FAFSA Walkthrough Webinar Recording/FAFSA Day

 

Seniors and and Parents: The Parent FAFSA Line-by-Line Walkthrough webinar recording is now available. This is a resource for college bound seniors and families for assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid    Recording

Slides

Also, on January 27 from 9am-12pm please join us for FAFSA Day! FAFSA Day is a free event where local college campuses will provide one-on-one or small group support for completing the FAFSA. Whether you've already begun the application and need help with completion or you haven't started yet, we encourage you to attend! For more information, including a map of the 60 participating institutions and a registration link, please visit the FAFSA Day site.

Eastern NC Youth Activation Council - Open for Applications!

Special Olympics North Carolina is establishing an Eastern NC Youth Activation Council (YAC). This will be an elevated youth leadership opportunity for youth leaders with and without ID across eastern NC to represent Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools. Youth leaders will enhance their leadership skills, organize local Unified events and initiatives, and serve as advocates for inclusion. This group works together throughout the year to educate, motivate, and activate youth to become agents of change in their communities and advocate for the respect, inclusion, and acceptance of all people, regardless of abilities!

 

This commitment will run from January 2024 – June 2025. The council members will have virtual monthly meetings, as well as occasional in-person commitments. Middle school students, high school students, and college-aged youth are all welcome to apply for this opportunity! Students do not need to apply as Unified pairs; however, we will be selecting an equal number of students with ID and without ID. Please share the following application with your Unified Club members! Deadline to apply is Thursday, November 30^th.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to:  

.....

Isabella Williams, MSW

Director of Youth Initiatives

.....

Special Olympics North Carolina

2200 Gateway Centre Blvd., Suite 201

Morrisville, North Carolina  27560

 

Office: 919.719.7662, ext. 129 

Cell: 201.874.4625

Fax: 919.719.7663

Email: iwilliams@sonc.net

Twitter: @SONorthCarolina

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsNC

Real Talk Events

 Real Talk is a career and college exploration initiative designed to connect Black students and families with Black professionals and representatives from colleges and access organizations across the country. They empower Black students to own their future their way. Real Talk is a safe space for students to learn and engage, while also getting answers to pressing questions about life after high school. Family members are encouraged to participate! Check out upcoming events or rewatch  past events on demand HERE

Upcoming Events:  

Being Black in Gaming Tuesday, November 7, 8 p.m. ET This Tuesday, we’re connecting you with Black trailblazers from the gaming industry! Tap in and learn how to prepare during high school and college for a career in the world of video games. POV: Being Black in Pro Sports Tuesday, November 14, 8 p.m. ET There are infinite career opportunities in sports. This week, we’re linking you directly with Black professionals in the industry to hear how they transformed their passion for sports into a full-time career

FEMMES+ Connect Mentorship Registration Open Now!

 

 

We hope you're all doing well! We have loved getting to kick off all of our after-school and Saturday programs, and it has been great to see so many of your kids there! While we love having your 4th-6th graders, we recognize that there are a lot of FEMMES+ alums who are still just as passionate about STEM as ever, which is why registration for our FEMMES+ Connect program is open now! FEMMES+Connect is a Duke-run mentorship program that pairs Duke undergraduate students with 7th-12th graders in the Triangle Area for the entire year in hopes of inspiring younger students to pursue passions in a diversity of STEM fields! This year, we plan to continue providing two-on-one mentorships virtually, where undergraduate students can share their research, answer any questions about STEM in college, and guide students through the scientific thinking and research process through projects. We would appreciate it if you could also pass this information to any parents or students you know in middle or high school who might be interested in our program! If you are interested in becoming a FEMMES+ Connect mentee (even if you have already been one in the past), please use this link to sign up!  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdN5nM8GEP8BepvY5irUFtqCAdaHw89nS1UlMxu6oDhL6LpPg/viewform?usp=sf_link We appreciate all that you as parents are doing to help support our FEMMES+ community, as well as the next generation of STEM leaders! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at femmesatduke@gmail.com! Best,  FEMMES+ You've reached the end! Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at femmesatduke@gmail.com

Real Talk Event for Black Students and Their Parents/Guardians

 

The Real Talk virtual event series is back! We have two special nights lined up on October 3 and 10 to help Black students and their families navigate the college selection process. These events will help students decide whether an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) or PWI (Predominantly White Institution) is right for them. This is a great opportunity for Black students and their families in your school community to directly engage with college leaders and current college students from both HBCUs and PWIs.

Night 1: Tuesday, October 3, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT HBCUs, PWIs, and You: Join us and connect directly with HBCU and PWI reps from across the country as they share real talk on selecting a college home that aligns with each student’s personality and college and career aspirations.  Night 2: Tuesday, October 10, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT The Real Tea on HBCUs and PWIs: Want to know what college life is really like at HBCUs and PWIs? Students and their families can connect with current Black students who’ll spill the tea! Don't just hear it—experience it through their stories.  Select the tab below to learn more.

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HOBY Registration is now open!

 Registration is now OPEN for the 2024 State Seminar Season! 

Since 1958, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) has provided transformative leadership development training that has positively impacted the lives of over 500,000 high school students around the world. HOBY is looking  forward to providing VAHS students with the transformative experience of the HOBY State Leadership Seminar. 

For more than five decades, HOBY has inspired young people to make a difference and become catalysts for positive change in their home, school, workplace, and community. As America’s foremost youth leadership organization, HOBY has a long history of successfully motivating young people to develop into outstanding leaders.

Check out the HOBY Leadership Video HERE

Contact Jill O'Kane for more information or to be considered for a school nomination.

Class of 2024 Graduation Product Ordering

Seniors who did not order their cap and gown packages today may now use the HerffJones online ordering portal below. Be sure to order your products before 12/15/23 in order to avoid a price increase. 

Feel free to contact VAHS Counselor, Jill O'Kane with any questtions. 

jokane@voyageracademy.net 

https://highschool.herffjones.com/secom/home  

Golden Door Scholarship Fall 2024 Application Open

The Golden Door Scholarship opportunity is for undocumented students. 

The application is  open and due Sunday, Oct 1, 2023. 

Scholarship Benefits:

• Tuition, and room & board for up to 4 years at our partner colleges

• Career readiness support

• Mentor and fellowship opportunities

• Annual community building summit

Where can students apply? https://www.goldendoorscholars.org/apply

Who is eligible? https://www.goldendoorscholars.org/eligibility

What will students need to complete an application? Instructions are in the application, but here is a preview of the required materials.

• Video Recording 

• Written Essay (can be one from an existing college application or a new essay using a common app prompt if they don’t have one written yet)

• High school or college transcripts (unofficial is okay)

When is the best time to apply? As soon as possible! Applications take time to complete. Applying in advance of the due date is highly recommended.

Common Application Webinar Recording

Parents and students are encouraged to view the recording form last week's Common Application webinar. In the webinar linked below, Jameia Tennie, the Director of Student Engagement Programs for the Common Application provides an overview of the Common Application to Voyager students and families. This webinar recording provides useful information for students and parents about how to use the Common Application to explore and apply to colleges using the Common Application platform. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L4vozz3sezF3j2g3wy97IqqrE6I5vdLM/view

Open to Care Campaign

 

You don't have to keep the hurt inside. Talk to someone. Teens face a lot of pressures and stresses today. It’s OK not to be OK sometimes. Feelings of loneliness, anger and worry are completely normal, and you’re not alone. Many teenagers struggle with thoughts and feelings that make it harder to be with friends and do the things they want to do each and every day.

Reaching out for help can be scary, but it’s actually incredibly brave. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services recently launched a campaign for schools called “Open to Care.”  This campaign recognizes that young people face a lot of pressure and stress today. And that it’s OK not to be OK sometimes. However, things like social media and social norms and expectations can often make asking for help difficult. Feelings of loneliness, anger and worry are completely normal, and no one is ever alone. Yet many teenagers struggle with thoughts and feelings that make it harder to be with friends and do the things they want to do each and every day. But help is available when students know where to look.

For more information about NCDHHS's Open to Care, please click here: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/opentocare

The Coke Scholars Application

The Coke Scholars Application is Open for High School Seniors

Each year, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awards 150 college scholarships worth $20,000 to high school students across the United States through the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Students need a 3.0 GPA and to fill out an online application that requires no essays, no recommendations, and no transcripts by October 2, 2023, at 5 p.m. Eastern.

https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/

The Gates Scholarship Application is Open!

 

The Gates Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to exceptional student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential.
 
Selected Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance to earn a bachelor’s degree, that is not already covered by other financial aid and the expected family contribution, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by a Scholar’s college or university. Costs covered include tuition, fees, books, and room and board, and may include additional personal costs.

TGS also provides Scholars with various online support services designed to help them excel in their degree programs, graduate, and make a successful transition to their chosen careers. These include career services, mentoring, leadership development, wellness, and knowledge building.

Eligibility requirements: A high school senior From at least one of the following ethnicities: African American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian/Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American Pell-eligible A US citizen, national, or permanent resident In a good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) Additionally, a student must plan to enroll full-time, in a four-year degree program, at a US accredited, not-for-profit, private or public college or university.   *For American Indian/Alaska Native, proof of tribal enrollment will be required.   An ideal candidate will also have: An outstanding academic record in high school (in the top 10% of his/her graduating class) Demonstrated leadership ability (e.g., as shown through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities) Exceptional personal success skills (e.g., emotional maturity, motivation, perseverance, etc.) Application deadline: Phase I of the application opened July 15, with a submission deadline of Friday, September 15, 2023, 5:00 PM PT.   For additional information, please visit our website and watch the video below.

QuestBridge Natonal College Match

 

The 2023 National College Match application is now open! The deadline is Tuesday, September 26. Start your application today >>

The National College Match

Are you a low-income high school senior who has excelled academically, but feels that the nation’s best colleges are financially out of reach? The QuestBridge National College Match can be your pathway to a top college. Through this college and scholarship application process, you can apply for free to the nation’s best colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship.

Why apply through QuestBridge? The National College Match application gives you extra space to tell your unique story as a student who has excelled academically despite financial hardship. Our college partners are actively seeking students like you. If admitted to a college partner through the Match or QuestBridge Regular Decision, you will join a supportive community of thousands of other QuestBridge Scholars currently attending our college partners. Upon graduation, you'll be welcomed into the QuestBridge Alumni Association for continued support, networking, and development opportunities.  

QuestBridge is for students who: 

• Excel academically by earning primarily A’s in the most challenging courses available and displaying intellectual curiosity and strong writing ability.
• Come from households earning less than $65,000 annually (for a household of four), with minimal assets, and often qualify for their school's free or reduced-price meals.
• Exhibit strong character, such as resilience, integrity, and motivation to succeed.

Learn more HERE

Class of 2024 Senior Photo Information

 Voyager High School Class of 2024!

Senior Pictures will take place on Thursday, August 17th and Friday, August 18th in classroom D124. Information is attached.

 

-Strawbridge will provide the tux and drape for picture day. 

-females should bring or wear a tank top or any kind of shirt that can go off the shoulders

-males should have a light colored t-shirt to wear under the tux shirt

 -Seniors must sign up for an appointment. Book your appointment here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C4BAEAE2FA3FE3-durham31 #Expressions

If you have any questions about Senior pictures, please contact our Customer Service department via the Live Chat at www.strawbridge.net (available 8am to 5pm ET) or by emailing customerservice@strawbridge.net.

Thank You!

July updates from Common Application

                                            Create a Common Application account HERE

The Common App is Gearing up for a new year!

There are many productive ways for students to prepare for the upcoming application season:

• Explore over 1,000 unique colleges and universities that accept the Common App.
• Brainstorm ideas for the Common App essay. Need some inspiration on how to begin? Check out the 2023-2024 essay prompts and our resource on approaching the essay in English and Spanish. 
• Begin completing brag sheets. Our counselors, teachers, and family brag sheets help students gather important information about themselves to help those writing letters of recommendation on their behalf.
• College costs are at the front of many students’ minds. Learn how to make college more affordable.

Check out these  Additional Resources!  

• Common App Ready

• Common App videos

• First-Year Application Guide