Charting the course

It's FAFSA time!

The FAFSA is open now! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required to receive federal money, but it may also be used by individual colleges, the state of Mississippi, and private scholarships to award additional aid. Make an appointment with Get2College for help!

Build Your College List

To help you build your college list, make an appointment with Get2College. You will learn about Mississippi's 2- and 4-year colleges, considering cost, programs, and much more.

Consider a Career

College planning does not start senior year! The grades and courses you are completing right now are building your high school transcript. Focus on doing your best, ask for help when you need it, and remember the habits you build now can create more options later. Now's the time to start thinking about a career. Meet with a Get2College counselor to help you prepare for college and career.

Welcome to Gulfport High School! Colleges look at all four years, so build strong study habits now. Get involved in clubs or sports, challenge yourself in your classes, and do not be afraid to ask questions. Your future starts today!

Week 1: Welcome to GHS!

Week 2: Finding your Footing

Week 3: Small Habits, Big Impact

Week 4: Stay Organized, Stay Ahead

Week 5: Check Your Progress

Week 6: Strong Students Ask for Help

Week 7: Time Management

Week 8: Your Choices Matter

Week 9: Stay Motivated

Week 10: Growth Mindset

Week 11: Executive Functioning (see above)

ATTENTION: STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12

Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is looking for motivated, creative, and passionate young leaders to join their Youth Council for the 2026-2027 school year! Students will help shape programs, share ideas, and be a voice for the museum. Check out the attached flyer to learn more and apply!

Application Day is coming! On October 28, seniors will have designated times to come to the gym to meet with 10+ college recruiters, finish applying to college, and take fun pictures!! Please make plans to attend!

ATTENTION: SENIORS

The Youth Awards were founded in 1998 by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Now entering their 28th year, the Youth Awards honor high school seniors who excel in the classroom and community and for their excellence in various categories including: Community Service, Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Green, with additional categories being added throughout the awards season. Gold, Silver, and Bronze recipients are selected in each category and will receive a one-time grant to fund their college education or to fund a community service effort that tackles a social issue. To learn more and apply, please visit Youth Awards Application.

For every “A” on a student’s report card, it qualifies them for a chance to win a scholarship! Each “A” earned allows a separate chance to enter a drawing to win $1,000 scholarship! The more “A’s” earned, the better the chances of winning! The Citizens Bank will draw and announce a winner at the end of the school year and announce the winner the first week of June. The Citizens Bank will award a total of fourteen $1000 scholarships. Eligibility applies to high school juniors and seniors in each county we serve. It does have to be the current year’s report card, they cannot turn in report cards from previous years. The student does not have to bank with The Citizens Bank to qualify. To enter, all they have to do is bring a copy of their report card to a branch of The Citizens Bank or they can email a copy of their report card directly to channing.peebles@thecitizensbank.bank

If you are interested in the Oratorical Contest, please download the Official Rules brochure for this year with the website link to the National website. For more information and a complete list of guidelines, please visit https://mslegionoratorical.weebly.com/

ACT scores have the potential to be linked to money! Registration deadlines are usually about a month before the test date. Fee waivers are available for students who qualify for free/reduced lunch. Please see your counselor for verification!

October 17, 2026

December 12, 2026

February 27, 2027

April 10, 2027

June 12, 2027

July 10, 2027

Please refer to pages 28-30 in the 2026-2027 Secondary Student Handbook (Gulfport High School) concerning the attendance policy.

ACT Website

This is the ACT's website. You can register for the ACT on-line here and view sample tests. Gulfport High Schools code is 251-082. You must put the high school code on your registration if you want your scores to be on your transcript.

College Scholarship Search Engine

US Colleges & Universities as well as private organizations.

Education Student Services Foundation

Great resource for scholarships and financial aid.

Fastweb Scholarship Search Engine

Get2College

Get2College (Spanish)

The Get2College "College Guide" is your college planning companion to help you plan, prepare, and pay for college.

Institute of Higher Learning for Mississippi

KnowHow2Go.org

A Great website with useful information on how to get to college.

MS Junior/Community Colleges

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

This website addresses all issues for high school student athletes who hope to participate in college athletics at an NCAA college or university.

SAT, PSAT, AP Exams

This is the website for the SAT, PSAT, and also Advanced Placement (AP) examinations

US Dept of Education Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

This is the application for the Pell Grant and Student Loans

Thank you to all of our AMAZING recruiters who attended Senior Parent Night!!

We appreciate your input and guidance!

University of Southern Mississippi-Khara Walters (khara.walters@usm.edu)

Mississippi State University-Allie Houston (ah3035@msstate.edu)

University of Mississippi-Annie Watts (annie2@olemiss.edu)

MGCCC-Dylan Tyner (dylan.tyner@mgccc.edu)

William Carey University-Micah Mixon (mmixon@wmcarey.edu)

University of South Alabama-Casey Caliva (ccaliva@southalabama.edu)

Jackson State University-Wendell Fountain (wendell.l.fountain@jsums.edu)

University of Alabama-Julian Katz (julian.bama@ua.edu)

LSU (Louisiana State University)-Emily Sanders (Emily.Bernard@lsu.edu)

Tulane-Roth Coats (rcoats@tulane.edu)

Millsaps College-Jacob Cruse (crusejh@millsaps.edu)

Samford University-Jorja Haddox (jhaddox@samford.edu)

Mississippi University for Women-Ian Slaugh (ipslaugh@muw.edu)

Auburn University-Dana Poore (dhp0023@auburn.edu)

Students in the eleventh and twelfth grades will be allowed two additional days per year for college visits provided the student produces written documentation from the college.

Documentation can be turned into the front office!

FSA is responsible for managing the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide grant, work-study, and loan funds to students attending college or career school.

We ensure students and their families can benefit from these programs by

• informing students and families about the availability of the federal student aid programs and the process for applying for and receiving aid from those programs;

• developing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form and processing more than 17.5 million FAFSA forms each year;

• accurately disbursing, reconciling, and accounting for all federal student aid funds that are delivered to students each year through approximately 5,400 colleges and career schools;

• managing the outstanding federal student loan portfolio and securing repayment from federal student loan borrowers;

• offering free assistance to students, parents, and borrowers throughout the entire financial aid process; and

• providing oversight and monitoring of all program participants—schools, financial entities, and students—to ensure compliance with the laws, regulations, and policies governing the federal student aid programs.

How to Create an Account and Username (FSA ID) for StudentAid.gov

The FAFSA will open on October 1st. To digitally sign your FAFSA, an FSA ID is required for both the student and parent. If you have not already created your unique identification, the video above will explain the steps and importance of the FSA ID.

We help you

plan, prepare, and pay

for college.

Get 2 College provides free support for Mississippi students and educators.

One of the BEST resources for GHS parents and students is Get2College in Ocean Springs. All of their services are free: act prep, college planning, financial aid help, etc!!!! Take advantage of their services by calling 228-875-4441.

Ocean Springs Get2College Center is located at 715 Cox Ave, Ocean Springs, MS 39564

The state of Mississippi provides about $40 million each year to help students go to college.

The state offers four undergraduate grant programs:

• HELP, Higher Education Legislative Plan, which awards full tuition for students demonstrating financial need (and meeting required financial criteria;
• MTAG, Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant, which awards $500 per year to freshmen and sophomores and $1,000 per year to juniors and seniors;
• MESG, Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant, which awards $2,500 per year to high-achieving students with a 29 or higher ACT and 3.5 (or higher) GPA; and
• FAITH, Fostering Access & Inspiring True Hope, which awards scholarships up to the full cost of attendance for current and former foster youth.

All four grant programs require students to enroll full-time each term.

To learn more about the requirements needed for all four grants, please visit the website at https://www.msfinancialaid.org/ (Click on "Grant and Scholarship Programs" on the right column.)

Mississippi Christian Leaders of the Future Scholarship: Deadline-October 2, 2026. Two finalists (one young man and one young woman) will each receive a $2,000 scholarship to the four-year college/university of his/her choice and will be featured in Mississippi Christian Living magazine. Applicants must be high-school seniors with outstanding servant hearts and Christian character. Application instructions are online at Mississippi Christian Living.

AES Engineering Scholarship: Deadline-October 8, 2026. Award amount is $500. Students must submit an essay between 500-1000 words in answer to the following questions: When you look back on your life in 30 years, what would it take for you to consider your life successful? What relationships or accomplishments will be important on this journey? Details are available at https://aesengineers.com/scholarships.php and essays should be emailed to scholarships@aesengineers.com

MORA (MS Organ Recovery Agency) Scholarship Program: Deadline-Postmarked no later than Friday, October 23, 2026. Scholarships range from $1,000-$5,000. Student must be a graduating senior (from an accredited MS high school) who has been accepted (or have intentions of fall enrollment) to a junior college or university. Two letters of recommendation and an essay (min. 300 words, max. 750 words) are required. Scholarship applications are available in Guidance.

Voice of Democracy Scholarship (VFW): Deadline-October 31, 2026. Scholarship amounts range from $1,000-$35,000. Voice of Democracy is an annual nationwide scholarship program sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). It is an audio-essay contest for high school students. This year's theme is "What a Veteran Taught Me About America." For scholarship rules and entry forms, please visit https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships

Civic League of Gulfport Scholarships: Deadline-December 1. TWO scholarships are available: The Kathy Varnado Smith scholarship has a $1,000 value and can be awarded to a senior who plans to enter a field that will be of service to a person with special needs or to an individual who has a special need (hearing, visual, physical, or learning) and aspires to attend a college/university or to attain vocational training. The Exceptional Student scholarship is designated for a senior who will be pursuing an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree (or vocational training) and who has a special need in one of the following categories: intellectual disability, a hearing impairment, a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment, an emotional disability, an orthopedic impairment, autism, a traumatic brain injury, other health impairment, specific learning disability, deaf/blindness, and/or a developmental delay. The student must have plans to attend a college/university or vocational school. Applications for both are available in the guidance office.

Burger King Scholars: Deadline-December 15. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $60,000 and are intended to offset the cost of attending college or post-secondary vocational/technical school. Inspired by Burger King Restaurants co-founder, Jim McLamore, The Burger King Foundation believes in empowerment through education and lending a helping hand, when needed, thus allowing you to live life your way. Recipients are selected through an application process that takes into consideration their GPA, work experience, extracurricular activities, community service, and financial need. For a complete list of requirements and to apply, please visit Burger King Scholars.

BBB Mississippi Students of Integrity Scholarships 2026/27: Deadline-January 18, 2027. BBB will be awarding three $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors attending a college/university or technical school in Mississippi. The Students of Integrity Scholarship program is aimed at supporting and empowering the next generation of leaders. This scholarship will provide financial assistance to deserving students pursuing higher education. Students must be a high school senior, Mississippi resident, have a 3.0 (or showed GPA improvement consistently over time), and plan to attend a Mississippi-based accredited Higher Education Institution (2 or 4 year). Interested applicants can find more information and apply through their website at Mississippi Students of Integrity Scholarship.

Coastal Wake Foundation Scholarship: Due-April 15, 2027. (Scholarship applications will be available after March 14.) Twelve $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. Eligible applicants must be a graduating high school senior in Hancock or Harrison counties, plan to continue their education at an accredited two-year college, four-year university, or trade school, and have completed an approved boater and/or hunter safety education course and received certification. Seniors must complete one of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boat America Recreational Boating Safety Classes. For a list of dates and to apply, please pick up the information packet in Guidance. (More dates to come in the spring!)

There are also national scholarship databases that allow you to search for scholarships. Be careful of any scholarship or organization that asks for an application fee, as they may not be legitimate. Scholarship applications should always be free! These are highly recommended…

• Big Future
• SallieMae
• College Scholarships
• Fastweb
• Scholarships by UNCF
• Unigo
• Student Scholarships

For any questions concerning transcripts, please reach out to the GHS Registrars:

Allison Edwards-9th and 10th grades; allisonc.edwards@gulfportschools.org

Amy Raybourn-11th and 12th grades; amy.raybourn@gulfportschools.org

Front row (L-R): Alice Walker, Jennifer Dupuy, Ashley Whitfield

Back row (L-R): Cindy Taylor, Kandice Hartfield, Jennifer Welch, Alicia Roberts