PTHS Counseling Office Newsletter
January 2023
Inside this Issue:
Winter Blues & How to Beat Them
Dual Enrollment - Earn College Credits While at PTHS
Senior Spotlight
- Scholarships
Junior Junction
- Sign-Up for PIP Meeting
- SAT vs. ACT
- Resume Builder
Freshman Focus
- Study Skills
Enrichment Opportunities
Winter Blues & How to Beat Them!
The holidays tend to magnify our emotions and stress levels leaving us feeling exhausted and drained through the shortest, coldest, and darkest days of the year. What we often experience during January and February is a new common phenomenon termed the “Winter Blues.” During this time of year, you might find yourself feeling irritable, unmotivated, bored, disinterested in typical routines, activities, and relationships. What are some things that you can do if you find yourself feeling this way?
- Replace your lamps and ceiling lights with sun lamps.
- Cross an item off of your to-do list - is there an indoor project that you have always wanted to do but can never find the time?
- Plan an activity or event that you can look forward to!
- Get Cozy and Relax! The holidays can be fast paced and exhausting - look at these next few months as a time to slow down and spend some quality time with friends and loved ones you might not get to see all of the time.
- Get some physical exercise - grab a friend and go try out a new fitness class.
- Express your gratitude - reflect on the individuals that play an important role in your life, the accomplishments you have achieved thus far, and consider doing something for the community.
Adapted from: https://bebrainfit.com/winter-blues/
Mental Health Resources
Dual Enrollment - Earn College Credits While at PTHS
High School Academies with CCBC
In partnership with the Community College of Beaver County, students in grades 11 and 12 have the opportunity to earn up to 28 college credits in conjunction with earning a high school diploma. CCBC offers set curriculum in person campus or virtually. PTHS Students often take the online courses through CCBC in the morning and then attend PTHS in the afternoon for their core classes. All costs associated with college classes or online courses including but not limited to tuition, transportation, related materials and supplies are the responsibility of the student and family. Contact the counseling office for more information.
Aviation Academy: The CCBC Aviation Academy program provides exploration into Professional Pilot, Air Traffic Control, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles career paths.
Mascaro Construction Academy: The CCBC Mascaro Construction Academy provides technical skills that can then be applied to the planning, design, and construction of a project, from beginning to end.
Criminal Justice Academy: The CCBC Criminal Justice Academy provides hands-on experience in classrooms, mock crime scenes, and other real-world environments to prepare students for careers in law enforcement.
Education Academy: The CCBC Education Academy provides students with skills to prepare developmentally appropriate lessons for a future career in teaching. Students choose between Pre-K-4th Grade Education or Secondary Education.
Health Academy: The CCBC Health Academy provides students opportunities to explore careers in nursing, practical nursing, radiologic technology, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, nurse anesthetist and more.
STEM Academy: The CCBC STEM Academy provides hands-on experience in classrooms and labs while connecting students with industry partners in new and emerging career fields like Process Technology, Engineering and Coding.
Pre-Apprenticeship Opportunities
In partnership with the Pittsburgh Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce, students in grades 11 and 12 have the opportunity to explore a Sales Engineer, Polymer Process Technician, Mechatronics Technician, or CAD/CAM Technical Designer through online course work and paid on the job training. Participating students complete online course work in preparation for the Manufacturing Technician 1 (MT1) certification exam. Students earn 6 college credits from CCAC upon successful completion of the exam. Contact the counseling office for more information
Sales Engineer - The Sales Engineer has fundamental skills in manufacturing processes and production management to give them the technical background they need to pitch a sale or convince buyers with their problem-solving strategy with technical issues. The sales engineer forms a bridge between the customer and the engineering or R&D department of a company as he or she becomes an expert about customer needs and preferences and can determine how products and services could be modified to suit those needs.
Polymer Process Technician - Polymer Technician combines mechatronics with polymer certification for plastics, including extrusion, blow mold, injection molding.
Mechatronics Technician - Mechatronics Technicians have electrical and mechanical skill sets and therefore are high-value employees with job duties critically important to a company. MTs are highly involved with maintaining high-tech machines such as robots, CNC machining, factory automation equipment and a range of complex platform. Mechatronics skills will be in high demand for most Industry 4.0 careers.
CAD/CAM Technical Designer - Technical Designers are at the start of all product design and advanced manufacturing processes today. They have extensive knowledge of software programs to produce complex, detailed digital assets, surface and solid models and more.
Senior Spotlight
Number one reason many colleges don’t admit you
This is a time of great waiting and wondering by high school seniors who are eager to hear back about their college applications. Despite assurances from adults that students have worked hard and made good choices, there is an abyss between hitting send and hearing back. Students are always wondering ‘Will I get in?’
The real answer to this question is ‘it depends.’ In case they were hoping for something more than two words of assurance, help your student by reviewing the key factors for most applicants.
It turns out, the number one reason many colleges turn down an applicant has nothing to do with the student – the college is simply just not big enough to admit all the qualified students who would do wonderful things on campus.
Too many students overlook the role of essays and personal statements. This is as close as you’re going to get to having a conversation with the admission office. This is a huge piece since grades show them what they’re admitting, essays can show them WHO they’re admitting.
Ultimately, all you can do let the schools do their thing and focus on the present. You have done what you can to find great schools. Now is the time to trust yourself and move forward.
(Adapted from: https://hscw-counselorscorner.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-number-one-reasons-many-colleges.html)
7 things you should know about Student Loans before you Borrow
Most people correlate financial award letters and financial aid with grant and scholarships – or free help! However, student loans are lumped into the package. When you receive your financial aid package from each school, do not assume that everything listed are grants and scholarships. Look carefully at each item and determine which is free money or what you will have to pay back after college.
Here are 4 things you should know before you borrow!
1. Financial Aid Package: student loans are a part of the financial aid package, they serve as help to pay for school, although they must be paid back after graduation. When you receive the financial aid package, do not assume everything is grants or scholarships. Consider them carefully and call the school’s financial aid office for help!
2. Student Loans: Student loans consist of borrowed money, from the federal government or a private lender, to make tuition payments while a student is enrolled in school. After graduation, the borrower must pay back the money borrowed with interest.
Federal loans fall into two categories: subsidized and unsubsidized. To be eligible for either option, students and families must complete the FAFSA.
- Subsidized: reserved for students that have financial aid, and the federal government pays the interest while you’re in school.
- Unsubsidized: are available to all students, regardless of financial need. Students are responsible for paying all interest on the loans that occurs even before repayment begins.
3. Loan Payments: Fortunately for borrowers, you get a six-month grace period, during which no payments need to be made on your student loans, after graduation. This allows for borrowers to secure employment before they must take on monthly loan payments.
4. Don’t Overborrow: a thought to consider is don’t borrow more than your starting annual salary. Research potential careers and salaries in the field you plan to study. Use your findings to establish a cap for borrowing. Borrowing more than what you expect to make will result in paying off more debt for many, many years.
Do your best to apply for as many scholarships as you can! The more ‘free’ money you receive, the less you will have to pay back!
(Adapted from: https://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/seven-things-high-school-students-should-know-about-student-loans)
MySmartBorrowing.Org
MySmartBorrowing.Org is a resource available to see how choices related to career, college, and level of borrowing can impact overall debt and monthly payments when it's time to repay education loans.
Scholarships
Local scholarships are advertised through Naviance. This list will grow throughout the year with many opportunities listed in the winter and early spring.
Naviance>Colleges>Scholarships & Money>Scholarship List
National scholarships can also be found through reputable sites such as Going Merry, Fast Web, and College Board. Colleges and Universities also provide scholarship opportunities. These can be found by searching on the financial aid webpages of specific institutions. Naviance also has national scholarships!
Naviance>Colleges>Scholarships & Money>National Scholarship Search
February
2/1: PACAC Scholarship - $1,500
2/10: South Hills Club - $2,000
2/16: Good Orthodontics Smile Scholarship - $1,000
2/24: ASM Katz-Soler Scholarship - $1,500
2/28: PSECU Scholarship - $8,000
March
3/1: Ross F. DiMarco Scholarship - $1,000
3/1: Lions Young Ambassador of the 21st Century Award - $500
3/1: The Foundation 649 Scholarship - $4,000
3/1: Dream...Innovate...Grow...Trade School + College Scholarship - $1,000 (renewable)
3/3: Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central PA Scholarship Program - $1,500
3/31: National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame - $1,000
3/31: The Washington Financial Charitable Foundation Scholarship - $5,000
April
4/3: Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees Washington Co. Scholarship - $1,000
Ongoing
Citizens Scholarship - National Monthly Drawings - $2,500
PA American Legion Scholarship Program - Varies
ROTC Minuteman Scholarship - Varies
The Win Mortimer Trust - National/Varies
Additional Scholarship Resources
College Board's BigFuture - Complete steps through BigFuture for a chance to win scholarships.
Fast Web - A free online scholarship search site.
Junior Junction
Sign-Up for your PIP Meeting!
The Post-Secondary Individual Planning (PIP) meeting occurs in the junior year. Students and parents will meet with their counselor to discuss post-secondary pathways, goals after high school, and how to achieve those goals. Topics discussed will include:
- Transcript Review
- Senior Course Selection
- Post High School Plans - College, Career, Military, Tech/Trade School
- Standardized Testing
- Naviance
- Timelines
Planning Meetings will take place during the regular school day beginning December 12th through February 16th. Meetings will be conducted virtually through Zoom. Please sign up through the link sent out from your students' counselor, which will prompt you to select an appointment date and time. Appointments will be on a first come, first serve basis. Please consult with your child to determine a time and day of the week that best accommodates their schedule.
SAT v. ACT: How to Decide Which Test to Take
Colleges and universities do not have a preference between the two tests, both exams are widely accepted by schools. Which often leads to one question – which one should I take? The answer to that question lies in understanding the differences between the two tests.
The idea behind both exams is similar: to demonstrate college readiness. The tests vary in structure and timing as well as content and scoring. Both tests serve as an indicator of a student’s critical thinking and analytical skills.
SAT:
2 hours 55 minutes
154 questions
65-minute reading test, 35-minute writing and language test, 80-minute math section.
ACT:
3 hours
215 questions
35-minute reading test, 45-minute English test, 60-minute math section, 35-minute science section.
While both tests take a similar amount of time, students should be aware that they are different in pacing. Since the ACT includes more questions, the students have less time to spend on each one. Typically, a student spends over a minute on questions on the SAT and under a minute per question on the ACT.
Some students prefer the predictability of the ACT, in which the four sections always come in the same order, whereas the order of sections changes on the SAT. Others might prefer the SAT because each section is a little bit shorter, which may work better for their attention span. There are some students who like the use of a calculator for the entire math section on the ACT. For the SAT, there is a section where you cannot have a calculator and a section where you can have a calculator.
However, it is very important to understand any possible misconceptions. For example, the ACT includes a science section, that typically leads students who excel in science and math to favor the test over the SAT. However, the science section is a combination of reading comprehension and data interpretation, which similar questions are embedded into the three sections of the SAT.
To help students make their decision, experts encourage them to begin by taking a full-length practice test for each exam and see which is best suited for them. Each exam requires different strategies and it’s best to become well-versed in one instead of going back and for the between the two. While it is easy to say take both and see which one you score better on, take both to see which one you prefer and which one appeals to your learning style and level of understanding!
(Adapted from: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/act-vs-sat-how-to-decide-which-test-to-take)
Sophomore Square
Resume Builder
Adding to your resume each quarter helps you to stay up to date with your activities, sports, and volunteer work. This will allow you to write about your experience in the moment and not have to recall the details of your experiences. Remember that what you gain from the experience is the most important part of the experience.
Updating your resume is easy! Follow these simple steps to get to the Resume Portion in Naviance:
- Log in to your Naviance account.
- Click on the "About Me" and select 'Resume.'
- This will take you to your Resume building page.
- Once there, you can click on the plus sign button that will open up different categories to add to your resume.
- Pick the category our need then add it to your resume once you complete all the information for your activity.
If you are having trouble navigating the resume please do not hesitate to stop in and ask your counselor!
Freshman Focus
Study Skills
Check out these different study strategies to help you study for your next exam:
- Create your own study guide by different topics or chapter headings.
- Create your own open-ended questions from your notes.
- **If you do not know the answer, study that section of your notes again or ask the teacher before the exam.
- Derive examples that relate to your own experiences.
- Create a concept map or diagram that explains the material from your notes.
- Space out you're studying over short periods of time.
- Spend 10-30 minutes each night reviewing notes from your classes that day.
- Review your daily notes and summarize in your own words.
- Share what you learned that day with a parent. Just restating learning in your own words helps solidify understanding and identify questions.
- Know when you study best! Do you study best while listening to music or while your are in a quiet environment? Do you study better later in the evening or right after school?
(Adapted from: https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/)
Enrichment Opportunities
Health Career Scholars Academy - University of Pitt Summer Program
Health Career Scholars Academies: The dynamic world of health care plus the expertise of University of Pittsburgh academics and facilities. This educational mixture shapes a unique, academically rigorous, hands-on campus experience for students attending the Health Career Scholars Academy (UPHCSA) each summer. The Academy is often a springboard for future studies in medicine.
Eligibility: current high school sophomore or junior; at least 15 years of age by application deadline.
Program is open to U.S. and international students who meet the criteria listed above.
Find more information at Health Career Scholars Academies
Pitt Cyber's Air Force Association CyberCamp
The Air Force Association CyberCamp is designed for a range of technical skill levels, including introductory digital literacy, and is focused on systems security and cyber ethics.
The camp will be held Monday-Friday (June 19-23) from 9 AM to 1 PM and includes the opportunity to hear from and interact with cyber professionals.
Find more information at Pitt Cyber's Air Force Association CyberCamp.
Empower Her Summit Presented by PPG
The 2023 Empower Her Summit presented by PPG and produced by Junior Achievement of Western PA (JA), an interactive and impactful leadership and life development workshop that connects high school-aged girls with a village of female leaders in the area to discover their passions, potential and power.
When: Friday, March 10, 2023
Where: Carlow University
The Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains
The Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains, a 2-week campus-based program for high school students in Castleton, Vermont to mobilize action, drive impact, and effect change in response to our warming planet. Engage with experts from Columbia Climate School and learn about cutting-edge innovations in action. Meet, collaborate, and build partnerships with like-minded students and tap into collective strengths for action.
Find more information at Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains.
PTHS Counseling Office
Ms. Alyssa Patton
Mrs. Courtney Wolf
Ms. Alyssa Simmons
Mrs. Heather Prinsen
Mr. Jeff Sudol
Mrs. Leyna Steffen
Dean of Counseling Services