Photo caption: Oceanside High School Seniors who participated in Oceanside Scholar Day this October.
Rockland, ME—The 2nd annual Oceanside Scholar Day took place at Oceanside High School (OHS) on October 11, 2017. The event started last year with the intention of providing time during the school day for seniors to consider their post-secondary options, and to make more students eligible for the Worthington Scholarship. The event has since grown to include more diverse session choices, allowing flexibility to accommodate a wide range of student interests. OHS faculty and staff coordinated and planned the event in conjunction with the Worthington Scholarship Foundation.
As part of the event, all seniors completed a financial literacy requirement, putting them on the road to eligibility for the $4,000/year Worthington Scholarship next fall. The financial literacy sessions outline post-secondary options including: 4-year colleges, 2-year colleges, certificate programs, military service, apprenticeships and working for companies with internal advancement and training. In addition, financial literacy is intended to provide students with the tools to understand how to make a financially savvy choice for their further education, by decoding the complexities of financial aid and financial aid packages.
Students were able to choose two additional sessions outside of financial literacy, including sessions devoted to assistance with college applications, college essay brainstorming and editing, and help filing forms for financial aid (FAFSA). Informational sessions were also available on topics including community college in Maine, selective college admission, career exploration, and on-the-spot college acceptance. Local employers Back Cove Yachts, Maine Health, Boston Financial and The First sent representatives to serve on an Employer Panel so that students could learn about how to set themselves apart in the hiring process and make themselves eligible for promotion once hired. Recruiters from the Navy, National Guard, Army and Marines were on hand to talk to students about military careers.
Every Oceanside senior who completed the event became eligible to have one application fee to a Worthington-eligible college or university paid for by the Worthington Scholarship Foundation. Students also enjoyed gift cards donated by Dunkin Donuts in Rockland and Rotary Pizza for lunch.