Where Do We Go From Here?

My Students

"You guys are quick enough to tell us where to go, but there's not much info on how to get there." So said a junior student trying to prepare for the ACT and college on finding that our collection of relevant materials is nearly a decade old.

My students attend an urban, high-poverty high school separated from the rest of our city by a geographical boundary.

Traditionally the area is economically depressed and socially stagnant. The new idea of college being a realistic goal is slowly taking root, but the families of most of my students cannot provide them any direction or support in their quest to actually "get there." The school library is their most available source of information on the subject, and our collection is woefully out of date. Unfortunately most resources for standardized test preparation, college and career selection, and financial aid opportunities are only printed in paperback. For various reasons our library cannot purchase materials which are not in hardback. Updating this collection is virtually impossible under these conditions.

My Project

I am requesting a variety of books dealing with preparation for college and life. There are books on my list that will help my students practice for the ACT and SAT, which are college entrance exams required for admission, and books on the admissions process itself. There are books to help with the PSAT which is a major qualifier for scholarship monies and books on where to find scholarships and grants themselves. There is a book to help students ready themselves for the ASVAB, which is the gateway to a successful military career. Books on the job market itself, trade school procedures, essay-writing, interviewing, and life-planning are included as well. It is all very well to tell someone to "Get a life!", but without current resources most kids don't know where to start. These materials will provide them with solid tools and a compass to help them make the trek through the wilderness of new expectations the possibility of college brings.

Every generation wants better for its children.

This generation has focused on college education as that "better." For children coming from homes where college was never even on the table as a possibility, to navigate their way successfully through the murky waters of college testing, selection, admissions, and funding requires timely, accurate, and accessible information. These materials will provide my students with that information and help them take the first step towards their future.