It’s time to begin to organize your thoughts and ideas with reference to college planning and career goals.
This one-time newsletter for Juniors will help you get started.

In your senior year a monthly newsletter will be posted in Google Classroom and on the School Counseling webpage, as well as be available in hard copy in the School Counseling Office.

Junior Parent Conferences
If parents/guardians of Juniors would like a Junior Parent Conference, please contact the School Counseling Office and speak with support staff to schedule an in-person, phone or Google Meet appointment during school hours.  JPC’s are highly encouraged and are meetings designed to continue the work counselors have begun with students towards their post-high school planning.  Please note that the focus of a JPC does not necessarily have to be on the college process, as some students and families may also be exploring options related to enrolling in a trade program, going into the workforce, taking a gap year or enlisting in the military.

Spring College Fairs
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
The Regional College Night will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES in Yorktown Heights, 5:30pm to 8pm.
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
The Spring Southern Westchester College Fair will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, 6pm-8:30pm.

College Open Houses
There is no better way to get a feel for a college than to visit in person.  Colleges are offering in-person campus tours, information sessions and open houses now, as well as virtual.  When planning your “visits” it is best to utilize the college’s website as the main source of information.

College Admission Counselors Visit LHS/WPHS in the Fall
College representatives will be visiting LHS/WPHS in the fall.  In order to attend this visit, you will need to register through Naviance no later than one day prior to the visit.  Once we approach the fall, it is recommended that you frequently access the district’s Naviance Student webpage to get the most up-to-date list of college visits.  The link to Naviance is located on the district School Counseling web page (www.lakelandschools.org, click Departments, School Counseling, Post Secondary Planning-College, Naviance Student, select WPHS or LHS, and choose your user type to log-in.)

Naviance
Become familiar with the NAVIANCE program.  Search, compare, and review the admission history of the colleges that interest you.  You can access the Naviance program, as well as other helpful sites, on the district “School Counseling” web page at www.lakelandschools.org, Departments, School Counseling, Post Secondary Planning-College, Naviance Student.

Financial Planning for College
The Net Price Calculator, which is available on a college’s website, will provide specific financial aid and overall cost estimates for your prospective colleges.  Net Price Calculators don’t guarantee financial aid; the award letters from the colleges the student is accepted to will provide the exact financial aid amounts.

NCAA
If you plan to play in a Division I or Division II sport in college, you must register with the NCAA, the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The registration fee is $90.  You can register now at the website https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/ . When you register for the SAT and/or ACT, be sure to add the Eligibility Center as a score recipient by using the code “9999”.  Also, make sure that you ask your counselor to send an official transcript to the Eligibility Center after you complete your junior year.  More information and resources for college-bound student-athletes and parents can be found on the website

Resources
Through the School Counseling Office’s College/Career Center you will find helpful information regarding your future plans.  The following resources are available to you:

• A number of excellent college, military and career sites can be accessed through the LCSD School Counseling web page by visiting lakelandschools.org, clicking Departments, School Counseling.
• CAREERS - Web-based career and personality inventories are available through the School Counseling web page and also through your Naviance account. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ , offers career information on a wide variety of occupations.  Or look at careers related to your strengths, skills, and talents at CareerZone, at careerzone.ny.gov .
• MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS - This newsletter is a preview of the notices that will be available in Google Classroom and on the School Counseling web page, as well as in hard copy in the School Counseling Office. The notices provide information about applying to college, scholarships, financial aid, etc.  Please take the time to read them.  The newsletters are also posted on the LHS/WPHS School Counseling web pages.

• Students should make a concerted effort to prepare for the SAT or ACT either through a formal course or independent practice. Practice tests can be found online through College Board and ACT. Naviance in conjunction with Kaplan offers free practice tests and an opportunity to sample a class. More information can be found at https://www.kaptest.com/partner/naviance.  Practice test booklets are also available in the School Counseling Office.

• Colleges that require standardized testing or use test optional policies will accept either the SAT or the ACT Test when they review your application.

• Students with disabilities seeking testing accommodations must complete a separate application for accommodation approval as early as possible. The review process is conducted by College Board or ACT and can take up to seven weeks for approval.  Applications are approved in order of receipt. Students should work with their school counselor to submit accommodation requests.

• Keep in mind that test scores are not available until 3 to 5 weeks after your test date.

• You are required to submit a photo when registering for the SAT or ACT. You must have an admission ticket and acceptable photo ID to gain entry to the test center.

• Most students take the SAT or ACT test twice—once in the spring of junior year and once in the fall of senior year. Your highest scores will be used for admission. Typically done with the SAT, colleges will superscore students’ highest sections from all test dates to create the superscore.

• To check out test optional colleges, visit http://fairtest.org/ .

Test Dates (Spring 2023)

College Scholarships
Most colleges offer a number of scholarships with varying eligibility requirements.  Many recipients of merit scholarships are selected on the basis of high school grade point average and SAT/ACT scores.  Scholarship renewals are usually based on satisfactory academic progress.  Visit the financial aid website of a college to see what financial assistance is available and how recipients are selected.  If you are thinking of applying to the following colleges and would like to be considered for an award nomination, please contact Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS).

The Clarkson University Leadership and Achievement Awards recognize Juniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities, have been a positive contributor to school and community, and have a proven academic record.  The Leadership Award totals $60,000 over four years and the Achievement Award, $48,000.  Candidates must be in the top 15% of the class with an academic interest in Engineering, Business, Science or Liberal Arts. If interested in being nominated, contact Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS) in the School Counseling Office by April 17, 2023. Only one nomination per award.  Students selected will qualify for these tuition-based scholarships should they apply, interview, be accepted and choose to enroll at Clarkson University.  2022-23 scholarship details are not yet available.

The Elmira College Key Award is an award of merit presented to outstanding high school Juniors. Nominees should have a minimum academic grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale), demonstrate outstanding school and community leadership, and have an interest in an academic program offered by Elmira College.  Each recipient will receive a scholarship of $80,000, $20,000 per year over four years, upon enrolling at Elmira. If you would like to be considered for nomination, see Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS) in the School Counseling Office by April 17, 2023.  Letter of recommendation is required.  Students selected will qualify for this scholarship should they apply, be accepted and choose to enroll at Elmira College.  2022-23 scholarship details are not yet available.

The Rensselaer Medal is awarded to Juniors who excel in advanced math and science courses, rank in the top 10% of the class and exhibit significant involvement in extracurricular activities.  Medalists who are accepted and enroll at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will receive a minimum $30,000 a year for four years.  The most recent medal winners have had a high school average of “A” and an average SAT math score of 736, an average SAT critical reading score of 687, and an average combined SAT score for critical reading and math of 1423.  Only One Nomination per school.  Please see Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS) in the School Counseling Office by April 17, 2023 if interested in being considered for nomination.  The student selected will qualify for this scholarship should he/she apply, be accepted and choose to enroll at RPI.  2022-23 scholarship details are not yet available.

The Rochester Institute of Technology invites high schools to participate in the RIT Computing Medal Award and the Creativity and Innovation Award. One male and one female Junior nomination will be accepted for each program.  Nominees must have a minimum cumulative GPA 93+ and be in the top 10% of their class, demonstrate leadership in school and/or community and demonstrate an interest and ability in computing OR demonstrate outstanding achievement in innovation, creativity, or entrepreneurship.  The scholarships are valued at $32,000 ($8,000 per year) and can be used to support any of the baccalaureate degrees available at RIT.  Contact Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS) in the School Counseling Office by April 17, 2023 if interested in being considered for these RIT scholarships.  The approved nominees will qualify for this scholarship should they apply, be accepted and choose to enroll at RIT in the fall following graduation.  2022-23 scholarship details are not yet available.

The University of Rochester is accepting nominations for the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award, the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award, the George Eastman Young Leaders Award and the Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology.  One Junior may be nominated for each award. Each nominee will have their Rochester application fee waived and will be eligible for consideration for a merit scholarship worth $5,000 a year.  Scholarship selection is competitive and based upon the overall strength of the student’s application for admission.  If you would like to be considered for an award, please contact Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS) in the School Counseling Office by April 17, 2023. For specific award information you can visit https://www.rochester.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/ . Award winners are not guaranteed admission or a scholarship to Rochester.

The Russell Sage College Student Sage Award will honor outstanding Juniors who are academic and social leaders. Candidates should have maintained a B or better average, able to balance numerous activities with enthusiasm and leadership, and be actively involved in the community.  Up to six nominations per school.  Qualifying nominees will receive a scholarship of at least $16,000 per year to attend Russell Sage College.  If interested in being nominated, contact Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS) in the School Counseling Office by April 17, 2023. Award nominees will qualify for this scholarship to Russell Sage College should they apply, be accepted and attend in the fall after graduation.

The Wells College 21^st Century Leadership Award, worth $10,000 per year, recognizes a Junior with a cumulative GPA of 85% in a college preparatory program and demonstrated leadership abilities through school and community activities.  Please note that as an NCAA Div III college, they are unable to consider athletic participation when selecting candidates for this award.  Only two nominations per school are allowed.  If interested in being nominated, please provide a resume to Mrs. O’Neill (LHS) or Ms. Zadra (WPHS) in the School Counseling Office by March 24, 2023.  (April 21, 2023 Wells College deadline.)  Award nominees will qualify for this scholarship to Wells College should they apply, be accepted and attend in the fall after graduation.

Scholarships, Contests, Etc.
There are some organizational scholarships available to high school juniors.  Listen to the morning announcements, check out the Underclassmen Bulletin on Google Docs, the whiteboard outside the School Counseling Office and visit the LHS/WPHS School Counseling web page.

The Ayn Rand Essay Contest is based on the novel, Anthem, and the book, The Fountainhead, which is open to students in grades 8th-12th and 11th and 12th, respectively.   Prizes up to $5,000 will be awarded. Visit https://aynrand.org for complete information. The entry deadline is April 27, 2023.

The New York State Archives announces its annual Student Research Awards.  The statewide competition is open to students in grades 4-12.  Awards consist of a certificate and cash prize.  Entries must be the result of student research using historical records and must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2023.  For guidelines and entry forms visit  www.archives.nysed.gov and click “Education”.

The Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship Program will award over 100 scholarships of $1000 to Junior athletes based on their essays explaining how they meet the standard defined in Elevating Your Game: Becoming a Triple-Impact Competitor by Jim Thompson (Personal Mastery, Leadership, and Honoring the Game). A minimum 2.5 GPA is required.  Application and three required references must be submitted through the online application portal at www.positivecoach.org by TBA.  2022-23 scholarship details not yet available.

GET INVOLVED!  MANY SCHOLARSHIPS RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Miscellaneous
The QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program is designed for Juniors who have shown outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges, and who show the potential to attend top colleges. Awards include free prep test, all expense-paid campus visits, scholarships to summer programs, college essay coaching, distinction as a competitive candidate for admission to the QuestBridge college partners, etc.  Applicants should have a strong academic record, (primarily A’s), and an annual income of less than $65,000 (typical family of four.)  The majority of applicants are in the top 5-10% of their class. Test scores are not required but about 77% of last year’s College Prep Scholars scored above 1270 on the SAT or 26 on the ACT.  The selection criteria includes academic achievement, financial need, and teacher and character recommendations. Applications available at https://www.questbridge.org/ (deadline March 22, 2023).

Manhattan College & ACE Mentorship Program is offering a FREE summer engineering awareness program for current 10^th and 11^th grade minority and women high school students which will include lectures and laboratory experiences related to concepts in science and the various engineering disciplines such as civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical, environmental, and computer engineering. Visit https://manhattan.edu/academics/schools-and-departments/school-of-engineering/high-school-programs.php for more information and to apply to the program.  Deadline:  April 24, 2023.  There is limited space, it is recommended you apply early.  All programs are subject to change based on funding and Covid.



LAKELAND HIGH SCHOOL, 1349 East Main St. Shrub Oak, NY  10588
PH: (914) 528-0600 (press 3, Guidance), FAX: (914) 528-3693
ADMINISTRATION:  Christopher Cummings, Principal, Alfonse Davino, Asst. Principal, Samantha Stein, Asst. Principal
COUNSELING OFFICE:  Frank Gizzo, Director of School Counseling
SCHOOL COUNSELORS:  Meredith Klatsky, Kaitlyn Marshall, Gregory Millings (ACE), Bianca Raniolo, Julie Ruxton, Dennine Smith
SUPPORT STAFF:  Patricia Goff, Cheryl Hamilton, Carole Henkin, B