2024 SEHS Junior/Senior Resources

"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, I'M POSSIBLE!"

Welcome, Juniors and Seniors and those who support them!

We hope you find this newsletter useful.

And yes, we know it's long! But informative! Feel free to consume it in small bites.

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a) Information for SENIORS

Welcome to your Senior Year!

Seniors! Find important information about your graduation status, applying to college, the Senior Interview, Junior Project completion, and more on this informative webpage assembled by the SEHS counselors. (Also accessible via https://sehs.4j.lane.edu - (refresh page if needed) - STUDENTS - Class Pages - Class of 2025 - Senior Year Counseling Information)

Senior Planning Timeline

Get your ducks in a row with this Senior Planning Timeline 2024-25. It details many must-know dates for the school year.

Applying to 4-Year Colleges from SEHS

Seniors (and Juniors)! Check out this 20-minute video slide presentation on South's 4-year college-application process by SEHS counselor, Michael Leahy.

College Application Guide

Seniors! Find essential information and tips to smoothly navigate South's specific college application process in this 5-minute video slide presentation by SEHS post-graduate planning specialist, Leann Hollenbeak.

b) 5 Senior Project Options (1 required for graduation)

1) The Senior Experience

Classic (non-IHS) South students who are not on a CTE or CAM pathway complete the Extended Application graduation requirement by undertaking a Senior Experience. The Senior Experience involves completing 10 hours of college- or career-preparation activities and creating a poster or slideshow about the activities to present at a Senior Experience Showcase. Review the Senior Experience newsletter for more information.

2) The IHS Pathway to Graduation

International High School seniors meet the Extended Application graduation requirement by completing their 150 CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) hours, passing the Theory of Knowledge course, and completing a senior paper. Watch this 6-minute video-slide presentation by former IHS International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator, Steve Smith, for more information about life as an upperclass IHS student.

3) Career and Technical Education at SEHS

South offers many CTE courses in different career areas. These courses may be taken individually, or students may pursue multiple CTE courses in the same subject as a way to complete their Extended Application graduation requirement. Visit our CTE brochure for more information.

4) Career and Technical Education through 4J

4J's CALCI program provides high schoolers across the district the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning as a way to complete their Extended Application graduation requirement. Four themes are currently operating (building/construction, digital graphics/video design, engineering, and K-12 education), with additional pathways planned for the future.

5) IOP Outdoor Leadership CAM

The IOP Outdoor Leadership CAM (Career-Aligned Mastery) allows seniors to complete their Extended Application graduation requirement by helping design and oversee activities in the Integrated Outdoor Program course. This course combines English and physical education with a focus on the natural world and includes many outdoor activities. Visit our IOP CAM brochure for more information.

c) Information for JUNIORS

Welcome to your Junior Year!

Juniors! Find important information about graduation requirements, college admissions expectations, the Junior Interview, Junior Project completion, and more on this informative webpage assembled by the SEHS counselors. (Also accessible via https://sehs.4j.lane.edu - (refresh page if needed) - STUDENTS - Class Pages - Class of 2026 - Junior Year Info Class of 2026)

Junior Essentials for the Class of 2026

Juniors! Find important information about credit requirements, recommended activities, post-grad planning, and more in this 13-minute video slide presentation by SEHS counselor, Juli McGlinsky.

Checklist for the Junior Year

College-bound Juniors, use this checklist to be sure you don't miss something important as you prepare for next year!

d) Adulting

Money Management

Juniors and Seniors, learn how to get the most out of your hard-earned money with this 58-minute video slide presentation on budgeting, saving, avoiding debt, investing, and using credit by Nate Taylor, lead asset-building specialist with Dev Northwest. For more information about Dev Northwest's youth programming, instead of contacting Nate, please reach out to Youth Asset Building Specialist, Abby James (541-799-4047, <abby.james@devnw.org>).

Resume Building

A resume is a summary of your personal data, your educational background and training, your business or professional experience and qualifications, and your achievement highlights.

Tools for Creating a Resume:

https://www.canva.com/ - search resume template
https://getschooled.com/ - search resume template

High School Credit for Paid Work

South students who are employed in the community may earn elective credit through 4J's Work Experience program. This experience must be paid work and may occur at a public, private, or non-profit organization. Contact SEHS post-graduate planning specialist, Leann Hollenbeak, in the College and Career Center for details (<hollenbeak_l@4j.lane.edu>, 541-790-8012).

Job Search Tools:

Get Schooled App

Get Schooled offers a one-stop-shop of free, student-friendly college and career tools, articles, videos, and more! We recommend it for both job and college prep.

e) 4 Ways to Earn College Credit in High School

1) Lane Community College's College Now Program

College Now allows area high-school students to earn Lane Community College credits for approved courses taken at their high school and taught by specifically qualified high-school teachers.

LCC Credit for College Now Courses

Receiving LCC credit is not automatic. Students need to register for the courses through LCC. College Now course teachers assist with registration within each CN class.

Do keep in mind that LCC credits earned through College Now count towards the Oregon Promise Grant's 90-credit maximum.

South's College Now options

Find classes here in these subjects:

Child Development/Education
Computers
French
Graphic Design
Math
Spanish

SEHS College Now Liaison

Leann Hollenbeak

Email: hollenbeak_l@4j.lane.edu
Location: College and Career Center
Phone: 541-790-8012

2) Advanced Placement Courses

The AP Program offers college-level courses and exams that you can take in high school.

Advanced Placement and College

Taking AP courses and exams may improve your chances of getting into college and help you minimize your college costs. Here's how.

Which AP courses are offered at South?

South Eugene High School Curriculum Guide 2024-25

See the AP course table, shown in the Earning College Credit at High School section of the curriculum guide.

The Advanced Placement Program at SEHS

A must-read newsletter for South's AP participants

A Broader View of College Readiness

A new analysis finds students who earn a 2 on an AP Exam are prepared for the rigor of college courses. Article by Eric Johnson and Dante Ciampaglia for the College Board, 4/22/21.

3) The University of Oregon's Duck Link Program

Duck Link allows high-school students living in Lane County to enroll at the U of O in up to eight credits per quarter at a reduced cost (tuition-free but not fee-free). To participate in Duck Link in any subject area, a student must have exhausted all high-school course work available to them in that subject area. South students may contact post-graduate planning specialist, Leann Hollenbeak (hollenbeak_l@4j.lane.edu), for more information about Duck Link or to address cost concerns.

4) Eugene International High School (IHS) International Baccalaureate Program

The IB program, for juniors and seniors enrolled in IHS, allows students to earn credit or advanced standing at many colleges and universities. Eugene IHS students may choose to pursue the full IB Diploma with exams in 6 subjects or take tests in individual subjects. Students earning a minimum score on an IB test can earn college credit, similar to earning Advanced Placement college credit. (Additionally, students earning the full IB Diploma may be eligible for IB Diploma scholarships.)

f) 5 Career-Prep Options in High School

1) Career and Technical Education at SEHS

As mentioned above, South offers many CTE courses in different career areas. These courses may be taken individually, or students may pursue multiple CTE courses in the same subject as a way to complete their Extended Application graduation requirement. Visit our CTE brochure for more information.

2) Career and Technical Education through 4J

As mentioned above, 4J's CALCI program provides high schoolers across the district the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning as a way to complete their Extended Application graduation requirement. Four themes are currently operating (building/construction, digital graphics/video design, engineering, and K-12 education), with additional pathways planned for the future.

3) Elevate

Elevate is a program run by Connected Lane County that offers a wide variety of mostly free career-connected opportunities for students including job shadows, internships, hiring fairs, and more. Connected Lane County's calendar of events and activities

4) Career Prep for SEHS Students

Find here a list of local activities for students who would like to gain experience in specific career fields: Career Prep for SEHS Students.

5) Student Volunteering for SEHS Students

Find here a list of local organizations that invite help from student volunteers: Student Volunteering for SEHS Students.

g) What's After Graduation? 5 Possibilities

1) I'm Bound for College...

Finding a College that Fits

Learn tips for finding the right college with this 25-minute video slide presentation by SEHS College and Career Center coordinator, Lori Sauter.

Selective College Admission

Read about applying to selective colleges in this short article, Applying Sideways, by MIT alum, Chris Peterson.

Financial-Aid Tips

Learn about paying for college by listening to the 2024 SEHS Financial Aid Night webinar, an 84-minute recording featuring UO and Lane CC financial aid counselors. (Begin at 2:32 where actual event starts.)

Then gather a few Financial Aid Tips from the SEHS College & Career Center.

Oregon Goes to College

This website has many excellent resources to help with college planning, including quite a few in Spanish.

Headed to LCC?

RTEC 101 Gateway to College and Careers is a free class for graduating high-school seniors. This class is all about preparing you with the necessary tools and resources you need to become a successful student at Lane.

Headed to a 4-Year College?

The U of O's SAIL program offers incoming juniors and seniors free one-week summer programs on the University of Oregon campus. Students take mini-classes from faculty members and also dig into college admissions, scholarships, careers, and financial-aid. Participants must come from households with low income.

BONUS! Participants with financial need have the chance to apply for scholarships once they're seniors, including a 1-year room and board scholarship for the U of O, a rarity!

2) I'm Bound for Vocational School...

Where should I go to school?

Trade School Vs. College - How They Compare, an 11-minute video by Practical Wisdom - Interesting Ideas

Should I attend a for-profit school?

6 Pros and Cons of For-Profit Colleges, a 4/17/23 article written by BestColleges staff writers

What Can I Earn?

Top 10 In-Demand Trade Jobs, a 6-minute video by Indeed Career Guide

3) I'm Bound for a Gap Year...

Gap Year 101

Answering Your Questions About the Gap Year Option, a 31-minute video by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

2021 Gap Year Crash Course

Career Exploration: Internships, Work Experience & Resume Building, a 53-minute video by USA Gap Year Fairs

Work Exchange Abroad

Tools for a Gap Year on a Budget, an article by Colin Murchison for Go Overseas

Northwest Youth Corps

Northwest Youth Corps offers a challenging education and job-training experience. Programs include residential conservation crews, community wildfire protection crews, an internship program for college-aged participants, and a fully accredited high school, among others.

AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a 10-11 month, full-time, team-based residential program for men and women ages 18 to 26 who want to gain experience while supporting environmental stewardship, building affordable housing, assisting with disaster response, and more.

Rotary Youth Exchange

The Rotary Youth Exchange (travel-abroad program) offers students ages 15-19 the chance to live (and sometimes study) in another country. Administered by Rotary International, exchanges are overseen locally, cost less than most other travel programs, and are run by people who actively care about students' welfare.

All Hands and Hearts

All Hands and Hearts is a volunteer-powered disaster-relief program. (Former SEHS teacher and current SEHS substitute teacher, Stan Paulic (paulic@4j.lane.edu), volunteers with AHAH and would be happy to share with you his first-hand knowledge of the program.)

4) I'm Bound for the Military...

Should I Join the Military?, an article by Kathy Staples for Peterson's. Be aware that Peterson's tries to sell you an online ASVAB test prep program at the end. South is not intending to endorse this program.
Deciding Which Military Service to Join, an article by Steward Smith for liveaboutdotcom
Expectations and Advice for Meeting the Military Recruiter, an article by Rod Powers for liveaboutdotcom
U.S. Military Contracts and Enlistment Incentives, an article by
Rod Powers for liveaboutdotcom
Joining the Military, a webpage from the Oregon Goes to College site. "There are several pathways to the military that include college: using tuition benefits after enlisting, joining ROTC while in college, or attending a military school."

5) I'm Bound for On-The-Job Training...

Elevate Hiring Fair, annual spring event for Lane County high school seniors seeking a full- or part-time, entry-level career job
High-Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty, While High School Grads Line Up For University, an article and radio broadcast by Ashley Gross and Jon Marcus for NPR Ed
You don't need a bachelor's degree to land a high-paying job, an article and radio broadcast by Elissa Nadworny for NPR
Pathways to the Trades, suggestions from Oregon Goes to College
Apprenticeships: What You Need to Know, a 41-minute video from Oregon Goes to College. Intended for educators but very useful to students. Most useful info is shared between 1:40 and 21:00. Notes, links, and resources referenced in presentation can be found here.
Become an apprentice: Learn about the basic qualifications for apprenticeship programs and how to apply for most programs a webpage from the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
Accessing Union Apprenticeships, a website with a mission of "working to align Oregon and Washington union building trades with the K-12 and post-secondary systems, CTE and STEM initiatives, and current investments of the workforce development system"
Oregon Apprenticeship, a website of resources supporting registered Oregon apprenticeships
LCC Industrial Trades, Technologies, Transportation, and Apprenticeship, information about the automotive, aviation, manufacturing, construction, drafting, welding, and electrical trades programs at Lane
Improving Your Qualifications (for an electrical or other apprenticeship), a webpage from the NECA/IBEW Electrical Training Center

h) South Resources

SEHS Counseling Team and Community Resources

Newsletter describing the SEHS Counseling Department, as well as sharing links for students and families needing mental-health and other types of support

Wellness Supports at SEHS

Details for students seeking mental-health assistance located at South

Academic Support for SEHS Students

Resources for students who need help with their schoolwork

SEHS College & Career Center News (the deep dive)

Instagram@sehsccc (the easy dive)

i) Questions?

Email the College and Career Center staff (Lori Sauter <sauter_l@4j.lane.edu> or Leann Hollenbeak <hollenbeak_l@4j.lane,edu>), or reach out to your counselor, and we'll help you find the information you need.