Application Week is busy one at SHS

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SANDPOINT — Figuring out the maze of college applications and post-secondary education and career options is never easy. Last week, Sandpoint High School seniors got a helping hand as the school held its annual Application Week.

The week gives seniors dedicated class periods to apply and research secondary education and career options with the assistance of SHS staff. Through the Apply Idaho program.

The program is sponsored by the Idaho State Board of Education in partnership with Idaho’s employers and the state’s Workforce Development Council. Apply Idaho is a comprehensive clearinghouse of resources and tools pertaining to education, training, and career exploration and development with the mission to “demystify the process of planning for your future and breaking it down into actionable steps.”

The program was piloted at SHS in 2016 with only North Idaho College participating. Currently, there are 12 Idaho colleges and universities participating in the program that is now used across the state.

The post-secondary education staff at SHS partnered with the English department to have senior classes last Monday through Wednesday spend class time dedicated to the Apply Idaho Program. Seniors not enrolled in an English class were pulled out of different courses throughout the week to allow them to participate in Application Week.

“SHS had over 200 seniors participate in Apply Idaho this year, with more than a whopping 500 applications sent to Idaho institutions,” Jeralyn Mire.

The week wasn’t all work. Staff kept the work upbeat by providing raffles, games and snacks for the students.

Application Week isn’t just for college applications. Students who do not plan to attend college spent that time working on resumes and brainstorming their career path with the counseling staff. SHS staff assisted students interested in joining the military by using scheduled time to study for the ASVAB and connect students to recruiters.

Students interested in pursuing apprenticeship and certificates, such as HVAC or getting their commercial driver’s license or going to cosmetology school were assisted as well.

Mire said that students wanting to enter the workforce right away worked on their resumes, job hunted online for research and were connected to local employers to learn the qualifications needed for available roles.

“The best part of Apply Idaho week is that we get to touch base with each student on what their plan after high school might look like,” Angie Dail, the newest member to the post secondary education staff at SHS said.

The staff’s mission is helping students create options, so that they can have choices after graduation.

SHS senior Colton Moore said the time and resources given to students during the Apply Idaho Week allowed him to take a breath during his hectic senior schedule and start working toward his post-high school goals.

“It was a great opportunity to learn about the options available to me and actually take action with guided support from the counselors,” said Moore.

Mire and Dail said that students knew that they needed to take the time and make steps toward their post-graduation goals.

The goal is to create space for the students to do so, said Dail. She said there was an engagement and camaraderie amongst the seniors as they researched and applied themselves to accomplish and establish their goals.

“It was so much fun to work with such an excited and encouraging class. It was amazing to hear the challenges they want to solve in the future and their varied interests,” said Mire.

SHS will also have a FASA night and a scholarship assembly later in the school year. After school the post-secondary counseling staff is available after school as well to assist students planning their next steps after graduation.