Guidance, Career, & Volunteer News
East Longmeadow High School
December 18, 2023
ELHS Grade 10 & 11 Students
This week the ELHS Guidance Department will finish meeting with all grade 10 & 11 students in small groups.The meetings covered the variety of post secondary options such as 4 year college, 2 year college, trade & vocational school, military, gap year programs, apprenticeships, travel, and entering right into the workforce. Students also utilized their Naviance Career and College account to research and discuss Career Clusters and Pathways of interest and perform a college search based upon personalized criteria.
Career CLUSTERS & PATHWAYS
Career clusters are groups of related types of work. They give you an easy way to explore different kinds of jobs within one broad category. Start with one of the clusters—like health care or construction—to learn what it involves, current trends, and the different careers it offers.
It’s often easier to change jobs and advance within a career cluster that share similar knowledge, skills, and interests. Identifying with a cluster can help you build your career and choose credentials—such as a college degree, specialized training, or certifications—that will qualify you for a variety of different, but related, jobs.
Steps to Finish Your College Application
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1) Finalize your list.
2) Get your letters of recommendation.
3) Finish your essay.
4) Make sure you've sent official transcripts & test scores.
5) Meet with your school counselor.
6) Hit submit.
community service INFORmation
student hours log - graduation requirement - volunteer ideas - documentation form
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To view the "student hours log" students must be signed into their school gmail account
volunteer opportunities
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WHAT: Operation Gratitude Donations - Your generosity will have a lasting impact on those military members who sacrifice so much for our country and your donation will help us express gratitude and appreciation to all members of our military communities.
HOW: Click here to donate any amount! - email Mr. Maccarini a screenshot of your receipt to receive 3 volunteer hours.
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WHAT: Toy for Joy Donations to provide toys for children in need! The Salvation Army has seen an uptick in requests for holiday and food assistance. From the single parent who has lost their job to the family who is struggling to pay rent or utilities, you can make the holidays bright for your neighbors in need. Together with the Springfield Republican, The Salvation Army is continuing a tradition of bringing joy to children this holiday season through Toy for Joy.
HOW: Click here to donate any amount! - email Mr. Maccarini a screenshot of your receipt to receive 3 volunteer hours.
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More ideas..."LITERACY"
As a literacy volunteer, you’ll make a big impact — by reading to kids at a homeless shelter, to the elderly or the visually impaired. Organizing story hours at a library is a good idea, too; so are starting book drives, and helping young kids keep their reading skills sharp over the summer.
Here are some websites to get you started:
Public Library - Reading is Fundamental - Read for Literacy, Inc. - Little Free Library - American Library Association
Here are some student led projects:
Melissa leveraged her volunteer work with a national pet therapy organization to create a program that helps students at a local elementary school improve their literacy skills by having them read out loud to therapy dogs.
Adam has collected more than a ton of books over the past two years and shipped them to rural Alaskan communities that lack ready access to reading materials.
Annika collected 4,000 new and used books to start a "giving library" so that children and their families who visit a local medical center can get free books to take home and keep.
Allyson promotes the love of reading and writing in young students through a club she organized that sends high school students to elementary school classrooms to assist with reading activities.
College CORNER
Saving money on college expenses: Have a child planning to attend college in the Commonwealth? There are several programs that can help students lower their costs and complete their degree on time. Review the resources below to learn more about the options available.
Paying for College in MA breaks down the programs designed to help make higher education a reality for students and families across the Commonwealth
What to Know about Massachusetts Community Colleges provides the location, degrees available, services and activities, and more for each of the 15 community colleges spread throughout Massachusetts
The Facts on MassTransfer explains how the MassTransfer program can make a bachelor's degree more affordable
The MEFA Podcast: MassTransfer explains how MassTransfer guarantees transfer admission from an associate to a bachelor's degree program and features an interview with a current college student taking advantage of the program
Three important webinars: If you’re applying for financial aid this year, we have three webinars to provide you the guidance and information you need.
Financial Aid 101 (recorded) gives you the details on everything you need to know about applying for financial aid.
Understanding the FAFSA® on Monday, Dec 4th at 12:00 p.m. will provide a step-by-step tutorial on completing the application required by every college and university in the country.
What to Know about the CSS ProfileTM (recorded) describes the Profile application process and the specific questions asked throughout the online form.
