College
Week 2007
January, 2007
 Plano
ISD students focused on college readiness
January 8-12, during College and Career Week. Following
are
a
few examples
from
our school counselors about how our students were encouraged to "dream
big" during this special event. Also, read about upcoming
free college-prep
workshops.
 'Flat
Stanley' Goes to College
"Flat Stanley" visited colleges and
universities of the children of faculty and staff at Barron
Early Childhood School. Enjoy his report to Barron
students - College
Is Important!  (440k)
Justin Blalock Visits Andrews Elementary School
 Justin
Blalock, former University of Texas football player and Plano East
Senior High School honor student, answered questions and inspired
students during Andrews' college week kick-off assembly. Justin
is a December graduate of UT-Austin where he was a consensus All-American
football player for 2006. Justin is pictured with Susan
Fegraeus, Andrews PACE teacher and his third grade teacher when
he attended Thomas Elementary School.
Andrews students also participated in an ongoing "guessing
game bulletin board" featuring school-aged pictures of teachers.
On Monday and Friday, students were encouraged to wear college
shirts, Tuesday hats from colleges and Wednesday they all
received
college bookmarks.
Counselors Dawn Devillier and Marla Nunally taught lessons
all week in classrooms. View
their presentation. (591k)
 Forman Elementary School
“Dream Big With A Vision In Mind!” was the theme at
Forman Elementary School, where students participated in the
following activities.
- K-5 Classroom doors or hallway area decorated with student
pennants/pictures.
- Discuss college where the classroom teacher went to school.
Go over fact sheet.
- Teacher college fact sheet filled out and posted.
- Go by the guessing game wall and see where your teacher went
to school.
- Learn school's fight song, mascot or cheer in music class.
- Begin college readiness power point during morning announcements.
- Bookmarks for everyone.
- 3rd, 4th and 5th grades complete, Letter to me, from me.
- Begin revealing interesting facts about the 13 selected universities
during morning announcements.
- Present skit at assembly. Parents are encouraged to attend
- Wear favorite college/university colors or shirts.
Harrington Elementary School
During college week, students at Harrington
participated in many activities which emphasize
preparing oneself for graduation and realizing that going to college
is the ticket to their future. There was also a contest held prior
to college week for students to vote for the total
number
of colleges that were attended by their teachers and the staff.
The following themes for each day were: Monday - Harrington spirit
prepares us for college! (students wore Harrington spirit wear),
Tuesday - College makes your future BRIGHT! (students wore sunglasses
during recess), Wednesday - College: Your ticket to the future!
(students received bookmarks), Thursday - Choose your career
with college! (students dressed up for their future career), and Friday - Show
your college spirit! (students/teachers wore their favorite college colors
or shirts).
Hedgcoxe Elementary School
"Education Key to the Future" was the theme at Hedgcoxe.
The school entry was decorated with the key theme and the banners
of Texas universities. Grade level doors and/or areas were decorated
with college themes. The names of each university that Hedgcoxe
staff attended were on banners around the library and cafeteria.
Each
student drew his/her face underneath a graduation cap with
his/her year of graduation at the bottom to be posted in the
cafeteria and library area. A contest was underway to see who (student)
could guess the correct number of colleges and universities Hedgcoxe
faculty have attended.
 Hightower Elementary School
Students at Hightower participated in a "Who
Am I?" photo contest during college week. A brief summary
was written by staff members about the college they attended. Students
were then encouraged to guess the names of the staff members, using
their baby photo and college information.
 Hughston Elementary School
Dress theme days: Monday: "Hats off to Learning!" Students
wore a hat or cap with a college name; Tuesday: "Don’t
sweat the small stuff - keep your eye on the big picture. College
is possible for everyone!;" Wednesday: "Your path to
college leads through Haggard, Vines and Plano
Senior High." (Staff and students wore Hughston, Haggard red, white and
blue, Vines purple and white, or Plano Senior High maroon and white shirts
or colors; Thursday: "College Suits Me to a T!" We wore favorite college
T-shirts
or school colors; Friday: "Hughston spirit prepares us for college." Students
wore Hughston
spirit wear.
Hughston Elementary also had a bulletin board with staff pictures
from when they were in elementary school. The pictures were displayed
with
a logo
of the college(s) they attended. This was put up prior to winter
break. The staff and students made guesses as to who the staff
were. During college week a few staff pictures were revealed
each day.
Hunt Elementary School
Martha Hunt Elementary conducted a week full of college awareness
activities to assist students in their quest for acquiring
more information
regarding their future college educations. Hunt hounds
learned many interesting facts about specific colleges over the
morning announcements, during classroom guidance with Mrs. Bell,
the school counselor, and with their regular classroom
teachers during the school day.
Some special activities planned for the week included: wearing
caps with favorite college logos for Hats Off to Learning Day,
dressing up as their chosen careers for College can Help You Get
the Career of a Lifetime Day, and wearing sweatshirts with their
favorite college logos on Warm Up to a Good School Day. The students
and parents also checked out hallway displays to see where
their favorite Hunt faculty & staff members attended college.
 Jackson
Elementary School
Jackson had overwhelming support from teachers and alumni
as students celebrated theme days supporting college and career
week. On Friday during recess each student planted a tulip seed
to help them show that they are planting seeds today to make their
futures brighter. The activity assisted in teaching students
that choices they are making today impact their tomorrow.
Memorial Elementary School
At Memorial, teachers
enjoyed talking with students about colleges they attended. They
spoke to students about the value of attending college and
enthusiastically shared their school spirit with students.
Doors and walls were decorated with school colors and mascots and
many artifacts, such as yearbooks and banners, were on display.
Parents may have even heard their students humming a fight song
or reciting a cheer from colleges about which they learned.
 Mitchell
Elementary School
The Mitchell Meteors enjoyed a busy College Week experience.
All of the teachers decorated their classroom doors to represent
their college, and the students joined in the excitement, as they
learned college alma maters and fight songs. In guidance class,
the counselor
instructed them on the reason for college
and what they can do now to be ready when they graduate. Students
even modeled the Plano West graduation cap and gown.
 Saigling Elementary School
Saigling Elementary kicked off College Awareness Week by presenting
every student with a bookmark to mark their course to college.
In charting their course to college, students realized one of the
steps is getting their high school diploma. Students wore maroon
and white colors to show their high school spirit. Students also
realized
that college is their ticket to the future, by completing
a college ticket that stated their career choice. The week's activities
culminated with students and staff wearing Saigling spirit attire
to help students recognize that their pathway to college begins
in
elementary
school.
Stinson Elementary School
Teachers at Stinson Elementary had a college display section in
their classroom. They used college paraphernalia such as cups,
mascots, t-shirts and other items from their school for an interesting
discussion with the their students. The librarian provided students
with a cart of various books about careers for students to check
out.
Wyatt Elementary School
Students at Wyatt enjoyed classoom visits from several successful
professionals who shared presentations about their careers. Guests
included Steve Bresnahan, Technology Manager at Frito Lay; Dr.
Keith Arnold, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife and Fisheries Science
for Texas A& M University; and Chris Wilson, VP of Marketing
and Product Development for Mattel.
College Prep Workshops
Free Workshop - Feb. 5 at Jasper High
School
"How to Pay for College"
Gen and Kelly Tanabe
Gen and Kelly Tanabe are the award-winning authors of
Sallie Mae: How to Pay for College and Get Into Any College.
They won more than $100,000 in scholarships and
graduated from Harvard debt-free.
Join us to learn how to find scholarships and grants,
write powerful scholarship applications and essays,
and maximize your Financial Aid options.
Date: Monday, February 5th
Time:
7:00 p.m.
Location: Jasper High School
6800 Archgate Drive, Plano, TX 75024
Phone: (469) 752-7400
For more information contact: juliashanklin@yahoo.com
Books available to purchase at event.
Free Workshop - Feb. 8 at CCCC
Third Annual "Destination College" Parent Workshop at Collin County Community
College
This workshop serves as a compass for parents of college bound students.
Discover academic expectations, demystify the admissions process, translate
the language of higher education and explore financial resources and planning
for Collin and universities. Dinner will be served and parents will receive
a resource workbook.
Date: Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
Time: 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Collin College Spring Creek Campus Conference Center (Room AA135),
2800 E. Spring Creek Campus, Plano.
Please confirm your reservation by noon, Monday, Feb. 5 by registering
online at www.ccccd.edu/destinationcollege,
calling 972.377.1750 or 972.881.5770 or e-mailing compass@ccccd.edu.
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