What are you doing this summer?

It is definitely NOT too early to ask what you are doing this summer.

Some students are showing great responsibility by coming to the school counseling office to ask about references for a summer volunteer experience, or leads for a summer job, or recommendations for SAT prep programs. This is definitely the time to plan how you will spend those two months in the summer.

Let's discuss.

It should be clear by now that regardless of what grade you are in, you are expected to increase the level of rigor in your high school program from each year to the next. That said, you certainly deserve a break this summer, to recharge your mind, soul, and body. Nothing feels better to most of us than hanging out by (or in) the the nearest large body of water that we can find. Going out with your friends to get a snowball, Italian Ice, or ice cream is the stuff of many memories, so by all means, plan to enjoy your youth while you still can.

Realistically speaking, daily treats can get expensive and that much sugar probably isn't such a great idea, no matter how much exercise you get, unless you are Michael Phelps. So what else can you do with your time to keep your life moving toward your eventual college and career goals?

You can find examples of these and other summer opportunities at http://tinyurl.com/PHSSummerPrograms

GET A JOB

For those who are at least 16 years old, welcome to the world of the potentially employed. There really is no trick to getting a job. Ask everyone you can find about if they know of anyone who is hiring (these tips are called "leads") and pursue those opportunities. Use your spring break and walk everywhere within a reasonable distance from your home and/or your parent/guardian's place of employment. When you enter a potential place of employment, politely and respectfully ask for the manager, assertively introduce yourself by first and last name, and ask the manager (or owner) if they are hiring. Whether they are or not, you should ask for an application, just in case things change. By presenting yourself in a mature manner, and introducing yourself, you make a lasting positive impression that they will hopefully remember. Take the job application home to complete. Complete it accurately and thoroughly with your (not your parent's) best handwriting, then promptly return the application to the business, ideally to the same person you met the first time. It may help to take a pencil with you to lightly write the name of the business on the job application so you don't get them confused. 

If you are not yet 16, don't expect much from the business world. Even though you are legally employable, most companies have rules about hiring under 16 (or even 18!). Don't lose hope, however, Teens at 14 or 15 can sometimes get jobs as a mother's helper or as an apprentice for a small and locally owned business.

It will help (or be necessary) if you aspire to babysit, lifeguard, or have any contact with children, to be certified in CPR and First Aid. You can find a certification class at area community centers by checking with the Red Cross or American Heart Association.

Unless you are paid by a family, you will need to obtain a work permit for your employer to keep on file. The process for completing this is to 1.) Download the form from the Maryland State Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. 2.) Complete your portion, your employer will need to complete their portion, and then ask your parent/guardian to sign it. 3.) Enter the required information at the website listed on the form and print the online receipt. 4.) Bring the completed form and the printed receipt to one of the secretaries at school. 5.) Take the completed form back to your employer to keep on file.

VOLUNTEER

Money is nice to have, but you will have the rest of your life to work. Giving back to your community is an excellent way to pursue your values and support a cause that you believe in. In addition, you are required to complete 75 pre-approved student service learning hours as part of the requirements for a high school diploma. Ms. Slingland in room 209 hears about service learning opportunities every week and posts them on the bulletin board outside Room 120. You can also search the Baltimore County Volunteer website for other leads on service projects. Remember, in order for a service project to count on your school record, you need to have Ms. Slingland's preapproval, since he has to ensure that it meets MSDE guidelines.

Aside from thinking about graduation, volunteerism is a great way to show engagement in your surroundings with the eventual hope of admission to college or earning scholarships. Whatever service project you pursue, the most rewarding (both intrinsically and extrinsically) ones will be the ones that are meaningful to you, either due to your political or social values, or because they help you heal some earlier wound in your past, or help you "pay it forward."

Just watch for deadlines, since some volunteer programs have application and interview processes.

INTERN

In addition to volunteering, having so much time during the work day allows you the chance to shadow a professional in a field you are considering for a career. This does not need to be a season-long event. Sometimes just a week will give you enough of an idea of how much (or how little!) you would enjoy a particular job. Some internships are paid, some require applications and interviews, so be sure you call ahead and make arrangements well in advance to ensure that this idea is permitted at any given work site.

READ FOR PLEASURE

All school year, you are assigned reading on a weekly basis, and the summer is the perfect opportunity to find literature that you really enjoy. Your comprehension skills will stay strong (or even grow), your vocabulary will strengthen, and your world will expand. All we suggest is that you choose books that are appropriate for your grade or reading level. High School students are not likely to be challenged by re-reading Harry Potter. Ask a librarian for suggestions, or use some suggestions from a simple web search.

VISIT COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Even though college campuses will be quite empty, if summer is the only time you can get on the road with your families, it is best to take advantage of an opportunity when one presents itself. You can use Smart College Visit to help you plan, but even a simple google map search will show you colleges in the area of any destination and you can schedule campus tours from the schools' websites. Take plenty of pictures and notes along your way, so that you can reflect upon your experience with your family and your school counselor to help you make informed decisions about a good college fit.

In addition to low-key visits, you can also pay for week-long and extended college programs that incorporate social opportunities and college tours, such as Summer Discovery. 

TAKE COLLEGE COURSES

In fact, you can even incorporate your campus exploration into the chance to earn college credits. Most colleges have summer programs for high school students. The hard part is deciding which college you want to try and which summer program you want to pursue. This option is of particular benefit for the aspiring student athlete, since you have the chance to be mentored by college coaches in your chosen sport.

PREPARE FOR THE SAT & ACT

This is most beneficial for rising juniors and seniors, but it is an important task for college planning. Preparing for these tests can be achieved through any number of avenues, and the key is to find the method that makes sense for your own motivation and budget. You can use the free online access granted from your PSAT Score Report. You can pay $30-$50 for a book (or borrow one from the library) with practice tests and questions with some tutorials.  You can enroll in a course at the community college. You can take a course through (for example) Kaplan, Kumon, Sylvan, Huntington, or Princeton Review, or even find someone to tutor you individually.

JUST DO SOMETHING

However you spend your summer, after you get over that initial period of sleeping until noon, you will be looking for constructive and productive ways to spend your time. With as many as ten weeks away from school, this is a tremendous opportunity to create lasting memories. Make it a summer you won't regret.

Anti-Bullying Day

Baltimore County Public Schools will hold its first system-wide Anti-Bullying Day on March 1.
In addition to individual school initiatives, students will be asked to sign a no-bullying pledge and be reminded of this pledge with a wristband that says "#TeamNoBullying."

Bullying is a pervasive problem that we must all continue to work together to overcome. It is something that everyone endures, but few have been willing to stand up and intervene. While there are legal definitions for bullying, we cannot forget that perception is reality, and that if a person feels victimized, then the damage is done, whatever a third party wishes to call that damage. And the damage is often more than hurt feelings. When we feel these feelings, it increases our blood pressure and causes muscle tension, loss of sleep, changes in appetite... the levels of stress impact physical health as well as mental and emotional health.

Name-calling, teasing, exclusion, slander, sarcasm, "throwing shade," physical harm... the list can go on for days; bullying looks like many things to many people.

However, with this being a school counseling blog, this post will focus more on solutions than on the problem. It is clear to everyone that there is a problem, and we all have experienced bullying of some degree at some point, we know how it feels, and we would like to do more. So let's talk about what we can do about it.

Prevention
Be a positive individual. Dole out praise to other people, express gratitude for their presence and participation in your school and your life. Show appreciation, as it may take every ounce of their strength to even come to school. Accept people for who they are, not what they can do for you. Remember that our society is built on caring for each other, and the collective grows stronger when every participant can improve upon their current situation.
In the wake of the shooting at Perry Hall High School, even one of our local heroes, Ray Rice, posted on his Facebook page:
 "Students...today when you go to school...Sit with someone who is alone at the lunch table, befriend the new kid in class, lend a helping hand, make it a point to be kind, and if you see something that is not quite right, say something!! You can be a HERO to someone, just by being their FRIEND!"
When you are online, practice responsible digital citizenship. Being a responsible digital citizen includes being personally safe by not putting yourself in dangerous situations. Additionally, as it relates to this conversation, to borrow a term from counseling, being a responsible digital citizen means that you employ beneficence and nonmaleficence. When texting, tweeting, or posting on Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media, keep your posts positive and without intent to harm. The internet is a virtual arena for people to interact. Even though you can't see other user's faces when they read your posts, that doesn't mean they are not there. Only post things that you would want your grandparents, future bosses, and perhaps your own eventual children to see. If your ten-years-from-now self wouldn't be proud, then keep it to yourself.

Intervention
Assist your classmates who seem to be struggling. Listen to them. You don't need to solve their problems, but even taking a moment to listen to them is often an improvement over their previous experiences. The goal is to offer hope. If and when things get too intense, don't get alarmed. Just encourage them to also talk to an adult, and make sure that you go straight to a trusted adult to inform us, so that we can assist.
When you overhear someone being rude in the hall or in class, stand up and say something to the aggressor. Disarm them with kindness. Deflect the attention in some way - you don't need to get violent, just change scene. If that means directly confronting the person in a nonviolent way, great. It may be easier to loudly change the subject, or do something silly to distract the crowd's attention. It may serve a double benefit to overtly support the victim. The goal is to keep the environment positive. It may take tremendous courage at first, but remember how much courage it must take a person to even come to school, knowing that someone is bound to pick on him or her during 6th period. Some students even have to endure going home to emotional abuse or neglect that could be worse than what they experience in school. You never know what the person next to you really feels.
Please take the time and care to be considerate to everyone in your life. Being kind is so much easier than being rude and mean. Not to mention, you never know when you may need that favor repaid.
So, think about your role in the bullying "relationship." Is it possible that you are the perpetrator? Take a minute and think about how you interact with your peers and how that may be received by them. Are you a bystander? Are you afraid to stand up, for fear that you will also be targeted? When more bystanders do something, the act of bullying will no longer be accepted. Are you an ally? Develop that leadership and encourage others to stand up for the downtrodden. Are you a victim of bullying in any way? What resources are you using to care for yourself? Talk with your parents, school counselor, watch the videos below... do anything to keep yourself moving forward. High school is temporary, and the more you can do to keep yourself looking forward to emotional freedom, the less time and energy you'll spend focusing on the present.

This next video playlist is from journalist Dan Savage's It Gets Better Project. It is an example of many adults who have come through the struggles of coming out as being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, first to themselves, and then to others. The clear theme is that as hard as it is to be a queer teen, if you can get through this period of your life, it will get better.


Life doesn't always get better on its own, however. It takes great determination, patience, and - most importantly - the support of other human beings who sincerely care.

We are all in this together. 

College Fairs

Now that we have passed the #PHSfit college fair, let's talk about two college exploration opportunities in the near future, the CCBC/BCPS College Fair, and CollegeWeekLive.

CCBC/BCPS College Fair
At this event cosponsored by the local community college and our school district, over a hundred college admissions representatives from colleges as far away as Hawai'i will be on-hand to provide information and answer questions. This is a two-night event, with CCBC-Essex being the site on March 4, and CCBC-Catonsville being the site on March 5. In both cases, the event lasts from 6 to 8pm, parking is free and plentiful, and the location will be clearly designated (the largest building on campus, the athletic/wellness center).
All families are invited to attend and BCPS school counselors will be on-hand to lend their expertise if you have any questions. To prepare, you are advised to print the list of suggested questions to ask at a college fair, from this blog's college planning page. Also, it will be helpful to print off several pages of labels with the following information:

• Student's first and last names
• Student's phone number and email address
• Student's mailing address
• Student's intended major (it's okay to be undecided!)

PARTICIPANT LIST

Alfred University

Antonelli Institute*

Arcadia University

Art Institute

Baltimore City Community College

Bethany College

Bridgewater College

Bryant University

Cabrini College

Campbell University**

Capitol College

Carlow University*

Case Western Reserve University

Catawba College

CCBC

Cedar Crest College

Chestnut Hill College**

Christopher Newport University

Clarkson University

Coastal Carolina University

Concord University

Coppin State University

Corcoran College of Art and Design

Davis & Elkins College**

Delaware Valley College

Duquesne University*

Eastern University

Elon University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Emmanuel College*

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairmont State University

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

Ferrum College**

Flagler College

Florida Institute of Technology**

Frostburg State University

Full Sail University

Garrett College

George Mason University**

Goldey-Beacom College

Goucher College

Hampton University

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Hawaii Pacific University

High Point University

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Hood College

Immaculata University*

Iona College

Johns Hopkins University

Johnson & Wales University**

Juniata College**

Kean University

King’s College

La Salle University

Lasell College*

Lebanon Valley College

Liberty University

Limestone College

Longwood University

Lycoming College

Manhattan College

Marymount Manhattan College*

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

McDaniel College

Methodist University

Millersville University

Mount Holyoke College**

Mount Olive College

Mount St. Mary’s University

Neumann University

New Jersey Institute of Technology

New York Institute of Technology*

Norfolk State University

North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina Wesleyan College

Notre Dame of Maryland University

Old Dominion University

Pace University

Penn State University

Pfeiffer University

Radford University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Roanoke College

Rochester Institute of Technology

Roger Williams University*

Rowan University

Rutgers University**

Saint Francis University

Saint Peter’s University*

Savannah College of Art and Design

Seton Hall University

Seton Hill University**

Shenandoah University

Shippensburg University

St. Andrews University

St. John’s University

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

St. Paul’s College

St. Vincent College

Stevenson University

The College of New Jersey

The University of Scranton

Towson University

Trinity Washington University

Tuskegee University

United States Coast Guard Academy

United States Merchant Marine Academy

University of Baltimore

University of Bridgeport

University of Maryland Baltimore County

University of Maryland College Park**

University of Maryland College Park Air Force Academy

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

University of Mary Washington

University of Nevada, Las Vegas*

University of New England

University of New Haven

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

University of Northwestern Ohio

University of Pittsburgh*

University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg

University of the Sciences**

Ursinus College

Vassar College*

Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Military Institute

Virginia Tech

Virginia Wesleyan College

Wagner College*

Washington & Jefferson College

Washington College

Wentworth Institute of Technology**

West Chester University

West Virginia State University

West Virginia University

West Virginia University Institute of Technology

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Wheeling Jesuit University

Widener University

William Peace University

Wilson College

York College of Pennsylvania

*          CCBC Catonsville Only

**       CCBC Essex Only

For a humorous and often sarcastic - though not unrealistic - take on what NOT to do at a college fair, browse the "Admissions Problems" blog, facebook, and twitter posts.

Making plans for next year

Happy School Counseling Week!
On Monday of this week, our students received materials to request their courses for next year, and watched a video made by Mrs. O'Brien-Krack and three of our esteemed curricular chairmen:


Students are encouraged to consult with their teachers to obtain recommendations for electives, since the course request forms are already populated with recommendations for next year's primary course contents and levels, based on test scores, current courses, and teachers' observations thus far this year.
The forms need to indicate seven credits, include alternates in case students' first choices are not available or are in conflict with each other, and are due back to homeroom teachers on Friday. Then, starting next Tuesday and going through March 1, every single student in grades 9 through 11 has a prescheduled appointment with his or her school counselor to discuss these plans to ensure appropriate rigor and to check on their four-year plans.
Some students have already noticed that they have the same time as their peers. This is because some students may need 3 minutes to just verify that everything makes sense, some may not even show for their appointments, and some may need at least ten minutes. To plan for that, each counselor has six 30-minute blocks each day to meet individually with three students each. We will spend this time to review the four-year plan, enter course requests into the scheduling software, and discuss any pertinent issues like testing plans or senior year requirements. Additionally, the school counselor will be available during their assigned lunch shifts to meet with any student who needs to do so.
To prepare everyone, here are a few guidelines to remember:

• Regardless of your grade or intentions, please seek balance. You need to challenge yourself, but not at the expense of your youth and/or mental health. Make sure that you are challenged, with ample time to also pursue your extracurricular interests and family responsibilities.
• Current freshmen and sophomores are required to have two different years of the same world language in high school for admission to four-year colleges in Maryland, regardless of what or how many credits in world language in middle school.
• Current freshmen and sophomores are required to continue with math through senior year for admission to four-year colleges in Maryland, regardless of how difficult their math track was when they started high school.
• We encourage students to get their fitness, engineering, health, and fine arts completed as early in high school as possible, while also acknowledging the value and integrity of other programs like multi-media, AVID, Project Lead-the-Way, and staying involved in performing arts all four years. It always comes down to the individual student's priorities and values. It helps to write out the four-year plan in order to get a sense of when and how those priorities fit together.
• AVID is for students who are in the academic middle - students who are interested and capable of pursuing four-year college admission, but may not have the support or resources available from parents or case managers. AVID is not for students who need remediation or motivation. AVID students are expected to take honors classes in grades 9 and 10, and AP classes in grades 11 and 12. If you are prepared for that kind of challenge, ask for an application. If the AVID site team feels that you would be appropriately suited for the program, then you will be invited to join the ranks of many successful AVID scholars.
• All students have the remainder of the 2012-13 school year to change their minds about next year's classes, as once the schedule is built over the summer, no changes will be made. Staffing decisions are made based on your requests, and it is not fair to teachers or your fellow students to pursue changes to your schedule next year. You get what you ask for, so please make sure that you are certain about what you want.
• To help ensure proper consideration, we launched a "Get AP Fit" video playlist so students can hear about 14 different AP courses before taking the courses, so there are no surprises. View the playlist at http://tinyurl.com/GetAPfit
• Remember that for college admissions, the priority junior year is grades and the priority senior year is rigor, to ensure both college admission and completion.
• Current juniors who wish to have a partial schedule next year should consider several things. Such a request is not an option if service learning hours are not complete, or if there are any HSAs which you have not yet passed. Plan to be in school every day, all year. If you are eligible and wish to pursue this, be certain that it is really in your best interests. Consult with college admissions counselors and ask them in general terms what they prefer when reading high school transcripts - more AP classes, parallel enrollment at the community college, internships, or released time? You can ask them at college fairs (CCBC will hold one in the first week of March), or on campus tours, or by calling the campus and asking to speak with an admissions counselor (secretaries and undergraduate work-study students usually answer - ask to speak with the rep responsible for your geographic area). 
• Whatever plan you pursue for senior year, remember that in addition to your classwork, you will also be expected to balance homework and studying with college visits and applications, and scholarship applications, all of which are quite time-consuming.

We look forward to meeting with all of our students individually, so please make sure that you arrive on time for your designated appointment. We will resume our regular schedule in March. Again, change your you mind about next year's classes as often as you want until June; after that, they are yours to keep.

College Pathways

We took 18 sophomores to CCBC today to participate in the College Pathways Program, one of the many partnerships between CCBC and BCPS.

During this program, sophomores

• discuss the expectations of college admissions, including the average GPA and SAT/ACT scores that students have to be admitted to colleges that are popular in this region
• identify resources that help students find academic success in high school and in college
• tour the campus
• visit specific classrooms (today, we toured the allied health and nursing practical labs - including a mannequin that told us that it felt sick - as well as the automotive shop, where we saw vehicles from next year's GM model line for students to practice)
• take a short Holland code career interest inventory and learn the value of finding a good career fit
• stop in and see the large gymnasium that's on campus (with reminders of the March 5 college fair)
• have lunch provided in the dining hall

This program is incredibly valuable, as it shows students what college actually "looks like," instead of being some abstract concept that the adults in their lives keep talking about, or however "college" is portrayed in popular culture. In addition, students get to see the many opportunities that CCBC offers as a means of getting their college education started with the ability to transfer to four-year colleges to complete their bachelor's degrees.

As a bonus, today's program resulted in our scheduling a Parallel Enrollment Program information session for February 7, from 6:30 to 7, immediately following the #PHSfit college fair.
The students returned in time for 7th period, and promised to check with their teachers to get caught up on what they missed in their classes!