Bill Hatch, 9th- and 10th-grade counselor
“The most important thing is to remember it’s an exciting time, but it’s also a time to learn self advocacy skills. It’s important to stay organized and to reach out for help whenever needed. It’s important to be involved in school assignments and to not let them overwhelm you. I think out of all of that, the most important is to not be afraid to ask for help. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step. Make your first step count.”

Danielle Brown, 11th- and 12th-grade counselor
“The first thing seniors need to do is apply to the colleges of their choice. Most of those applications open Aug. 1. Check on scholarships that are available at the schools they apply. Those are called institutional scholarships. They need to sign up for the ACT and send their ACT score to the schools they applied to. Plan college visits. Senior year is what you make it. If you get involved and stay plugged in, you’ll have a good year. The year tends to take on the attitude that you have towards it. Make sure to take senior pictures and buy a yearbook. They need to make sure they are getting my email updates that will start the second week of school and make sure they check my Remind 101s. Don’t wait for the fun, or the friends, or the scholarships to come to you. You have to go find it.”