thedrifter
12-11-05, 06:51 AM
College Ca$h: High school seniors looking for scholarship money have options
By Randy Lefko
PALATKA -- If seniors at Palatka High School are looking for some extra cash for the upcoming collegiate years, the guidance department is ready and willing to give it away. If the United States military is an option, recruiters are waiting as well.
For the graduating classes of Putnam County high schools, now is the time to start thinking about that extra money for college by applying for scholarships.
“We have a lot of money offers sent here for outgoing seniors, but sadly not all of it goes anywhere,” said Jane Crawford, guidance counselor. “Sometimes getting the money is so easy, just fill out an application, but the students have to come here to do that.”
For those interested in foregoing college and heading into the armed services, the first step is taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or ASVAB test in January. That test is available to juniors and seniors who missed the September test.
According to U.S. Marine Corps recruiter Sgt. Brandon Hamby, the ASVAB is a good test not only for military potential, but for potential in general.
“The test is designed to identify intelligence in certain areas of vocational slots within all the branches of the military, but it does have some purpose for those not really sure where they want to go,” Hamby said. “The ASVAB is a very detailed identifier of strengths for future purposes if a student is trying to decide between job fields in general.”
Hopefully, Crawford, says, parents and students will sit down and make a decision over the holiday about what to do after high school. With scholarships ranging in award criteria from grades to community service to personal need to just being a good student, the money is available for the taking.
“CHECK EVERYTHING OUT”
“A lot of the local service organizations like Kiwanis and Rotary offer money with very little formal criteria,” Crawford said. “Students and parents are urged to check everything out.”
Trent Higginbotham, Palatka Kiwanis president, said the Kiwanis’ scholarship is easy to get, but usually goes to the same students.
“A lot of the students that have a game plan to go to a four-year school right out of high school take advantage of every little bit of money they can get and they apply for everything,” he said. “They usually are the ones who get the money. If more students apply and, say, one has less grade point average but a higher need, we would like to give that student a chance to go to college. But, they have to apply.”
Kiwanis gives out four awards — two for $1,000 and two for $500 — and they are just money to go. “It’s not really tied to anything specific like books or room and board,” said Higginbotham.
The Palatka Rotary Sunrise Club has already given out money.
Rotary Sunrise President Mike Purinton said, like his Kiwanis counterpart, the money is there to be taken. “We have already given out $14,000 to nine students in August and plan to give more in January.”
The Rotary Sunrise scholarships are a cash award that can be used for any purpose toward school, said Annette Barrineau, scholarship manager for the past 16 years. “We give out scholarship to traditional graduating students as well as what we call nontraditional students who are people going back to school for career advancement or career change,” she said. “If they want to use it for day care or gas money, we don’t decide. As long as they go to school with it.”
Barrineau’s commitment to finding the money comes with the reward of her recipients’ thank-yous. “We fully funded a woman who is teaching today at Kelley Smith Elementary School.
“She told her students one day that the Rotary Club gave her the money to become a teacher,” Barrineau said. “That’s why I’ve been here 16 years. It is very rewarding.”
The Rotary Club scholarship does have an odd application timeframe in April or May because the board members are changed out at that time. “We really don’t know what our budget will be because of the change in boards,” she said. “So we give our money out in August and January.”
JANUARY SCHOLARSHIPS
The January scholarships are designated for nontraditional students — those returning to school after a gap from high school, said Barrineau.
Crawford’s cohorts at Palatka High School have been working since October to get students and scholarships matched up on paper.
“We do a student credit evaluation checkup sometime in October that details every class, every community service opportunity, what colleges a student has in mind and financial concerns,” she said. “And then we form a kind of game plan starting with proper credits earned and any missed classes that would hinder a student getting into college.”
Crawford pulled out a student evaluation sheet and explained a spreadsheet-looking compilation of data that told her that that particular student needed a couple more math classes and a history class.
“I have them fill out a senior resume-type worksheet that gives me instant data about that student,” she said. “When a scholarship comes in from a school offering money for marine biology, I can pull up all the data sheets where that subject has been indicated and give that student a call to come in and fill out an application. We try to match up scholarships with kids who are interested in certain subjects.”
Hamby’s Marine recruiting office is in the Palatka Mall, but he does visit Palatka High School once a week and offers recruiting advice to any interested student.
visits from military
According to Crawford, all the military branches visit. “They’ll come in and set up an area in the library or cafeteria and just talk to interested students,” Crawford said. “There is no pressure or any pitches, just information for the students to take with them.”
Hamby said the ASVAB is the first hurdle and the physical at the Military Enlistment Processing Station in Jacksonville is the second.
“The ASVAB is the mental test while the physical gives us a body picture,” he said. “After that, we do a moral check to see if anything in the background would create a conflict in the Marine way of life.”
Pass the physical and it’s a free trip to Parris Island, S.C., for basic training. There, hopefully, Marine training moves the recruit into his selected job field.
As for signing bonuses and exotic locations, Hamby reminded possible recruits that the rewards of being a Marine is not money. “I find people don’t join the Marines for money,” he said. “It is a life-changing, long-lasting experience. That is the honor.”
rlefko@palatkadailynews.com
Ellie
By Randy Lefko
PALATKA -- If seniors at Palatka High School are looking for some extra cash for the upcoming collegiate years, the guidance department is ready and willing to give it away. If the United States military is an option, recruiters are waiting as well.
For the graduating classes of Putnam County high schools, now is the time to start thinking about that extra money for college by applying for scholarships.
“We have a lot of money offers sent here for outgoing seniors, but sadly not all of it goes anywhere,” said Jane Crawford, guidance counselor. “Sometimes getting the money is so easy, just fill out an application, but the students have to come here to do that.”
For those interested in foregoing college and heading into the armed services, the first step is taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or ASVAB test in January. That test is available to juniors and seniors who missed the September test.
According to U.S. Marine Corps recruiter Sgt. Brandon Hamby, the ASVAB is a good test not only for military potential, but for potential in general.
“The test is designed to identify intelligence in certain areas of vocational slots within all the branches of the military, but it does have some purpose for those not really sure where they want to go,” Hamby said. “The ASVAB is a very detailed identifier of strengths for future purposes if a student is trying to decide between job fields in general.”
Hopefully, Crawford, says, parents and students will sit down and make a decision over the holiday about what to do after high school. With scholarships ranging in award criteria from grades to community service to personal need to just being a good student, the money is available for the taking.
“CHECK EVERYTHING OUT”
“A lot of the local service organizations like Kiwanis and Rotary offer money with very little formal criteria,” Crawford said. “Students and parents are urged to check everything out.”
Trent Higginbotham, Palatka Kiwanis president, said the Kiwanis’ scholarship is easy to get, but usually goes to the same students.
“A lot of the students that have a game plan to go to a four-year school right out of high school take advantage of every little bit of money they can get and they apply for everything,” he said. “They usually are the ones who get the money. If more students apply and, say, one has less grade point average but a higher need, we would like to give that student a chance to go to college. But, they have to apply.”
Kiwanis gives out four awards — two for $1,000 and two for $500 — and they are just money to go. “It’s not really tied to anything specific like books or room and board,” said Higginbotham.
The Palatka Rotary Sunrise Club has already given out money.
Rotary Sunrise President Mike Purinton said, like his Kiwanis counterpart, the money is there to be taken. “We have already given out $14,000 to nine students in August and plan to give more in January.”
The Rotary Sunrise scholarships are a cash award that can be used for any purpose toward school, said Annette Barrineau, scholarship manager for the past 16 years. “We give out scholarship to traditional graduating students as well as what we call nontraditional students who are people going back to school for career advancement or career change,” she said. “If they want to use it for day care or gas money, we don’t decide. As long as they go to school with it.”
Barrineau’s commitment to finding the money comes with the reward of her recipients’ thank-yous. “We fully funded a woman who is teaching today at Kelley Smith Elementary School.
“She told her students one day that the Rotary Club gave her the money to become a teacher,” Barrineau said. “That’s why I’ve been here 16 years. It is very rewarding.”
The Rotary Club scholarship does have an odd application timeframe in April or May because the board members are changed out at that time. “We really don’t know what our budget will be because of the change in boards,” she said. “So we give our money out in August and January.”
JANUARY SCHOLARSHIPS
The January scholarships are designated for nontraditional students — those returning to school after a gap from high school, said Barrineau.
Crawford’s cohorts at Palatka High School have been working since October to get students and scholarships matched up on paper.
“We do a student credit evaluation checkup sometime in October that details every class, every community service opportunity, what colleges a student has in mind and financial concerns,” she said. “And then we form a kind of game plan starting with proper credits earned and any missed classes that would hinder a student getting into college.”
Crawford pulled out a student evaluation sheet and explained a spreadsheet-looking compilation of data that told her that that particular student needed a couple more math classes and a history class.
“I have them fill out a senior resume-type worksheet that gives me instant data about that student,” she said. “When a scholarship comes in from a school offering money for marine biology, I can pull up all the data sheets where that subject has been indicated and give that student a call to come in and fill out an application. We try to match up scholarships with kids who are interested in certain subjects.”
Hamby’s Marine recruiting office is in the Palatka Mall, but he does visit Palatka High School once a week and offers recruiting advice to any interested student.
visits from military
According to Crawford, all the military branches visit. “They’ll come in and set up an area in the library or cafeteria and just talk to interested students,” Crawford said. “There is no pressure or any pitches, just information for the students to take with them.”
Hamby said the ASVAB is the first hurdle and the physical at the Military Enlistment Processing Station in Jacksonville is the second.
“The ASVAB is the mental test while the physical gives us a body picture,” he said. “After that, we do a moral check to see if anything in the background would create a conflict in the Marine way of life.”
Pass the physical and it’s a free trip to Parris Island, S.C., for basic training. There, hopefully, Marine training moves the recruit into his selected job field.
As for signing bonuses and exotic locations, Hamby reminded possible recruits that the rewards of being a Marine is not money. “I find people don’t join the Marines for money,” he said. “It is a life-changing, long-lasting experience. That is the honor.”
rlefko@palatkadailynews.com
Ellie