Local schools, students participate in College Application Week

Published 4:34 pm Monday, November 23, 2015

Chilton County High School, Isabella High School, Jemison High School, Maplesville High School, Thorsby High School and Verbena High School seniors received hands-on assistance applying to college during the Alabama College Application Week Campaign event held Nov. 2-6.

Roughly 16 students at Isabella High School, 100 students at Jemison High School, 21 students at Thorsby High School and 33 students at Verbena High school completed college applications during the event.

Chilton County High School has been rotating their seniors during their acceleration class period and assisting them in filling out at least one college application. Once the rotations have been completed in December, there should be close to 100 percent participation of CCHS seniors that have successfully submitted a college application.

Maplesville High School is also working closely with their seniors to help them submit college applications.

These numbers do not reflect the number of students that have already applied to college. A large number of seniors have already applied to college and have been accepted or are waiting on their results.

Some of the schools celebrated the event in various ways. Verbena High School had a day for students to wear their favorite college shirt and provided a reception on Nov. 6 for the seniors that had successfully completed a college application.

Isabella High School held a t-shirt/sweatshirt day for students to wear a shirt from the college they plan to attend and also had a refreshment area set up on Nov. 6 for the seniors that had successfully completed a college application.

Officials said that having this event seemed to motivate the students to get moving on the college process.

Additional information about the Alabama College Application Week Campaign can be found online at www.alcareerinfo.org. For more information about each high school’s events, contact the counselor for the respective school or contact Kim Benson, Chilton County career coach, at kdbenson@chilton.k12.al.us.

A free financial aid night will be held Dec. 1 at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center adjacent to Jefferson State Community College.

A financial aid representative will present information and will be available for questions.

This event is open to all Chilton County seniors and their parents/guardians. The event will begin at 6 p.m.