Calling all Rising Juniors and Seniors for the 2025-2026 school year.  

Another leadership opportunity is available to you for this summer, The Youth Leadership Conference.  

Please click THIS LINK for the flyer for The Youth Leadership Conference.  You do not have to be interested in the military to attend this conference.  You can attend any of the listed sessions.

If you are interested in applying, please email Ms. Guess at guesss@friscoisd.org.  Ms. Guess will guide you through the process of applying!  

Junior Class!!  Another exciting opportunity for you for this upcoming summer.  

Camp RYLA Leadership Opportunity

JUNIORS: Apply now for the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA!) This is an exciting program focused on developing student leadership. 

No cost to the student if selected!  Learn more here. 

Camp dates are: May 26 – May 31, 2024

If you are interested in participating in this camp, please email Ms. Guess. She will set up a meeting with you to discuss the program and help you fill out the application.

Deadline to have application completed and turned in to Ms. Guess is March 26th at 4:00 p.m.

If you have any questions before applying, please fill out a counselor request form to come see Ms. Guess

The University of Texas at Austin Summer Opportunity 

Our two-week (June 15-June 27) and three-week (June 29-July 18) Summer Discovery sessions will welcome teens from around the world and highlight many of UT Austin’s academic programs with full day academies and electives. These hands-on courses are led by distinguished faculty and Austin-area professionals who are excited to engage with students about Medicine, Engineering, Finance and Business, Marketing, Real Estate, Food and Cuisine, Sports Business, Music Business, Law and Government, Sustainable Fashion, Neuroscience and Psychology, and much more. During academic periods, students will work on independent and group projects, dive into campus resources, attend local field trips and visit specialty labs, and hear from guest speakers working on campus and in their respective fields. We’ll be offering over 25 different courses for students to investigate future college majors and careers, and here you’ll find a full list of courses!

Students are invited to commute daily or live on campus in UT Austin residence halls and explore the city of Austin outside of classes. Located in the heart of vibrant Austin, students will participate in daily and nightly activities and weekend excursions. Examples include campus and stadium tours, rooftop pool parties, thrift shopping on the Drag, Top Golf, and escape rooms, as well as outings to Barton Springs, San Antonio’s Riverwalk, and Austin City Duck Tours. It’s sure to be an unforgettable summer with new friends!

Our high school programs are currently accepting applications for both commuter and residential options for students completing grades 9-12 and students can apply online today! Spaces in specific academics are limited and we recommend applying early to secure a space in your top choice of courses. Learn more about our programs, academics and faculty, campus life and start the application process here!

I hope you’ll agree this program offers teens a unique chance to take a step towards future college majors and career possibilities and that you’ll share it with your students and their families. Please reach out if you would like more information or join us for a virtual info session below, and feel free to share my information with interested families.

2025 Summer Discovery @ UT Austin Virtual Info Sessions via Microsoft Teams

• Wednesday, March 5 at 7:00pm CT for Commuting Students – REGISTER NOW

• Thursday, April 17 at 7:00pm CT – REGISTER NOW

• Wednesday, May 7 at 7:00pm CT – REGISTER NOW

Seniors and Senior Parents,

State law requires that all Seniors must complete the FAFSA (Free application for federal student aid) OR complete an opt out waiver (linked below). We will send out tips about how to complete this form and the importance.  Please consider this process even if you believe you will not qualify based on income, more factors are in play including parent age, family size, how many other kids you have in college and more.

Fafsa is currently opened and available for completion. To learn more about the Fafsa form please Click here This website can walk you through each step of the process including creating your account, gathering the documents and starting your fafsa form.

Current FAFSA deadlines: State and Federal Deadlines The Texas priority deadline is January 15th

While the deadlines vary, we ask that all students either complete the form, or opt out no later than May 1st for graduation requirement tracking purposes.

STEPS to completing FAFSA

Step 1:

 Both Seniors and parents will need to create an FSA ID before then to prevent any delays in the processing of your form:  How to create your FSA ID

Step 2:

Once you have created your FSA ID, it’s time to gather the following information for you and your parents:

• Your Social Security number (it’s important that you enter it correctly on the FAFSA form!)

• Your parents’ Social Security numbers

• Tax returns

• Record of child support if applicable

• Current balances of cash, savings, and checking

• New work of investments

Please note- the school will not receive any of this information. Only that you have completed the form. All other information is kept private.

Step 3:

Complete the online FAFSA application using the FAFSA website

Step 4:

If you have completed the FAFSA, please send Teal Perez at perezte@friscoisd.org a screenshot of your completion  and we will remove you from our tracking!  

Don’t plan to complete fafsa?

If you do not plan to complete the FAFSA, please complete the opt out form using the tile found in the Guardian Gateway (for parents), or the Student Portal (for Seniors who are already 18)

Deadlines are quickly approaching for the Communities Foundation of Texas’s 2025-2026 Scholarship Applications! We have over 50 scholarship opportunities and will award around $1.5 million in scholarship funds. I have highlighted a few of our scholarships that may be especially relevant to your students:

• C.C. Miao & Rosalind Miao Scholarship provides scholarships for graduating high school seniors and current college students of Chinese ethnic heritage – either born in China or Taiwan or born in the United States and have parents or grandparents who were born in China or Taiwan. Deadline April 1st, 2025.

• Giana Foundation Scholarships awards one-year scholarships of up to $5,000 that may be used for tuition books and fees at any accredited four-year college or university or community college in the United States or its possessions to pursue a degree in the Visual and/or Performing Arts. Deadline April 1st, 2025.

• The LIFE Association Trade Scholarship: provides one-year scholarships of up to $5,000 that may be used for tuition books and fees at any accredited community college or nonprofit trade school in the state of Texas to pursue a trade or vocational degree or certification (Ex: firefighting, automotive tech, welding, medical tech, etc.) Deadline May 1st, 2025.

2025 Patricia Nan Cash Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship available to FISD graduates who have received their bachelor’s degree (or receiving in May 2025) and will be attending medical school or a graduate-level nursing program. The award amount for 2025 will be $3,500, and this is a one-time scholarship. Scholarship awarded through the Frisco Education Foundation.

Application:  2025 Patricia Nan Cash Memorial Scholarship

Deadline:  Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Rotary Four-Way Test Competition

The Rotary Four-Way Test Competition is open to students in grades 9th-12th. This contest allows students to select a topic of interest and then apply Rotary's Four-Way test in an original, 5-7 minute speech. Please review the contest application for complete contest details and requirements. Interested students should return the completed application as indicated on the application by March 30, 2025 by 11:59 pm

The Rotary Club of Frisco Scholarship Opportunity 

The Rotary Club of Frisco will award $8000 to two graduating Frisco ISD seniors. The scholarship award will be based on need, altruism, academic achievement, leadership, and participation in extracurricular activities. Please review the scholarship application for complete scholarship details and requirements. Completed application must be returned as indicated on the application by 5:00 pm on Thursday, April 17, 2025. 

$5000 scholarships to motherless daughters for 2025! 

(Scholarship is also in Xello, but counselors may be aware of students who would meet this criteria) 

Bettie D. Gonzalez Foundation of Hope is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation.  Our mission is to empower, serve, and mentor motherless daughters. In addition to the financial help, we also provide mentors to nurture, guide, and support throughout the college years.

If you are aware of any girl who is motherless, please have her go to bdghope.org  and click on Scholarships/Scholarship Information.  Please read through the information and note the deadline of 4/20/25.  Then click on Scholarship Application and Create New Account.  Once she creates an account, she will be able to work on the application on and off as she wishes.

We also provide mentoring to motherless girls in high school.  If you know of a girl who would benefit from a supportive and compassionate mentor to empower and encourage her, please have her fill out the attached Confidential Form and email back to michele@BDGhope.org

If you have any questions, please contact: 

 MaryLynn Hilton – Administrative Assistant

www.BDGhope.org

Did you know the peak of scholarship season is January - March of your senior year? This means more scholarship applications are open, and you need to be applying. To help you navigate this busy season, I've created a list of scholarships application tips and tricks to help you be more efficient with scholarships!

Scholarship tips:

• Create an account on Going Merry to get matched to vetted scholarships.

• Apply to scholarships using a dedicated professional email. EX - firstname.lastname@gmail.com

• Check your email! Most scholarship providers take 4-6 months to let you know you were selected, and often have acceptance windows.

• Focus on scholarships that give you better odds of winning - Local, college specific, and essay scholarships often receive fewer applicants.

• Small award scholarships are far more common and easier to win.

• Write a couple of essays based on the most common prompts, and reuse them

• Scholarships are a numbers game. You need to apply to more than you think. On average, students are eligible for 50-100 opportunities, but typically apply to less than 5.

How to get your Reedy High School Transcript

Transcripts must be ordered through Parchment at the link below. 

https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/5829745/account

All students will receive an email with their access code. This is sent at the beginning of each year. Search your email for “Parchment” as you will have one that gives your access code. Do not create multiple accounts. If you can not find your access code please contact Shanna Stalder stalders@friscoisd.org 

If you are needing help with the ordering process, please visit the Parchment Support page for the step-by-step instructions. Click the “home” tab at the top of the support page for several helpful click sheets. We have also linked click sheets below. 

• How to order a self view

• How to order a transcript- general 

Do not submit Common App transcripts to Parchment. You will need to add your counselor as a recommender to Common app and she will upload the transcript there. 

Once you have set up your account, you MUST add a personal email address to your account. This will ensure that you always have access to this account, even after graduation. 

Our registrar is alerted through Parchment for every transcript ordered. The whole process can take from 3-5 days during high processing times. Please be sure to plan accordingly to be sure you take this delay into consideration for approaching deadlines. 

Should any issues arise, please contact Shanna Stalder at stalders@friscoisd.org 

If you need help with technical issues, you must contact Parchment Support directly, or visit the links below 

Helpful Links and How to: 

Place an order 

Add a school to your account 

Update an email address

Update and Store a Self View Copy 

Contact Parchment Directly 

How to order a transcript and HOLD FOR GRADES (done during the end of the grading periods) 

How to order a transcript

Unofficial Transcripts: 

You can view/print the self view transcript that is stored in your Parchment account. Be sure to update this periodically as the view you see is only from the last time YOU updated it, not necessarily the last time WE updated your transcript. Make sure to pay close attention