IRISH WEEKLY

Counselor's Corner

The counselors are forwarding scholarship and other post-graduation opportunities to the Class of 2026 via their school email and will continue to do so throughout the school year. We encourage students to look through this information regularly. Do not delay--not all of these are online applications and several require essays and other information (such as official transcripts, letters of recommendation, copies of college acceptance letters, etc.) that take time to gather.

LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Applications for the Summit Athletic Running Club are now open. Awards are available for students in the Summit County area starting at $1,000 to further assist in the development of local high school runners in their pursuit of life-long fitness. Click here for more information. Deadline is June 1, 2026.

SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES

The Akron Community Foundation provides scholarships from forward-thinking donors to help local students pursue their educational dreams. Please click here to view specific scholarship opportunities they have available, based on a variety of qualifying factors. You should also click here which will direct you to their online application portal, which provides an opportunity to be auto-matched with scholarships for which you may be eligible.
This page on Stark State's website offers several scholarship opportunities for Northeast Ohio students. These are OUTSIDE scholarships that may be applicable to students attending any higher education institution or vocational training program. Click here to find the ones for which you meet the criteria.
This link to College Now lists several scholarship opportunities. Please scroll all the way through and to the bottom to explore scholarships for which you may be eligible!
StudentScholarships.Org is a great resource for external scholarships. Please click here for a list of scholarships currently accepting applications. Also, please click here to sign up for the newsletter.
Scholarships.com has valuable information as well as application links to all types of scholarships. It's worth checking out often to see if you might be a fit! You can also sign up for email alerts.
Scholarships.com has a page dedicated to opportunities for the Class of 2027! Click here for information.

COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID NOTE

Students should be visiting the Tuition and Financial Aid sections of the websites for the colleges they are considering to learn about specific scholarships that the schools offer and the requirements for applying.
A completed FAFSA form is often required before a college will consider students for scholarships. Please visit the FAFSA website to learn more about getting this important form started.

University of Dayton Callings Program

Registration for the University of Dayton's Callings Program opens May 27, 2026 for accepted students entering their freshman year at UD in the fall. Callings is an early arrival program rooted in UD's Marianist identity. As part of this six-day experience, you'll explore your faith and vocation while engaging in four key principles: learn, lead, serve and pray. Several STVM alumni have participated in this program over the past few years. It's a wonderful way to meet people prior to starting classes, with many participants making lifelong friendships. Click here for more information.

Summer Job Opportunities

The following are local job postings that have come to the Counseling Department.

Camp Christopher has a variety of summer job openings. Click here for information.

Fairlawn Country Club is seeking to fill summer positions. Click here for information.

The Summit County Engineer’s Office is accepting applications for paid personnel aide positions for local kids who are 16 and up and have a valid Ohio driver’s license. These full-time, seasonal roles run from June to early August and place the workers with the county engineer's maintenance crews, assisting with tasks such as mowing, traffic flagging, litter control, line striping and guardrail installation. Pay ranges from $15.50 to $18.20 per hour, with work hours Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are LIMITED openings available — pre-employment drug screens and a driving record check are required.

Visit the engineer’s website or call 330-643-2850 for more information.

College Summer and Fall Programs for High School Students

The following are opportunities that have been shared with STVM for high school students to participate in college programs over the summer months. These programs are often a great way to show "demonstrated interest" in a school during the college admissions process.

Fall HBCU Tour

The application for our Fall 2026 HBCU College Tour is now available! This is a six-school tour of colleges in the Washington, DC metro area that runs Sept. 27-30, 2026. For the flyer, click here. For the application, click here. Schools include:

Bowie State University
Coppin State University
Hampton University
Howard University
Morgan State University
Norfolk State University

UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON WAYFINDERS

Explore what it means to be "on the way" in our lives, with others and with God. Drawing upon wide and varied resources in the Catholic tradition — including UD's particular Marianist tradition — discuss, explore, read, discover, reflect and learn across four days and nights on UD's campus in the summer. Participants earn one college credit at the University of Dayton. Click here for registration information.

Applications for UCLA Emerging Filmmakers Summer 2026 are now open for students interested in filmmaking, screenwriting, cinematography, animation, or exploring the relationship between moving image media and theme parks. Early application is highly encouraged. Click here for details.

University of Dayton Summer Engineering Camps

Summer Engineering Experiences at the University of Dayton (SEE-UD) day camps are open to all rising high school juniors and seniors. Attendees will learn about the world of engineering and student life at UD. Students can register for multiple camps over three days. Click here for information.

The Rice University Precollege Program offers an excellent opportunity for students to strengthen key skills early in the year and explore academic interests through online programs and courses in subjects such as aerospace, engineering, or psychology, applying these core skills in engaging contexts. Please click here for more information on how to apply for this program.

There are several opportunities to take the ACT and SAT over the upcoming months.

For ACT dates and details, please click here.

For SAT dates and details, please click here.

Check out The College Tour, an award-winning series TV series that tells the stories of colleges and universities around the world. The latest episode features Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), a proud HBCU. Visit their website to see other colleges and universities featured on the show.

Please check out these links shared by The University of Pennsylvania with tips for writing essays and listing activities on college applications, including through the Common App.

Suicide Prevention Resources

If you or someone you know is in crisis, free and confidential support is available 24/7 through the following resources:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. You can also use the online chat service.

Crisis Text Line: Text TALK to 741-741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.

Veterans Crisis Line: Veterans can press 1 when calling 988 or text 838255.

Please visit the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) - for more resources and information.

MEET OUR COUNSELING STAFF

Ms. Jessica Henry, College & Career Counselor

jhenry@stvm.com or 330-253-9113 Ext. 136.

Ms. Henry has a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Akron and is a licensed School Counselor as well as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She has worked at the high school level for her entire career in the education field and loves being able to help students navigate the college/career process and everything that comes after high school. Ways that Ms. Henry can help students includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Planning and pursuing post-high school plans, including college, job placement, armed forces or other opportunities.
Supporting the creation and management of Naviance and the Common Application accounts for college-bound students.
Reviewing transcripts and providing documentation necessary for college applications.
Notifying students about scholarship opportunities and providing support as necessary.
Notifying students of college visit opportunities and student programs.
Assisting students in identifying resources and meeting requirements needed to pursue post-secondary education, including ACT/SAT testing, essay development, letters of recommendation and other college requirements.
Assisting students in researching college options.
Guiding students through CCP (College Credit Plus) applications/guidelines/questions, etc.
Helping students with AP (Advanced Placement) information/guidance/questions, etc.
Helping student-athletes with NCAA Clearinghouse registration and questions.

Ms. Tara McCants
Health & Wellness Counselor, 330-253-9113 ext 131 or by email at tmccants@stvm.com (Serves families with last names A-L).

Tara has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Arts in School Counseling, both from Walsh University. She has been working as a school counselor for 11 years, with the majority of that time being at a school in Washington, D.C.

Mrs. Amy Gay
Health & Wellness Counselor, (330) 253-9113. Ext. 182, email agay@stvm.com. (Serves families with last names M-Z).

Amy has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Applied Conflict Management, a Master of Education in School Counseling, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Counseling, all from Kent State University. Amy has more than 12 years of experience working with youth and more than ten years of experience working in a school setting.

Health & Wellness Counselors

In our commitment to educating the whole person, the Health and Wellness Counselors at STVM support all students' social, emotional, and academic needs. They are available during the school day to meet with students individually or in groups and conduct classroom lessons.

Working with students to communicate with parents, teachers, and administrators.

Helping advocate for the individual needs of students and families and assist them in advocating for themselves.

Working with students to help assess abilities, interests, and achievements to help them make decisions about their future.

Providing professional assistance and support to a student or small group of students during times of transition, heightened stress, critical change, or other situations impeding student success.

Recognizing and responding to student mental health needs and assisting students and families seeking resources.

Sharing strategies that support student achievement with parents, teachers, other educators, and community organizations

Providing referrals for students and families to school or community resources for additional assistance and information.

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