Staff: Diane Ahlberg and Jody Hansen January 17th, 2017
(763) 569-7665 or (763) 569-7627
The CCRC newsletter is provided on a monthly or semi-monthly basis to provide information on activities and events that are helpful to Park Center students and their parents. This publication is also on Park Center’s website (www.district279.org/sec/pcsh (under Academics or under Quick Links at right of home page).
IMPORTANT!!! Attention seniors: When you are asked to indicate your school counselor on college applications note Diane Ahlberg, , as your counselor. She is the counselor for senior students who need a recommendation letter, Secondary School Report or any other college reference.
Juniors, there is an opportunity for you to take a simulated ACT practice test on Monday, January 30th. A results reveal on February 6th will help you understand the areas you need to work on prior to the April 19th ACT test. The cost is only $15. Space is limited. Information is available in the CCRC.
Test Date / Registration Deadline / (Late Fee Required) /February 11, 2017
April 8, 2017
June 10, 2017 / January 13, 2017
March 3, 2017
May 5, 2017 / January 14-20, 2017
March 4-17, 2017
May 6-19, 2017
TEST FEE PER TEST OPTION:
· ACT (No Writing) $42.50
· Includes reports for you, your high school, and up to four college choices (if valid codes are provided when you register).
· ACT Plus Writing $58.50
· Includes reports for you, your high school, and up to four college choices (if valid codes are provided when you register). The Writing Test fee is refundable, on written request.
· 5th & 6th college choice fee is $12 for each school.
· Late registration fee is $27.50.
· Standby testing is $51 in addition to the basic fee, if you missed registration.
· Test date change fee is $25 in addition to the basic fee.
· Test center change fee is $25 in addition to the basic fee.
· Test information release service is $20.
· International testing is $33.
Students need to register on-line at www.actstudent.org
Students receiving free/reduced lunch can have their test fees waived TWICE by bringing a copy of the letter they received from Food Service to the CCRC to receive a waiver. Fee waivers do not include late fees.
Students can register for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests at www.collegeboard.org
Preparing for the ACT Test booklets that include a full length practice test, including the writing test, strategies to prepare for the test and what to expect on test day are available in the CCRC.
You can take free ACT or SAT practice tests online at: www.princetonreview.com/practicetest and at www.mncis.intocareers.org.
Chegg offers ACT lessons, quizzes and practice tests. https://test-prep.chegg.com/#/dashboard.
Union Test Prep Free Practice Tests for the ACT: If passing the ACT is standing in the way of getting into the college of your dreams, there is help! Afree ACT practice testto help you identify in which areas you are strong and which areas could use a little more work is available at https://uniontestprep.com/act/practice-test. Study only the subjects you are weak in, or dive in and test your skills in all four subject areas - it’s up to you!
· Are you interested in a medical career but aren't sure which one? The Mayo Clinic in Rochester offers a free week long summer Career Immersion Program for upcoming juniors and seniors. Participants meet and work with a variety of health care professionals and learn about the vast career opportunities in health care. Learn more about the Career Immersion Program in the CCRC on Wednesday, January 18th at 9:30AM. Sign up for a pass to attend.
· Honors Mentor Connection, offered by Intermediate District 287’s Gifted Education Services, is an advanced learning experience for students who seek academic challenge and who are ready to explore their goals for the future. Students design their own curriculum under the guidance of a mentor, develop an early professional reputation, network with talented peers, and enhance their academic credentials. Are you an Honors Mentor Connection student? Come and find out on Thursday, January 19th at 1:00PM.
· ACT Prep: Juniors will take the ACT on April 19th, it’s time to start preparing now! Come to the CCRC on Tuesday, January 24th at 9:30AM to learn about valuable test taking strategies, pick up practice materials, and hear about online practice options.
· Dunwoody College of Technology offers two great scholarship programs for new students. The Women In Technical Careers Program is designed to help female students succeed in a technical degree program. Scholarships are awarded up to $10,000 per year for women enrolled in automotive, construction, computer technology, or robotics and manufacturing, and who demonstrate financial need. Advising, mentoring and a cohort experience are included. They also offer the Youth Career Awareness Program - a six week paid summer camp filled with career exploration, field trips, and college-readiness courses. A $20,000 scholarship plus additional financial support are offered to students who complete the camp and attend Dunwoody in the fall. Come to the CCRC on Thursday, January 26th at 10:00AM to hear more.
· Program directors from the Mayo Clinic Phlebotomy and Histology Programs will be here on Friday, January 27th at 10:00AM. These 10 week certificate programs offer high post program placement in clinics and hospitals working with patients and health care professionals. Come and see how you can get your foot into the Mayo Clinic. Sign up in the CCRC for a pass.
North Hennepin Community College February 8th 1:00PM
Rainy River Community College February 28th 1:00PM
Seniors, if you have not completed your FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid - you may already be missing out on money schools have to offer for financial aid. Come to the CCRC today to get the information you need to complete your FAFSA!
Congratulations to Park Center’s semifinalists: Stephany Lopez, Yeng Her and Isaiah Simon! These students are entering the final phase of the full tuition – urban leadership scholarship application process from Augsburg College, Bethel University, North Central University or University of Northwestern.
BROOKLYNK: Get Work Ready! Learn real skills for a real summer job! This training will help you gain the skills you need to get a real job this summer. Trainings will be fun, led by local professionals, and focus on topics such as: Networking, Resume Building and Professionalism. The mission of BrookLynk is to prepare youth with essential job skills, experiential employment opportunities, and professional social networks to develop personal pathways to college and career. Pick up an application in the CCRC.
Have you heard of Genesys Works? This is a program for juniors to gain real world experience and get paid!
Through Genesys Works you get professional training, strengthen your communication skills, and learn responsibility and accountability. From there you get to work at a major corporation, gain real world experience and earn a real wage. You will get ahead because you are building a strong resume, pursuing a professional career along with applying to college.
Theywill begin accepting applications forthe next class of Genesys Works young professionals from the current high school juniors (Class of 2018) starting Wednesday, January 4th, 2017. Go to http://www.genesysworks.org/for-students/student-application/ to apply.
Application Process:
- Verify you meet eligibility requirements.
- Complete online application.
- Interview in our office in March or April.
If you are accepted, training generally begins mid-June and runs through early August. Once you’ve completed training, internships begin late August or early September, and typically run for one year.
Eligibility Requirements - To be eligible for the Genesys Works program, you must be:
· A high school junior who is on track to graduate.
· Legally able to work in the U.S. and have valid documentation allowing you to do so.
· At least 16 years of age by August 1 of your training year.
· Able to work in the afternoons during your senior year in high school. Since this can conflict with other activities, you will have to make the choice before signing up with Genesys Works.
· Recommended by your school counselor, principal or specialty teacher.
· Willing to invest your entire summer, completing their intensive training program.
· Willing to commit to regular attendance. Your participation in Genesys Works has to be top priority.
· Able to provide your own transportation to and from Genesys Works and your worksite. Many students use public transportation.
· Able to meet the Genesys Works dress code and the dress requirements for corporate clients.
· Aware that Genesys Works is something you do in addition to your schoolwork. You must maintain good standing in school and at Genesys Works.
You will gain real world experience at major corporations like: 3M, Bremer Financial, Medtronic, Travelers Insurance, Best Buy, Ecolab, Thrivent Financial, Xcel Energy, Target, and Optum.
The Mayo Clinic offers a Phlebotomy Technician Program that is an excellent fit for high school seniors who are interested in a healthcare related career, are undecided about college and have a desire to live in the Rochester/SE MN region. The Phlebotomy Technician Program is a 10 week program where students learn how to collect blood for clinical testing and become eligible for employment as a phlebotomist immediately after graduation. The national average phlebotomist salary is approximately $31,000 per year and their program has a greater than 90% hire rate after program completion. Some phlebotomists spend their entire career within the phlebotomy field, advancing in position by additional training and taking on management responsibilities, while others may use their phlebotomy experience as a stepping stone to advance their careers beyond phlebotomy within the healthcare field. Visit www.mayo.edu/mshs/careers/phlebotomy-technician for more information on this program.
Start watching for housing information as you are applying to colleges. Most colleges base their housing assignments on the date the application was submitted. University of Minnesota students should apply for housing now!
Let your passion become your career. Apply for a UMD undergraduate music audition today! The UMD Department of Music offers a wide variety of music scholarships to current music majors, as well as those applying to become music majors. Awards are offered to students who demonstrate outstanding talent in voice, strings, winds, percussion, piano and composition. Several four-year awards are offered to incoming freshman Music Majors. Once accepted to UMD you may apply to the Department of Music. Why not get started today?
Minneapolis Public Schools are proud to provide the 2016-17 Common Black College Application to all Minnesota high school seniors for free. Note: The promo code can ONLY be utilized by Class of 2017 high school seniors from Minnesota. www.commonblackcollegeapp.com The promotion code is cbca2017.
The University of North Dakota Scholarship application deadline is February 1st! As the February 1st scholarship deadline is approaching, you are reminded that paper scholarship applications will no longer be accepted. All students should complete a Scholarship Central application to be considered for 2017-18 scholarships. Scholarship Central is home to more than 800 scholarships, and these scholarships are in addition to any automatic academic scholarships students may receive. Students must be admitted to UND and have claimed their accounts before they're able to complete their Scholarship Central applications. If you have any questions about 2017-18 scholarships, contact the UND Student Financial Aid office at 701.777.3121 or .
Through a program called Raise.me, students can guarantee micro scholarships from 200+ colleges as early as 9th grade, making it easier to plan financially for school. As an example:
- Get an A in a course ($100 - $1,000)
- Get a B in a course ($50 - $600) - Participate in a school club or sport ($25 - $250) - And much more!
This program was launched with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and U.S. colleges. Several of your classmates have already begun collecting scholarship money for grades that they’ve received while in high school. Raise.me has proven to be a great tool to motivate students in high schools throughout the U.S., as the site immediately rewards students with scholarships for their hard work in and outside of high school.The following tools will help you:
1) Create an account at www.raise.me.
2)Regularly add good grades, community service, extracurricular activities, and other achievements to your raise.me “Portfolio” to earn “Micro-Scholarships” from colleges. 3)PARENTS: Visit www.raise.me/parents for more information.
Community colleges require freshman students to take the ACCUPLACER if they scored lower than a 21 on the readingpart ofthe ACT, scored lower than an 18 on the English part of the ACT,scored lower than a 22 on the Math part of the ACT, or did not take the ACT at all.
It is important to score high enough to be placed in college English and college math and not a developmental class to get you to college level in each of these. If you are assigned a developmental English or math class in college you have to pay the same as any other credit, but this credit does not go toward your diploma or degree.
There is a free web based practice app for the Accuplacer with sample questions in each subject. Students can use this tool to explore the format and content of the tests, and get immediate explanations for both correct and incorrect answers. Go to https://accuplacerpractice.collegeboard.org/login to download the app.
NOTE TO STUDENTS AND PARENTS: The CCRC publishes the Scholarship Bulletin and Newsletter approximately every two weeks. The Scholarship Bulletin lists all the scholarships that we have received information on, including scholarships that are offered by local organizations which are available to residents of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center or students who attend a District 279 school. Because these programs have restricted criteria, there is less competition and better “odds” for the student to be awarded scholarship monies. The CCRC Newsletter has information on events that are occurring in the area, testing information, and special programs that are being offered at Park Center PLUS helpful “Tidbits from the CCRC Staff”. These publications are distributed to the students’ advisory classes and are published on Park Center’s web site. If students and/or parents would like to have a copy of the Scholarship Bulletin (12th grade) and/or the Newsletter (all grade levels) sent directly to their e-mail, we are asking that you send a request to Jody Hansen at and we will add you to our distribution list.