Southeast celebrates seniors' post-graduation plans

By PETE SHERMAN (pete.sherman@sj-r.com), THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

Posted Apr 30, 2010 @ 11:30 PM Last update May 01, 2010 @ 12:34 AM

Southeast High School seniors spent part of their lunch hour Friday celebrating that they’ve finally made a not-so-simple decision — what to do after graduation.

For some, the availability of financial aid was a determining factor for which path to take.

“If I don’t get (aid), there’s no way I could do it,” said Raven Rutherford, a Southeast senior who is heading to the Midwest Technical Institute to become a nursing assistant. The cost of college was already too prohibitive for her, she said.

Friday was Southeast’s “Decision Day.” The school is one of eight in Illinois hosting the event, which is also sponsored by ISAC. Lanphier High School is another and will celebrate its Decision Day next week.

Adding to the pressure, funds in the state’s Monetary Award Program, which provides $5,000 grants to some students to attend college, dried up early this year.

Roughly a third of Southeast’s seniors heading to college may have missed the application deadline, said Catalina Hernandez, a college adviser at Southeast who is paid by the Illinois College Advising Corps program, created by the University of Illinois and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to help college-bound students.

“The MAP grants can make college incredibly affordable,” Hernandez said. “It pays for most, if not all, of the tuition at Lincoln Land Community College,” a popular choice among Southeast students.

Decision Day

Southeast’s seniors signed their names and their post-graduation plans on a large banner in the school’s commons during lunch. They also filled out raffle tickets for various prizes, including a netbook computer and college supplies, provided by ISAC and Southeast.

All seniors were encouraged to participate, including those entering the military, the job market or a trade school upon graduation.

“It’s a celebration of seniors declaring their plans,” Hernandez said. “Finally, they’ve made it after the stress of applying to colleges. The prizes are an incentive, a congratulations, for making a plan.”

“I think this is really good. It’s really exciting for our kids,” said Springfield School Superintendent Walter Milton, who stopped by during the signing. “I’d like to see more things of this magnitude to emphasize higher education.”

Encouraging college and other choices

Hernandez said one goal of the Advising Corps program is to create a college-bound culture at disadvantaged schools.

Most Southeast students usually go off to college and technical school. Last year, 211 Southeast seniors, nearly 80 percent of the graduating class, planned to attend two- and four-year colleges. Hernandez said the percentage should be about the same this year.

However, sometimes students have a hard time knowing how to start planning for college or presume college is out of the question for financial reasons. Applying for financial aid often requires submitting their parents’ tax records and wading through intimidating forms. This year, some parents hadn’t even filed their taxes by the time the MAP application deadline expired, Hernandez said.

“Sometimes, students have a hard time even finding any tax information from their parents,” she said.

Students often need a little guidance about what’s possible.

“My parents are both unemployed, due to medical reasons. We don’t have a lot of money,” said Southeast senior Shannon Reiley. She initially assumed she’d have to work for a year before heading to college. But she learned about financial aid options at Southeast and filled out her applications on time.

“I got accepted to LLCC,” Shannon said. She plans to study history and become a teacher.

Getting a MAP grant would help, “obviously,” Shannon said. But she also realized she could still attend community college without taking a year off.

“I was iffy about the year off. I didn’t want to. But I will try to get a summer job,” she said.

Decision Day also gave graduating seniors heading off in different directions a chance to celebrate.

Other choices

Senior Anthony Harrison signed “Army” on the banner.

“I’ve always wanted to go,” he said, mentioning that some cousins of his who have enlisted. He’s heading to Fort Benning, Ga., after graduation and plans to pursue a career in the military.

Haleigh Houston simply wrote “work.” She said she plans to keep working at a local hotel.

“I’m super happy,” she said.

Pete Sherman can be reached at 788-1539.

Illinois College Advising Corps

Inspired by the National College Advising Corps and created by the University of Illinois and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the Illinois College Advising Corps sponsors recent college graduates to work at eight low-income high schools to encourage students to attend college.

Advisers are trained at U of I campuses to work alongside guidance and post-secondary counselors at the schools. The program provides the counselors a salary, health insurance and $5,000 for future college costs or to pay off college loans.

On the web

* For more information about the Illinois College Advising Corps and National College Advising Corps programs, visit www.usfsco.uillinois.edu/icac/index.html and www.advisingcorps.org, respectively.

* To learn more about the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, visit www.collegezone.com.

Illinois high schools hosting the Illinois College Advising Corps program

Southeast High School, Springfield

Lanphier High School, Springfield

Roberto Clemente Community Academy, Chicago

Walter Dyett High School, Chicago

Gage Park High School, Chicago

Rantoul Township High School

Round Lake High School

Waukegan High School

 

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