The A. P. Henderson Scholarship

The A. P. Henderson Scholarship Foundation is pleased to offer this $500 scholarship to one SCHS Senior. Dedication to academics, service and extracurricular involvement are each important factors for this scholarship. Completed applications are due to the Guidance Office no later than April 23rd, 2017.

A. P. Henderson Scholarship Application

Hey Senior.... Want HOPE Next Year?

Of course you do, and if you have a 3.0 at the time you graduate and stay in the state for college, you are gonna get it!  That is IF you apply for it.  Yes, there is an app for that!  If you completed a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, you are all set.  Your HOPE Application is automatic when you complete a FAFSA.  No further action is required.

Now, some folks elect to not do a FAFSA because they believe their income is too high to qualify for anything meaningful in the way of help from the Federal Government with covering college expenses.  You are electing to do a different form from the FAFSA.  There is an easy way to complete a HOPE Application through Georgia Student Finance Commission just one time, and you are good forever (in other words, no need to complete this form annually).  It is found on www.GAFutures.org; you know, the website Mr. Kulp showed you at your senior meeting and at every parent night he sponsored all year long.  The application is embedded in "HOPE State Aid Programs" Tab on the menu bar along the top.  Next, click on the "HOPE & Zell Miller Scholarships" which will lead you to several options, one of which is "Applications and Procedures."  You are almost there! You will want to complete the Georgia Student Finance Application, which is the first option in number two.

Believe it or not the hardest part of the online application for HOPE is finding it.  Once you are there, it is a breeze.  Now, let's get on it.  No one who qualifies should miss out on this great reason for living in the State of Georgia!


PS- Every bit of this applies to Zell Miller Scholarship, if you are one of the few and proud who have both a 3.7 AND a 1200 on  the SAT or a 26 on the ACT.

Julian & Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship

The Community Bankers Association, a champion of small-town community banking is pleased to offer again four $1000 scholarships to deserving seniors across the state. Applications must be delivered to Liberty First Bank, 1901 W. Spring Street, Monroe, Ga. 30655, no later than the close of business April 3rd, 2017.

Complete Details Concerning the Julian & Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship

Julian & Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship Application

Interested in Kennesaw State University as a College Option?

Lauren Oropeza from Kennesaw State University Office of Admissions will be at Social Circle High School on March 6th during Redskin Advisement.  If you are interested in one day applying to Kennesaw State, this would be a fantastic meeting for you ta attend.  If you want to go, you gotta register:

Register for the Kennesaw State Information Meeting

Want to Tour a College Campus, But It Is too Far?

During the week of March 6th through the 11th, you can take a free, virtual tour of any college in the Southeastern United States through www.collegefairsonline.com.

Student Writers: Here is a Good Summer Program for You...but Hurry!

The Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference at the University of the South is just the place for your aspiring authors, poets, and playwrights.
For 23 years now the Conference—ranked as one of the top five such programs in the country—has played host to young writers ready to polish and perfect their literary work.

Our 2017 summer session runs July 2–15 on the scenic mountaintop campus of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Participants are rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade writers. If you know a student who should among them, check us out online. You can also find us on Facebook.
Application review will begin on Feb. 27, 2017.

FEMA Youth Preparedness Council

Please take note of this opportunity for students to get involved with FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council, which brings together youth leaders from across the country who are interested and engaged in making a difference in their communities. The Council offers an opportunity for young people to serve on a distinguished national council and share their experiences and ideas about youth disaster preparedness.



Who can apply: Students in grades 8, 9, 10, or 11

Application:http://www.community.fema.gov/applytoYPC

Application deadline: March 31, 2017

Here's a Scholarship for Seniors who Love History

The Historical Society of Walton County is pleased to offer a $1000 scholarship to one senior who attends one of the six high schools within the borders of Walton County.  All applicants should be a graduating senior who has been accepted to a college, have a GPA of a B+ or higher, and have an A average in History.  Completed applications are due in the Guidance Office no later than March 31, 2017.  For more information on this scholarship, please click on the application link below.

E. Jerald Forrester History Scholarship Application

GMC Students: Time to Register for Spring Quarter

The folks from Admissions will be back at SCHS on Tuesday, February 21st at 9 am to meet with students who are already enrolled in the Move On When Ready program with them in order to register for the next set of classes.  Please complete the registration form attached below to get  an appointment to meet with the representatives.  If you do not register for this event, it will be assumed that you do not wish to take a class with GMC this spring.

Sign up for the GMC registration Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21

Georgia United Credit Union Scholarship Contest

The Georgia United Credit Union has a video contest  that they are making available to students.

SACAC Scholarship for Seniors

The Southern Association of College Admissions Counseling (SACAC) will offer ten $1000 scholarships to seniors.  A commitment to Community Service, Social Justice and Leadership are important factors in this scholarship competition, along with a demonstrated financial need.  To learn more, click on the links below.  Applications are due by April 15, 2017.   

online application

Extend the Dream Scholarship Page.

Seniors: Opportunity from Google for Learning Opportunity and Scholarship

At Google, we believe information should be universally accessible. Our education and scholarship programs aim to inspire and help students become future leaders in computing and technology by breaking down the barriers that prevent them from entering these fields.  We are now accepting applications for the Generation Google Scholarship and Computer Science Summer Institute. Read more below and apply today!

Generation Google Scholarship

The Generation Google Scholarship helps aspiring computer scientists excel in technology and become leaders in the field. Selected students will receive 10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or 5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) for the 2017-2018 school year. As part of the scholarship, current high school seniors who are entering their first year of university in 2017-2018 will be required to attend Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in the summer of 2017.

Please visit www.google.com/students/generationgoogle for more information and to apply!

Computer Science Summer Institute

Google is invested in increasing the enrollment and retention of computer science students. With this in mind, we’re hosting our 10th annual Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI), a three-week introduction to computer science for graduating high school seniors with an interest in technology — especially students from historically underrepresented groups in the field. This year, we will offer two types of sessions, day-camp and residential:

Day-camp sessions are for students who live within 90 minute commute of the respective offices. Students will be provided with a travel stipend and expected to commute into the Google offices for each day of CSSI. Day-camps locations and dates are:

Mountain View, CA: July 10th - July 28th
Chicago, IL: July 17th - Aug 4th
New York City, NY: July 17th - Aug 4th
Atlanta, GA: July 10th - July 28th
Los Angeles: July 10th - July 28th
Pittsburgh, PA: July 17th - August 4

CSSI is not your average summer camp. It's an intensive, interactive, hands-on and fun program that seeks to inspire the tech leaders and innovators of tomorrow by supporting the study of computer science, software engineering, and other closely related subjects. As CSSI students, you will learn programming fundamentals directly from Google engineers, get an inside look at some of Google's most exciting, emerging technologies, and even design and develop your very own application with fellow participants that you will showcase to Googlers in local offices.

We are looking for students eager to spend a few weeks immersed in the Google life – tackling interesting technical problems, working collaboratively and having fun. We want students to leave empowered, heading into their first year of college armed with a unique learning experience that can only be found at Google. The program is open to all qualified high school seniors, and is committed to addressing diversity in the field of computer science. Students who are a member of a group that is historically underrepresented in the technology industry are encouraged to apply.

Please visit g.co/cssi for more information and to apply!

Application deadline: March 2, 2017. Final decisions will be announced by late April.-

Going to Savannah State Next Year?

Are you planning on attending Savannah State next year as a college freshman?  If so, here is a scholarship that you might be interested in:

Savannah State Alumni Scholarship

Application is due by March 13, 2017.

Charles Black Construction Scholarship

The Charles Black Construction Scholarship has been established to help a deserving senior with future college expenses.  To apply for this and other potential scholarships, complete the application below no later than 12 pm on March 15th.  Though you will not see "Social Circle" listed as an eligible district, SCHS students have been awarded this scholarship in the past.

North GA Community Foundation Scholarships

Looking For Some Good Volunteer Opportunities?

Please read this email that Dr. Booher received:

Dear Principal Booher,

I am the Volunteer Coordinator for F.I.S.H. Ministries here in Walton County, and I'm in charge of getting & keeping volunteers for our ministry.  

I would like to see if we can work with Social Circle schools to have some of your high school seniors who would go out to work at jobs during the school day come volunteer at our facilities. (I apologize, there's probably a name for this program, but I don't know it).  We are always in need of young strong persons, because much of what we do is physical labor.   

Students could also pick up quite a few job skills, including merchandising (from our Thrift stores), food management (from our Pantry), and even counseling(from our Ministry office).

If you wouldn't mind, could you please refer me to the correct person or office to follow up on this?   And if you have any questions for me, please don't hesitate to let me know. 

Thank you,

Karen Hammond

Volunteer Coordinator

(office) 678-635-8943

(cell) 678-333-39143

University of West Georgia Is Coming to the Circle

On Wednesday, February 15th during Redskin Advisement, Ms. Logan Hall Taulien from the Office of Admissions at University of West Georgia will be in The Circle to meet with any student who is interested in University of West Georgia in beautiful Carollton, GA.  This meeting will be 30 minutes packed with great information, so if you wanna come, you gotta sign up.  Click on the link below to register for this meeting.

Register for the University of West Georgia Visit to SCHS

"Easy Does It"? I Doubt It...

As we gear up for class selections for the 17-18 school year, here is another article from the Office of Admissions from UGA about challenging yourself with hard classes.  I say this often- "Working out in a gym filled with 2 pound weights will never develop the muscle mass necessary to win a big game." The same concept holds true for AP classes at SCHS.  They are tough, but so is anything that is going to prepare you for the next challenge.  See what UGA has to say about these important decisions:

UGA Office of Admission Blog Post about Rigor

High School Resume Building

Students:

As you plan your school activities, here is a post from the Admissions Office at UGA that addresses that being "more involved" doesn't mean being in 13 different clubs and sport teams.  It does mean getting deeply involved in a few specific things that you are passionate about.  Check it out!

UGA Admissions Blog Post on School Activities

Congratulations to the Class of 2017 Social Circle High School Board Scholars

Adams, Charles

Bagley, Kirsten

Bell, Alexis

Callaway, Timothy

Cohenhour, Cathryn

Connelly, Heather

Corasaniti, Timothy

Cox, Sierra

Davis, Courtney

Day, Caleb

Dooley, Jarrett

Forrester, Madison

Gibbs, Adoris

Haynes, William

Hilton, Connor

Howard, Steven

Jackson, Chase

Jones, Gabriel

Kinnon, Zachary

Mayfield, Cassidy

Payne, Rhys

Peppers, Steven

Preston, Victoria

Ross, Raven

Smith, Chandler

Smith, Lacy

Williams, Anna

Juniors- I Want to Meet with Each One of You and Your Parents!

A recent NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) study confirmed that students who meet one-on-one with a school counselor are significantly more likely to attend college and apply for federal financial aid.

Study findings show that 12th graders who talked about their future plans with a school counselor were:

•    6.8 times more likely to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
•    3.2 times more likely to attend college
•    Two times more likely to attend a bachelor’s degree program

That is my goal for the students at Social Circle High School.  Everybody has a plan.  Everybody makes the most of this life they have been gifted with.  I am going to try and accomplish this by meeting with each junior and his or her parent before the last day of school.  All 150 of them....

As you can tell, this is going to be a daunting task, but you can help me by emailing me at (mike.kulp@socialcircleschools.org) to get your appointment on the books.  We will cover a ton of information including graduation requirement check up, college admission test scores, you will see how to check your student's HOPE GPA, and a ton more!  Let's get on it.

2017-18 Registration Information Meeting Tomorrow Night

We will host a meeting for students and parents to learn about course options for the 2017-18 School Year. We will start this event in the Cafeteria at 6 pm.  Making great decisions with class choices will make for a better 2017-18!

Google Email Password Rest

Students,

Google email passwords have been reset and you will receive password reset information in advisement tomorrow (2/2).  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Atlanta Black College Expo. This Saturday!

This Saturday, February 4th, a huge college fair exhibiting the incredible options that await students at Historically Black Colleges will take place at the Cobb Galleria Center.

Click HERE for directions.

This even will take place from 9 am to 5 pm and will be packed with a ton of events showcasing the excitement and pride that being at a HBC inspires.  

Click HERE for more information.

Great Help in Figuring Out College Plans

Hi Michael, I've been saying for many years now that college price tags are meaningless since most families don't pay full price. BUT... Paying attention to sticker prices can be extremely helpful in shrinking a family's  costs.  Here's an example: Getting a $20,000 scholarship from a college with a published price of $38,000 will make a college much more affordable than receiving the same award from a $65,000 school. How to sort colleges by price The Chronicle of Higher Education has created an invaluable tool that you can use to sort 3,000 colleges by price. This tool had been parked behind a paywall, but it isn't any longer.  Using this online resource, you can search for colleges by price nationally or by state. You can also sort by private and state schools.  In my latest blog post, I write about this valuable tool including how you can access it and what you can learn by taking advantage of it. Just click on the following link to my post to find out more about this resource and to start using it yourself: Paying Attention to College Prices Learn More... Want to discover MUCH MORE about how to make college more affordable?  I've been getting a lot of emails asking about when I'm going to start my popular online course again and I've got a date!  I'm excited to announce that I'm relaunching the The College Cost Lab on Jan. 30. This course is excellent for college consultants and high school counselors and hundreds of professionals have taken the class.  In the course, here is just a fraction of what you'll learn:  What kind of schools award many merit scholarships. How to evaluate the generosity of any college.  An easy way to discover if a family will qualify for financial aid.  Strategies for affluent families looking for merit scholarships. The identity of schools that provide the best need-based financial aid.  How investments impact financial aid and is this really such a big deal?  If you register soon, you'll also receive my latest resource guide, Your Smart Blueprint for Selecting Colleges.  This unique 19-page guide provides an eight-step process to finding wonderful schools! And you can share it with your families! The College Cost Lab is SELF PACED so you don't have to worry about devoting a certain amount of time to learning at set time periods. Learn when you want to! And you'll get to keep all the materials when the class is over.  By clicking the orange button below, you can discover much more about the class that's generated phenomenal feedback. I hope you decide to register today!  P.S. If you have questions about the class just email me. Lynn O'ShaughnessyLynn@TheCollegeSolution.com TheCollegeSolution.com

Summer Camp For Students That Have Been Affected By A Parent's Cancer

Greetings!  I’m writing on behalf of Camp Kesem at the University of Gerogia, which will offer two free summer camp programs for children affected by a parent’s cancer this coming summer from May 27 - June 3 and July 1 - July 8. Camps will be held at Camp Westminster in Conyers, GA. Camp is staffed and managed by student volunteers from the University of Georgia

Our camper application will open to the public this Sunday, January 15th, and we want to be sure that families have a chance to apply early before spots fill up.  To that end, I’ve included a copy of our one-page camp flyer here, which can be shared with families and with any colleagues who may also have families to refer.  All of our applications are available online, and the flyer includes basic instructions on how to sign up for camp.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please let me know!

Sincerely,
Jennie Racher
770-905-4078
Outreach Coordinator
Camp Kesem at the University of Georgia

Camp Kesem Brochure