IRISH WEEKLY

Counselor's Corner

ATTENTION SENIORS!

NEW MERIT SCHOLARSHIP COLLECTION FORM

We now have an online form for you to submit all of your MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS you have received from each Granting Scholarship Organization, Institution or College/University; one entry is required per scholarship. You must upload a copy of your official scholarship award letter with each submission. All scholarship information must be submitted no later than May 1, 2026, as this information will be captured and proudly displayed in the Graduation Program under your name.

Click here to submit your Merit Scholarships.

FAFSA HELP

Stark State is offering help to any student with the FAFSA, even if you are not planning to attend Stark State. Open labs will be held on April 8 at Stark State Akron from 3-5 p.m. and April 16 at Stark State main campus from 3-5 p.m. Click here for more information.

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.

U.S. Military Service - ACADEMY DAY - APRIL 20

Congresswoman Emilia Sykes is hosting Academy Day on Monday, April 20, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hudson High School (2500 Hudson Aurora Rd, Hudson, OH 44236). This event will give participants the opportunity to learn more about attending a U.S. Military Service Academy, as well as how to apply for a nomination from Congresswoman Sykes. RSVP here. If you have any questions, please contact Congresswoman Emilia Sykes' office at 330-400-5350.

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.
The St. Mary Parish Men's Club has opened applications for the Reverend Joseph Costello Memorial Scholarship. This is open only to parishioners of St. Mary Parish in Hudson. Click here for information. Deadline is April 11, 2026 by 8 a.m.
The Summit County Retired Teachers Association offers scholarships to high school seniors who plan to pursue careers in education. Click here for more information. Deadline is April 6, 2026.
Bath Volunteers For Service Merit Award, for those living in the Revere Local School District. Click here for the flyer. Deadline is April 9, 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 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!
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.
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.

COLLEGE FAIRS

Stark County College Fair at Walsh University: Monday, April 13, 2026. 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Click here for the flyer.

Admitted Student Events

The following are college admitted students events forwarded to students from the college counselors. This list is not exhaustive. Seniors should continue to check their emails and admitted student accounts for additional information and opportunities.

University of Toledo

Join The University of Toledo for Rocket Playbook: Sports Management at UToledo on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 ― a special event for admitted and prospective students who are interested in the business of sports. Click here for information.

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.

College Summer 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

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.

MIAMI UNIVERSITY SUMMER SCHOLARS

The Summer Scholars Program at Miami University in Ohio is a selective, week-long summer experience for academically talented high school students who will be juniors or seniors the following fall. The curriculum for this program is built for active learners. Students dive deeply into a specific academic topic, participate in lively discussions and hands-on projects, and forge connections with Miami faculty and peers. For more information, click here. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2026.

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.

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.

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.

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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