Please join the University of North Georgia for an evening of food, drink and celebration of Oconee County students at their first annual "OconeeFest" scholarship fundraising event. This drop-in event will be held on the front lawn of the UNG Oconee Campus on Thursday, October 30 from 5:30-7:30. Donations are welcome but not required to attend.  "OconeeFest will focus on raising scholarship funds for Oconee County students attending any of UNG's four campuses. Scholarships may be used for tuition, study abroad opportunities and research. This semester, nearly 500 students from Oconee County are enrolled at one of UNG's campuses."

Students may once again be nominated for National Youth Leadership Forum in Medicine and the National Youth Leadership Forum in National Security - Diplomacy, Intelligence & Defense. Both Forums provide and opportunity for students to experience first hand experience in those career fields. The Forum in Medicine will be held in the summer of 2015. The forum in National Security will be in the spring of 2015 in Washington, DC. Please visithttp://www.envisionexperience.com/explore-our-programs/careers-in-medicine for complete details on the Forum in Medicine and http://www.envisionexperience.com/explore-our-programs/nylf-national-security? for the Forum in National Security. If you would like to be nominated to attend, please see Mr. Guthas in the Counseling office by September 19.

Fall is coming and so is the annual Mercer University School of Engineering Scholarship Challenge. Interested students should see Mr. Guthas in the Counseling Office.  This year they will hold their event on the Macon, Georgia campus on Saturday, November 15, 2014.  The Saturdayevent on November 15^th will include an open house, lunch, campus tours, a parents’ program and a challenge test in mathematics and word fluency.  Feel free to contact the event coordinator, Dr. Scott Schultz at (478) 301-2840 or via email to Schultz_sr@mercer.edu with any questions you might have. You may also visit http://forms.mercer.edu/engineering/forms/scholarship-challenge/index.htm

If you are interested in attending Oglethorpe University, an admissions representative will be here on Tuesday, September 9

 during Warrior Period in the cafeteria. Please sign up in the Counseling Office if you are interested in attending.

There will be a representative from the Coast Guard Academy at OCHS on Monday, September 8 at 12:00 PM. If you are interested in meeting with him, please sign up in the Counseling Office. You must have approval from your third block teacher if you do not have lunch at that time.

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.

After Prom information

After Prom Website:   www.afterpromoconee.com

After Prom ticket sale:  April 14-18, at lunches, $20 per ticket. Price increases to $25 per ticket during April 21-25.  Last chance ticket sale on Saturday, April 26, 10 am - Noon at OCHS only. Parent permission form is available on the After Prom website. Make checks payable to Oconee After Prom. Price of ticket then allows you to participate in all activities, eat all the food, and win prizes during After Prom ... no extra charge!

Parent Volunteers for After Prom:  More parent volunteers are needed, and sign up is through the After Prom website. Volunteer before, during or after the event!

Need a tux? Perno's Formal Wear will do a tuxedo pickup at After Prom, and Perno's coupons are available at each high school's office.

Need flowers? Use Peddler's Wagon ... they are donating a percentage of prom sales back to After Prom!!

Don't forget!

The Lions Club scholarship applications are due on Friday, April 25 at 3pm

Oconee Scholar applications are due this Friday, April 18.

Both of these can be turned in to the Guidance office.

Student Growth Model reports were sent home with students today.  Students who are new to Georgia public schools this year will not have reports.  If you would like further explanation, please go to http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Student-Growth-Model.aspx/ and http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Documents/EOCTStudentReport.mp4

Students who are at least 17 1/2 years of age and have a valid Drivers License can now register to vote online. Please visit https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov/GAOLVR/beginRegistration.do for complete details and registration instructions.

The College of Pharmacy at University of Georgia announces the Dean Stuart Feldman Summer Science Program.  Scholarships are available for housing. If you are rising high school junior or seniors and have a strong interest in science and pharmacy. This program is for you. Application are available at http://www.rx.uga.edu/index.php/student_affairs_office/summer_science_institute
The program runs June 1 - 6, 2014
Application deadline date: Friday, April 25.

Freshmen and Sophomores are invited to join Kaplan Test Prep for a PSAT practice test on Saturday, May 3rd. The test will be offered online and it is free. The event will take place at the Athens-Clarke County Library.  Space is limited. Visit kaptest.com/countdown to sign up.

AfterProm Information http://www.oconee.k12.ga.us/ochs/index.php?module=blog&id=448

Order Yard Signs for Seniors http://www.oconee.k12.ga.us/ochs/index.php?module=blog&id=449

Important Dates for Seniors  http://www.oconee.k12.ga.us/ochs/files/filecabinet/folder6/Senior_Info_2014_for_OC_Website.pdf