J. Taylor Finley Middle School students are old enough to start thinking ahead to college. That’s was the impetus behind College Awareness Week, which was recently observed by more than 700 seventh and eighth graders in the building.
There were daily spotlights on colleges over the public address system, college pennants created by students during lunch periods and subsequently displayed throughout the building, a photo booth with students posing with paraphernalia of their favorite university, fun quizzes on different colleges and even a college trivia contest for teachers.
Finley school counselors Sarah Burgos and Denise Caiazzo coordinated the initiative with District Director of Guidance and Testing, K-12 Kitty R. Klein. Principal John Amato and Assistant Principal Kenneth Parham both pitched in and did their part to help make the week go smoothly.
Finley Assistant Principal Ken Parham
gets in the spirit of the week.
Ms. Klein believes that “it’s never too early for middle school students to begin thinking about college options. This includes assessing current interests and talents, as well as creating short and long term goals; all of which are vital towards effective planning.”
School counselors believe the week was a valuable tool to drive home the point to students that what they’re doing now in school could very well impact their future, including the college choices available to them and even possible careers.
Ms. Klein encourages students to “dream big” and realize they can turn those dreams into reality with hard work and effective planning.
The week included special spotlights on SUNY College at Purchase, Suffolk University in Massachusetts, Villanova University, Stony Brook University and Northwestern University, but students talked about dozens of their favorite schools and even the colleges attended by their parents and other family members.
