I Don't Know What I Want To Do!

It is that time of year again.  The time of year where seniors are starting to get serious about the college selection process, juniors are realizing that they are now over half-way done with high school, sophomores are just happy they aren't freshmen anymore, and freshmen....well, they are just thankful to be in high school.

Regardless of your classification, it is never too early to begin preparing for college. 

Knowing where to start is the hard part.  There are thousands of college choices, and nearly as many career options.  Where does one begin?

1) PRAY -- This may not be the first thought that came to your mind, but allow God to direct this process.  I guarantee you that He will provide direction if you truly seek His will.  Make sure you do your part; you need to prepare, make plans, and do some research.  God is amazing, but I am guessing He will not send you a personal email and do all the work for you.

2) START RESEARCHING - If you are unsure what you want to do after high school, don't worry, there are numerous resources to help you out.  They range from assisting you in determining what type of college or university best fits you, to helping you decide what career you might enjoy, to just giving general college advice. 

Here are some good places to check out:

bigfuture by The College Board - Information on selecting a career and college planning

Peterson's  - How to choose a college, test prep, and scholarship information

College Results Online - Research colleges regarding graduation rates, diversity rates, etc.

College Prowler - Search by majors to locate which degrees colleges offer.

College Major Quiz - Not as thorough as some, but it may give a few good ideas.

This is a super short list compared to all the resources available on line.  Let Google be your friend and start searching! 

3) VISIT - Do NOT choose a college without visiting first - at least once.  Any college can make themselves look good in literature and online, but what you really want to discover is the atmosphere of the campus.

There are many more steps to the college process, and much more you need to know, but this is a good place to start. Have fun!

Don't forget - check out the ECS Guidance glog  for much more information!

A Prayer

Lord, let me do my work each day; and if the darkened hours of despair overcome me, may I not forget the strength that comforted me in the desolation of other times.

May I still remember the bright hours that found me walking over the silent hills of my childhood, or dreaming on the margin of a quiet river, when a light glowed within me, and I promised my early God to have courage amid the tempests of the changing years.

Spare me from bitterness and from the sharp passions of unguarded moments. May I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit. 

Though the world knows me not, may my thoughts and actions be such as shall keep me friendly with myself.

Lift up my eyes from the earth, and let me not forget the uses of the stars.  Forbid that I should judge others lest I condemn myself. 

Let me not follow the clamor of the world, but walk calmly in thy path.

Give me a few friends who will love me for what I am; and keep ever burning before my vagrant steps, the kindly light of hope.

Though age and infirmity overtake me, and I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams, teach me still to be thankful for life, and for time's olden memories that are good and sweet. 

And may the evening's twilight find me gentle still. 

-Max Ehrmann, 1906

Mid-Summer Musing

It's a scary thought that, although it's only the 18th of July, school will soon be just around the corner.

“Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate
And though I oft have passed them by
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

And, while I'm thinking about that oncoming corner, the two enrollment dates are coming up:  Monday, August 6, from 11 am to 2 pm and Thursday, August 9, from 4 pm to 8 pm.

See you there!

Lest our Emphasis Be Forgotton

"Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man a more clever devil."
- C. S. Lewis

When days seem to darken before our eyes, this is a refreshing reminder of God's all.

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."

-C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Just Waitin'

It's Father's Day. I sit with my husband and await news about our son's return from Kandahar. He should come home quickly...we pray.
This is a new era for me. My old friend, guidance department, will soon be a part of my past. I welcome this change; it allows me more time with family and friends. I hand over the reins to two very capable people, Mrs. Kasey Wolf and Mrs. Rhonda Stucky.
And, as always, I will still be here for whatever question may fall through the crack.

This is a day to rejoice. We remember and celebrate the existence of our husbands, our fathers, our grandfathers and our spiritual fathers. But mostly, we dwell on our greatest and most heavenly Father, the Creator, the Strength of His people. We continue blessed.

"Even in its ruined condition, a human being is regarded by God as something infinitely worth saving. Sin does not make a person worthless - only lost. And in its lostness, the human soul is still capable of great strength, creativity, dignity, and heartbreaking beauty." ~Dallas Willard

Will to Win Scholarship

This year, Merck Respiratory will again sponsor the Will to Win Scholarship Program for high school seniors with asthma who are pursuing higher education. This nationwide scholarship recognizes seniors who are outstanding, disciplined, determined and successful in managing their asthma. The program serves to demonstrate to young people with asthma that the condition, when properly treated and managed, need not impede their ability to excel.

Eligible students are all high school seniors with asthma who will graduate in 2011; have achieved a level of excellence in one of the following: performing arts, visual arts, community service, athletics or science; and who will be attending college in the fall of 2011.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrate outstanding performance in one of the above categories
• Document a track record of achievements relevant to entry category
• Hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Have received at least one award related to their entry category
• Include all appropriate signatures, as noted in the application

For additional information, visit the Web site at www.willtowinscholarship.com.

Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded in each of the following categories:

• Performing Arts (dance, music, theater)
• Visual Arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film)
• Community Service
• Athletics
• Science

If interested, come talk to Mrs. Gassie.