

Please see below for scholarship opportunities for the Class of 2013.

1. Best Buy will be awarding 1,100 scholarships of $1,000 each to students in grades 9-12. Students who demonstrate good grades, commitment to community service and/or work experience are eligible to apply. Apply between December 26, 2012 and February 15, 2013 at http://pr.bby.com

2. The Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley is pleased to offer a $500 Young Women in Public Affairs scholarship opportunity to a young woman between the ages of 16 and 19 as of April 1, and who lives in the Quaboag Valley (Belchertown, Brookfield, E.Brookfield, Hardwick, Holland, Monson, New Braintree, N.Brookfield, Palmer, Spencer, Wales, Ware, Warren, and W.Brookfield) and surrounding areas. The scholarship seeks to recognize a student who demonstrates a commitment to her community, exhibits leadership ability, and shows global awareness. The winning application will be considered for an additional $1,000 Zonta District award with the potential to compete for one of ten $4,000 international scholarships from Zonta International. The deadline for submission of the application is March 15, 2013.

3. The Edward P. Boland Scholarship Fund

Eligibility Requirements-
a. Applicant must be a resident of the Second Congressional District or Hampden County at the time the application is made, and a graduating senior of a high school or other secondary school or a student already in college.
b. Awards are based on financial need, academic merit, and extracurricular activities.
In addition to the completed application, please submit:
-An official school transcript. Please note schools may need one month to process transcript requests.
-Applicants for freshman year must furnish a high school transcript and SAT scores.
-Applicants for sophomore year, and junior year of college must furnish a complete college transcript, including the first semester of the current year.
c. One photocopy of your Student Aid Report (SAR), which you will receive from the federal government when you complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your SAR must include your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and your family's income information.
d. A brief essay that describes your academic goals, interests, achievements, and any special circumstances you wish the committee to consider (maximum 500 words).
Return all materials no later than April 1.

4. Greater Worcester Community Foundation - Submit one free application and you'll be considered for ALL of the Foundation's 120 scholarships for which you are eligible. Apply online at www.greaterworcester.org by March 18, 2013

FAFSA DAY 2013

FAFSA Day Massachusetts (A College Goal Sunday Program) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven program in its ninth year providing FREE assistance to students and families seeking to complete the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  This year FAFSA day is on Sunday, January 27 at 1:00PM.  Please see below for locations to receive help completing the FAFSA.

Locations

-Quinsigamond Community College

-Mount Wachusett Community College
-Holyoke Community College
-American International College

Families will receive

-Free assistance completing the FAFSA.
-Access to experienced financial aid administrators, and FAFSA experts, available to answer FAFSA questions.
-Guidance on the financial aid process and next steps after filing the FAFSA.
-What should students and families bring?
-Students and parents should EACH bring the following:
-FAFSA PIN (www.pin.ed.gov)
-Social Security Number
-Driver's License number
-Most recent federal tax return
-Most recent W-2 or year-end pay stub
-Untaxed income records
-Bank statement(s)
-Business and investment records
-Alien Registration card (if not a U.S. Citizen)

For more information please visit www.FAFSADAY.org

Scholarships

Please see below for information regarding scholarships opportunities.  Stop by the guidance office for an application.

1. Mark Bavis Leadership Foundation - any high school student in the Commonwealth of MA is eligible. The scholarship is not academically based, but is awarded on the basis of need. The committee is looking for exceptional leaders and people who haven proven this leadership within their school. In addition, the committee will give more serious consideration to those students who have made efforts to make a difference in their communities. The annual grants will range from $1,000 to $5,000 to be used as specifically requested for school tuition, summer programs and other appropriate extracurricular activities. Deadline: January 15th

2. Valley Press Club Scholarships - applicants must be seriously committed to careers in journalism.

a. The Valley Press Club Scholarships - funded by contributions and dues to the Press Club, are for students planning careers in print, online or broadcast journalism.

b. The Republican Scholarship - funded by The Republican newspaper and administered by the club, is for students living within the newspaper's circulation area who are planning careers in print journalism.

c. The Channel 22 Scholarship - funded by WWLP-TV and administered by the club, is for students planning careers in broadcast journalism.

d. The Edward J. Malley Jr. Memorial Scholarship - established in memory of a chief photographer for the Springfield newspapers, is for students planning careers in photo journalism.

e. The Al Jaffe Scholarship - funded by Mr. Jaffe, the Valley Press Club's first scholarship recipient in 1964, is for students planning careers in broadcast journalism or sports journalism.

Primary emphasis is placed on career goals, writing ability, scholastic aptitude and overall achievement as measured by applicants' high school transcript, class rank, academic awards, SAT scores, and extracurricular activities. Emphasis will be given to field experience, including work on a school newspaper or yearbook, and employment or courses in journalism. Recipients must also be able to demonstrate a financial need. Finalists are interviewed by the committee. Applications must be postmarked by April 1, 2013

Follow Quaboag Guidance on Twitter

The Quaboag Guidance Department now has a twitter page!  Please feel free to follow us @quaboaguidance.  Many high school students prefer this form of social media.  We will post updates to reach out to students which include information about college, financial aid, tips for academic success and more! 

College Board Report on College and Career Readiness

This post is in thanks to Jennifer Karan from the College Board.  Jennifer follows the Quaboag Guidance Blog and has passed along this report which shares great information on college and career readiness.  The report looks at data from SAT scores and trends from the Class of 2012.  The report highlights some factors which allow for students to be better prepared for the SAT and college curriculum. Please click here to learn more about the SAT program that is run through the College Board.  Thanks to Jennifer for passing this information along to Quaboag families!

College Fair Field Trip

 

Today, 16 Quaboag students attended a college fair at Holyoke Community College. Students were able to meet with college admissions representatives from a variety of schools. There were 65 colleges in attendance which included: University of Massachusetts (Amherst and Lowell), Bentley University, Framingham State University, WPI and Worcester State University to name a few. Students were able to gather information based on interest in an academic program, the type of college or other programs the college had to offer. Students were able to ask a wide range of questions to these representatives that are very knowledgeable with the admissions process at a specific institution. Searching for a college that fits the needs of a student can be challenging.  Attending these fairs or college visits at the high school are great ways to begin the process to research what school may be the best fit!

 

 

 

 

 

*All photos in this post are courtesy of the Quaboag guidance department*