On August 31, Winter Springs High School  hosted a variety of colleges and organizations, including military groups, to come and speak with students, so they can begin preparing for their futures. Later that night the school held a panel for local colleges and financial aid groups to answer questions that students and parents could submit ahead of time. The event was organized and run by Jamie Lash, a guidance counselor at WSHS.

Teachers could bring students to the event during specified parts of their class period. Students can walk around a defined route through the tables while having  one-on-one conversations with the various representatives from each college. Eliana Jerez, a junior, used this opportunity to find that “most colleges require an SAT or ACT score unless you are doing a direct transfer from a community college.” By experiencing these conversations Jerez was able to create a more solid foundation to build future plans off of. She gained an idea of what she can do to have greater greater success when it comes to applying for schools. 

Rory Wyatt, a senior, stated “it opened me up to all my options around Florida, and helped [me] learn which [schools] have the best programs.” The selection of schools was not limited to only in-state schools, but also featured out of state schools such as University of Buffalo. Wyatt was also able to learn about “all the available scholarships that [she] will be going for in the future.”    

At 6 p.m. that night, students and parents were able to attend a college panel featuring University of Florida, Seminole State College, and University of South Florida. The panel also included Winter Springs’ school counselors and Trio, a financial aid group. The panel “did help, especially when it comes to deadlines and learning about the student body,” said Reagan Reynolds, an attendee at the event. The event was able to introduce the student body to resources to help them plan for whatever path they may choose to take in the future.