If your student has expressed an interest in attending the Coast Guard Academy, a representative will be here on Monday, September 8th.  Please have them come by and let us know they are interested so we can set up a meeting time.

Planning to go to the PROBE College Fair on Tuesday, September 9 from 6:00-8:30 at the Classic Center?  Have your students register at  www.gotocollegefairs.com and you will be given a scannable barcode that will eliminate the need to fill out contact cards.  College representatives will scan the barcode to get your information.

Mississippi State University will be hosting two Fall Preview Days this semester for seniors. The dates are October 13 and October 27. The cost is $10.00 per person and space is limited. During these days, the student will get a full picture of student life at MSU. Please visit statement.msstate.edu and click on the "On-Campus Recruiting Events" button for complete details.  You will also learn about the Eminent Scholars Day through that link as well. This is for invited high school seniors who have a minimum 29 ACT score. If you were not invited and would like to attend, please contactevents@saffairs.msstate.edu . This event will take place on September 29, 2014.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is looking to award students who have made a difference through volunteer work. If you have participated in community service projects within the past year, please visithttp://spirit.prudential.com/view/page/soc and complete the application if interested.

There are many opportunities for college students to participate in Co-op programs through participating universities. There are several scholarships offered through participating programs. Please visit http://www.waceinc.org/scholarship/index.html  for complete details. The application deadline for these scholarships is February 15, 2015.

The Athens Area Human Relations Council, Inc. will soon be selecting students to receive scholarships at their annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Banquet. Graduating 2015 seniors are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is November 1, 2014. Please apply early as you must also gather two recommendations as well as  complete a short essay. Most of the scholarships will be worth $500, but a few will go up to $1,000.

Two high school juniors and two seniors from the state of Georgia will be selected for the intensive week-long educational United States Senate Youth Program. This program will take place in Washington, D.C. on March 7-14, 2015.  For complete details, please visit http://www.hearstfdn.org/ussyp/ . If you are interested in applying, please see your counselor. A committee will review the applications and one will be selected to have his/her application sent.

KIPP Through College, would like to invite you to our 4th Annual National College Fair on Saturday, September 13 at 1pm.  The following schools are confirmed to attend:  Yale, Princeton, University of Chicago, Harvard, University of Miami, Colby College, Pomona College, Dartmouth College, Davidson, Spelman College, University of Georgia and Syracuse many others!  This college fair is open to all juniors and Seniors. The only cost is the $10 parking for the Georgia International Convention Center.

Top senior athletes are encouraged to apply for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award. One male and one female athlete from OCHS will be selected to receive the award. You may apply at http://www.wendysheisman.com/. The deadline to apply is 10/3/14 at 5:00pm. Please review the website and the criteria. You may see your coach or Mr. Guthas in the Counseling office if you have any questions.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution posted some advice for parents sending their students off to college.  The speaker is a professor at Emory, and although his talk is Emory based, it has a great deal of good advice about sending your student off to college.  http://parenting.blog.ajc.com/2014/08/22/parenting-a-college-student/

Welcome back!

The Guidance office is hosting grade level parent nights at the Oconee County Civic Center to help you understand what is going on this year for your student.  We hope to see you there!

Monday, August 18
Senior Parent Night -6:00
Junior Parent Night - 7:30

Monday, August 25
Freshman Parent Night - 6:00
Sophomore Parent Night - 7:30

The purpose of Youth Leadership Oconee is to provide opportunities for young adults to develop leadership skills and the community awareness necessary to address challenges facing Oconee County. 10th and 11th grade students at OCHS who want to further their leadership skills and channel those skills towards helping others and improving their community are invited to apply. Applications can be picked up in the Counseling Office. The applications are due to the Chamber of Commerce by September 12, 2014

The Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc. supports historic preservation in part of its Junior Board of Trustees, a talented group of seven - thirteen high school students whose exclusive mission is to preserve local history. The Junior Board of Trustees devotes many hours of time to meetings, research, interviews, and site visits in the field of historic preservation.  More information and applications to become a member of this board can be picked up in the Counseling Office. The applications must be received by September 19.

Kaplan Test Prep is hosting a free ACT/SAT Combo Practice Test at the Athens-Clarke County Library on Saturday, August 23 from 10:00am-2:00pm.  Click Here to Register

Senior students from OCHS may be nominated for the William H. and Elizabeth Gray Danforth Scholars Program at Washington University. The selected students must have exhibited a capacity for service and leadership, as well as academic excellence, and who will embrace the challenges of a rigorous academic curriculum. Students who have exhibited qualities that embody the essence of the Danforths - maturity, strong moral character, selflessness, and commitment to community will be favored upon. If you are interested in being nominated, please see Mr. Guthas in the Counseling Office. The nomination deadline is October 15. You may also visit http://admissions.wustl.edu/scholarships-financial-aid/Freshman-Academic-Scholarship-Fellowship-Programs/Pages/The-Danforth-Scholars-Program.aspx for more information.

A Service Academy Day will be held on Saturday, September 6 at Georgia Military Academy. The event will be held from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Representatives from the four academies will be present to discuss their requirements and expectations for admittance.  All students admitted to our nation's military Service Academies must first be nominated by at least one member of their state's Congressional Delegation. Students who are seeking a nomination from U.S. Representative Paul Broun should submit an application to his Milledgeville office by October 10.  Please visit his website at https://broun.house.gov/ for more information.