Seniors,

As we make our way into April, this newsletter is officially releasing the Senior Exit Survey to you. This is an incredibly important step in the graduation process. This survey is long, but I am asking (begging) you to take your time with it and really thoughtfully fill it out. The information we gather from it is crucial not only for Class Night and Graduation, but also for data that we need to collect in the counseling department. Please go through it carefully. This will be due no later than May 2nd.

As I type this, there are 54 days of school left. That means things are about to get busy! Class Night and Graduation preparation has begun, so in addition to advertising some new scholarships, this edition of the senior newsletter is beginning to introduce some of of the end of senior year things that you need to take care of before you graduate. I've taken a lot of the fluff out, but feel free to look back at other newsletters if you need that information again!

This edition also has the Lambda Eta Sigma application, a folder to submit Class Night Photos, and an announcement about Service Hours. Remember that all Graduation and Class Night related items are due by May 2nd!

There are also a couple of new scholarships, so keep an eye on all of that!

If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to reach out. Remember, I'm here for every one of you no matter what. Please know that I am here for anything you need.

-Mr. Watters

I told you this was coming! We are at that part of your senior year where it's time to give us information for your future plans, class night, and more!

This exit survey is required for class night and graduation. We will verify the information that is submitted, but please know that inaccurate or omitted information will negatively affect class night readings and presentations. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is comprehensive and accurate. If it isn't included in here, it won't be seen on Class Night!

Please respond to every question. Some of it might seem silly, but I promise that it is all needed for our data at Lakeland. If you are waiting on information, you will have the ability to go back in and edit responses if needed. If things change or need to be added, you can always email me any updates. As always, if you have any questions along the way, or about anything else, please let me know!

Your Senior Exit Survey is due NO LATER than May 2nd.

While we are unable to run a full Senior Seminar Day, we would still like to give students who wish to be CPR certified by graduation the opportunity. If you would like to be CPR certified, please fill out the form below. CPR training will take place on April 10th. If needed, we will look for two separate times.

Becoming a Lambda Eta Sigma Graduate at Lakeland is the highest achievement a student can receive. Lambda Eta Sigma Graduates exemplify the collective values of the school district, and have worked consistently for their high school careers towards excellence in a variety of areas.

To apply for the Lambda Eta Sigma award, please complete the Google Form below. This will be due no later than May 2nd. Any applications submitted after that date will not be considered.

The criteria for a Lambda Eta Sigma Graduate is:

• SCHOLARSHIP: Earn 27 credits from grades 9-12
• TRUSTWORTHY: Maintain a 95% attendance rate from grades 9-12
• RESPECTFUL: Receive zero (0) office discipline referrals from grades 9-12
• INVOLVED: Complete 60 hours of community service from grades 9-12 (20 of the hours must not be associated with student club activities); Participate in 6 extracurricular activities at Lakeland (sports, clubs, organizations, etc.) for at least 2 years each
• BRAVE: Complete 3 capstone courses (listed below)
• EXCELLENT: Maintain at least one leadership position on an extracurricular activity, for one year.

Requirements for Transfer Students
Transfer students will be responsible to present evidence of meeting the above criteria, certified from their previous school(s), to be eligible for the award. A district form is available, allowing a transfer student to be potentially eligible for the award.

Current Lakeland High School Capstone Courses
MATH: AP Calculus, AP Stats, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Comp Sci A
SCIENCE: AP Chemistry, AP Bio, Honors Physics, Biomedical Innovations (PLTW)
ENGLISH: AP Language and Composition, AP Literature and Composition
SOCIAL STUDIES: AP Government and Politics
FINE ARTS: Music Theory II, Honors French IV, Honors Spanish IV, Honors Art Studio
PRACTICAL ARTS: Engineering Design & Development (PLTW), Advanced Woodworking
Dual Enrollment Courses
CAREER TECHNOLOGY CENTER - Due to the nature of the schedule for students who attend the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County (CTC), CTC students will have met the “capstone course” requirement by meeting/exceeding the following:
Completers of their 3 year programming
Any two (2) of the following criteria:
Member of the National Technical Honor Society
Earned an industry certification
Medalist at SkillsUSA competition

Every year, our Class Night presentation includes tons of pictures from throughout your time at Lakeland. The only way we can make that happen is if you submit picture for us to display! The link below will take you to a Google Folder where you can dump any pictures you would like included. We ask that each student/family creates their own folder and labels it with their name prior to uploading photos to it. We can't guarantee that every picture will be there, but we will try our best to get them all in!

Your Class Officers are asking that you share any photos or videos with them related to your Remember Whens! You can share what you have with Jeremy, Lucci, Kendra, or Gabby!

All students are required to complete at least 20 hours of community service. You can access the tracking sheet below, and can hand completed hours in to Mrs. Weaver at any time. We know that many of you have already completed your hours, but we still need documentation of that on our end. If you are curious where you stand, you can email Mrs. Weaver or Mr. Watters to find your number!

Keep an eye out on Google Classroom. There may be some new service opportunities coming up soon and they will be shared there.

All service hours are due by May 2nd!

**Please note that at some point soon, students who leave early for junior/senior privilege may not be able to leave early until their service hours have been completed.**

As of March 17th:

• 56% of our senior class has applied to college.
• They've completed 349 college applications for 108 different schools.
• So far 53% of those students have reported at least one college acceptance (but we know there's more!)
• 2 students has already signed on with the military; 2 others have indicated plans to do so.
• 15% of the senior class has indicated they will enter into the workforce upon graduation.
• 126 Letters of Recommendation have been written.

From all the numbers above, we have some "wins" to celebrate! This is simply just any indication that your next step is closer to being a reality. For those looking to go to college, this means a college acceptance. For those looking to go into the military, this means signing with your branch. For those looking to enter the workforce, this means getting a job.

So far, we can celebrate the win for:

Penelope Archer

Riley Arzie

Evan Berlinski

Jayla Bilinsky

Daniel Black

Marley Bodnar

Faith Brown

Emilee Bruno

Gianna Bullick

Aidan Canavan

Charlotte Carrube

Delana Chesar

Nicholas Chmiola

Myles Decker

Blaise Dennis

Libby Fofi

Juliana Grier

Ava Grossi

Hope Hanichak

Jack Hemak

Brooke Hill

Frank Hunsinger

Gracyn Keen

Jesse Kovaleski

Natalie Lowry

Jordan Malar

Lucianna Natale

Jeremy Nichols

Brayden Osborn

Jayden Poklemba

Michael Rivera

Gia Serge

Abigail Shygelski

Gabrielle Turner

Luke Vinansky

Kendra Williams

Gavin Zellers

We know there are more of you!! If you have a win to celebrate, please send it our way so we can celebrate it with you! Please send us the following:

• college acceptance letters (please also indicate acceptances in SCOIR)
• scholarships you have received
• signed military contracts
• signed work or apprenticeship contracts
• anything else you see as relevant

You can stop by and we will make a copy of your proof or feel free to send a picture or screenshot to me at zwatters@lakelandsd.org. The next newsletter will start featuring some of out student Wins!

There is generally no more asked question than "how can I get a scholarship." If I had the answer to that, I promise I would share it, but unfortunately it isn't that simple. We continue to receive more local scholarships, but deadlines are very quickly approaching! You can also check out the Scholarships page of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. It has some scholarship sites that may provide you with some opportunities!

Please note that scholarships are listed by submission deadline date, and any scholarship that is new to this newsletter will be marked as **NEW**.

• **NEW** Century Club Nursing Scholarship - This scholarship is for student planning to pursue a degree in nursing. Click the link for more details. Application Deadline: ???
• Mike Munchak Community Service Scholarship - This $6,300 scholarship is for students who have demonstrated a commitment to community service. More information can be found in the link. Application Deadline: April 27th, 2025
• School Counselors of NEPA Scholarship - This $500 scholarship is for college bound students whose school counselor has had an impact on them. You can access the application by clicking the link. Application Deadline: April 28th, 2025
• **NEW** Scranton Unico Brian Piccolo Scholarship - This $2,000 scholarship is available for students of Italian-American heritage. Applicants should complete the linked form and essay, and return them to the counseling office to be sent out. Application Deadline: May 1st, 2025
• PA Heritage Foundation Scholarship - Five scholarships of either $1,000 of $500 are available to students willing to write an essay about an underrecognized piece of Pennsylvania History. Application Deadline: May 2nd, 2025
• Jerry Robling Scholarship - This scholarship is for up to $20,000. Click the link for the more information and the scholarship application. Application Deadline: May 5th, 2025
• **NEW** William Lange Memorial Scholarship - This scholarship is for students entering college majors dealing with the Environment. Check the link for more info. Application Deadline: May 10th, 2025
• **NEW** William Popovich Memorial Scholarship - This scholarship is for students who are entering postsecondary education to study agriculture or veterinary science. Application Deadline: May 10th, 2025
• **NEW** Business & Profession Women Scholarship - This scholarship is available for female students who plan to further their education. Details can be found by clicking the link. Application Deadline: May 14th, 2025
• Kirtland Foundation Scholarship - This scholarship is available to any student in Lackawanna County planning to further their education. Click the link for more information. Application Deadline: May 15th, 2025
• Josiah Hricko Memorial Scholarship - This scholarship is available through the Harford Fair. Click the link for more info. Application Deadline: May 15th, 2025
• Corabelle Chappell Memorial Fund Scholarship - This scholarship is open for students in Lackawanna County who will be attending Keystone College in the fall. Application Deadline: May 29th, 2025
• Harford Agricultural Society Scholarship - This scholarship is available specifically for students who have been involved in the Harford Fair. Click the link for more information. Application Deadline: August 31st, 2025

As most of you will be beyond the college application stage, I won't go too into detail about this moving forward. Rather, you will find links to the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website as well as the presentation that was given in your classes earlier in the year. There you will find the following information and more: Career Exploration Information, College Application Guide, Decision Types, Types of Applications, Information about SCOIR, How to Request Letters of Recommendation, How to Send Transcripts to Schools, College Essays, Scholarships, Testing, Information (SAT/ACT), and Financial Aid Information. You can also scroll to the bottom to find previous newsletters with more information!

You're getting there! Every day is one step closer to graduation, and it'll be here before you know it. If you're stressed about a decision, or just life in general, come see me. I'm always here for you!

Keep pushing - we will get to the finish line together!

Best,

Mr. Watters

Mrs. deQuevedo - ddequevedo@lakelandsd.org

Classes of 2026, 2028, & 2030

Click Here to Make an Appointment

Mr. Watters - zwatters@lakelandsd.org

Classes of 2025, 2027 & 2029

Click Here to Make an Appointment

Location: 1355 Lakeland Drive, Jermyn, PA, United States

Email: lhscounseling@lakelandsd.org | Phone: 570-254-9485

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