School Zone
"Go Higher-Get Accepted"
Program Helps High School Students
Duval County Public Schools
(DCPS) and Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ)
have teamed up in support of the new Florida Department
of Education’s campaign “Go Higher—Get Accepted.”
Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg announced the
campaign on April 2. The intent of the campaign is to
help high-school seniors enroll at one of Florida’s 28
community colleges before graduation, as it has been
proven that income level increases as one’s education
level increases.
As part of the partnership
with DCPS, FCCJ will visit seniors at Terry Parker High
School and A. Philip Randolph Academies of Technology.
Enrollment counselors will help students assess their
career interests, choose the type of degree or
certificate to pursue, submit an application for
admission, and apply for financial aid.
“It is vitally important for
students to continue their education after high school,”
said Blomberg. “Nearly 90 percent of students say they
want to pursue more education after graduation, but only
half of them do. This campaign helps students
understand their options and achieve their goals.”
Florida Academic Counseling
and Tracking for Students (FACTS.org) is coordinating
the statewide campaign and providing promotional support
with web pages, direct mail pieces, posters and other
materials.
“Our goal is that every high
school senior, by the time they walk across the stage to
get their diploma, will have received a letter of
acceptance to a college or university. That will make
the next step of going to college easier,” said
FACTS.org Executive Director Connie Graunke, Ph.D.
The extended Duval program
allows community volunteers and FCCJ to target
sophomores in 10 high schools which have a low rate of
graduates entering four-year schools. This month,
volunteers will meet with small groups of students to
help them identify their career interests; explore
current workforce information and need for
post-secondary education; support what students need to
do to ensure high-school success; establish
post-secondary goals and learn how to achieve them.
For a list of “Go Higher—Get Accepted” events,
including participating community colleges and high
schools, visit
www.facts.org.
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