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Kathy Granite Exemplar #3 Exemplar #3 Community College Presentation What You Should Know About Community College Standards

Addressed: 19, 22, 23, & 30 Introduction: In 2013, more than 300 seniors at XYZ High School applied to a California community college. However, after speaking with several random community college-bound students, I learned they have very little knowledge about the community college system and their responsibilities and expectations once they get there. I also learned there are misconceptions about the community college process that needed to be clarified. For example, many students said, Ill go to community college for two years and transfer. Although some students may transfer in two years, the duration at a California community college depends on many factors. As a professional school counselor, being aware of student academic needs is important and recognizing when information should be implemented is essential in a school counseling program. A current XYZ High School counselor informed me that in 2013, there were over 300 students that applied to a community college. I also spoke to many students at random who also said they were interested in applying to a community college for the fall of 2014. I realized there is a significant population of students at XYZ High School applying to California community colleges, yet very little information was available; therefore, I collaborated with my counseling team to develop a project that would fulfill that academic need. My goal was to create a community college awareness program. In March 2014, I created and facilitated a What You Should Know About Community College presentation workshop. The presentation was offered to senior students and held before school for 45 minutes. My presentation objectives were to inform the students about the following: general facts, higher degree options, common student goals, understanding the Associate degree and requirements,

Kathy Granite Exemplar #3 steps to transfer to a 4-year university, individual education patterns, a college articulation agreement website, enrollment, as well as clarifying community college misconceptions. Standard 19: Academic Development California State Standard 19 describes academic development as: Understand how to prepare pupils for full range of options and opportunities after high school. By offering the What You Should Know About Community College presentation, I was able to give students important information to develop their attitudes, knowledge and skills they will need to succeed at a California community college and what they need to know about transferring to a four-year university. After the presentation, I offered individual assistance to help the students to further acquire academic development and to maximize their academic ability and achievement. Providing personal assistance by exploring Internet career searches, academic major and college options and assistance with priority enrollment fulfilled this. Standard A: B2.2: Use assessment results in educational planning was achieved because I asked each student to complete an assessment worksheet to clarify personal interests, as well as educational and career goal setting. Additionally, I assisted the students with creating a personalized education plan. Standard A: B2.7: Identify post-secondary options consistent with interests, achievement, aptitude and abilities was demonstrated through personal assistance and Internet research. I helped many students by assessing their major and career interests and comparing specific universities that offer programs that match their goals. By doing this, students will be more prepared when entering into a community college and be on track to transfer to a four year university.

Kathy Granite Exemplar #3 Standard A: B1.4: Seek information and support from faculty, staff, family and peers was integrated during the presentation; I confirmed the importance of receiving assistance from high school counselors and I highly encouraged and provided information on the importance of seeking assistance from the California community college counselors before and after admission. Standard 22: Leadership Through leadership, I recognized an academic need and took the initiative to move forward to create and implement a community college awareness program for these students. I planned, organized, and implemented a morning California community college presentation workshop. By doing this, I was able to give the students an opportunity to improve attitudes, knowledge and skills about the California community college system and to inform them of their responsibilities and expectations once they get there. I demonstrated leadership through managing the production of the presentation workshop by organizing the time and place, advertisement, and student sign-up. Also, I went to community college campuses to gather resources and made them available to students. Post-presentation, I asked all students to complete a survey, which I collected and analyzed. Based on the survey results, it was clear that the presentation was helpful and that the information increased student learning by better preparing them for the California community college system. In addition, prior to the start of the presentation, I gave each student attendee a question sheet. Afterwards, I was able to answer all student questions either in person or by email upon the students request.

Kathy Granite Exemplar #3 Additionally, based on the post-presentation survey results, I demonstrated leadership by preparing and providing the outcome data to each school counselor. By doing this, I was able to prove that community college awareness is a significant need for many students and should be continued as a regular presented seminar each year. Standard 23: Advocacy Standard I-B-1c: Applies the school counseling themes of leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change, which are critical to a successful school counseling program. This was demonstrated by recognizing there was an academic need, advocating to develop information to satisfy the need, and implementing a new program that will continue to be applied in the future by the school counseling program. Standard I-B-3: Advocates for student success was shown by recognizing that there was lack of support and advocacy to close a learning gap for a student population. By recognizing this, I provided them with accurate information they needed to pursue a postsecondary career. Standard I-B-4: Collaborates with parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and other stakeholders to promote and support student success was incorporated because I collaborated with the school counseling and college and career center team along with the school principal prior to developing the project. The information I received through collaboration confirmed that there was a significant number of students who needed community college awareness however no program in place for them. Through collaboration, I was able to advocate for the community college-bound students, get approval to develop the project and collect additional ideas and suggestions to help make the workshop successful.

Kathy Granite Exemplar #3 Standard 30: Research, Program Evaluation and Technology California State Standard 30 is described as: Knowledge of basic principles of research design, action research and program evaluation. Researching post-secondary data was a significant part of developing my interest to proceed with my project. According to research, XYZ High Schools 2012-2013 data shows that 88% of students were enrolled in A-G courses yet only 66% of students graduated college-ready. Speculation is that students did not pass the A-G courses with a C or better to meet the four-year college requirements, which may be why over 300 seniors applied to a California community college. By researching this data, I was able to determine that, regardless of the reason, nearly half of the senior population is entering into a community college without receiving proper academic information. Standard V-A-3: Use of data to evaluate program effectiveness and to determine program needs was achieved by asking all students to complete a post-presentation survey, meant to measure the attitudes and knowledge of each attendee. I collected and analyzed the data. Based on the survey question results, the presentation information proved to increase student learning by better preparing them for the California community college system. I utilized technology to present the data and information that was collected with a PowerPoint presentation. Additionally, I presented a live Internet demonstration on how to use www.assist.org, an online student-transfer information system that shows how course credits earned at one public California college or university can be applied when transferred to another (Assist.org, 2013).

Kathy Granite Exemplar #3 Conclusion: I chose this project because I recognize a need and I am a proponent of the California community college system. However, I also know there are many misconceptions about the program; if students are not educated about the process, the success rate of completion is unlikely. I thoroughly enjoyed being a leader at XYZ High School by successfully implementing a lesson on a topic for which I am passionate about. I also believe that by recognizing an academic need and taking the initiative in closing an opportunity gap, I was able to provide necessary California community college awareness to students. Additionally, I created a change in the schools system by bringing an understanding to the school counseling team that California community college awareness should be implemented every year. As I reflect about the project, I am proud of myself for making it happen. The counseling team supported me entirely and made me feel confident that I could successfully pull it off. Also, the student attention for the project was overwhelming; so many students were interested and genuinely happy to hear the information. I was also thrilled that 49 senior students and two parents showed up even though it was before school and very early in the morning. I feel that the completion of this project, from beginning to end, was a perfect example of the leader and advocate I want to be as a professional school counselor every day, at any school. I learned that if I am passionate and assertive enough to make a change, I can make it happen. I am proud of the difference I made and hope to make many more in my future. The only thing I would have done differently was to have the presentation at a later time other than before school. If the presentation was in the afternoon, I might have been able to reach even more students.

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