“A partnership was developed between the two organizations to provide quality, current information to our families and educators who need it the most.”
As a high school/ college counselor, not from the SW Florida area, I quickly had to learn how to navigate through the local and state’s k-12 and post-secondary educational system. It was a world that was perplexing, and sometimes, downright stressful. As an educator, counselor, and administrator who had spent almost 15 years in education, I could only imagine the confusion families must feel as they tried to navigate the same system without the knowledge or background that I have. I believe often times this maze that has been created leads students to not pursue their educational aspirations as there are real and perceived barriers in place.
My own thirst for information led to the creation of the UnMaze.Me website to help families through the journey of high school and college for student success. For the last year, I have written about various high school to college issues that my own students and families I serve experience. Recently, I found the coalition called FutureMakers, that’s sole purpose is to increase the number of students with post-secondary certificates and degrees. However, what I found lacking in the goal is the information to help these families understand how to attack and overcome the barriers put in place, as well as support the educators who break down those barriers every day. Thus, a partnership was developed between the two organizations to provide quality, current information to our families and educators who need it the most.
As we embark on this partnership the continued need to increase knowledge on the college process the goal is to “transform the workplace by increasing the number of college degrees and post-secondary certificates from 27% to 40% by 2025” (FutureMakersCoalition.com). For our blog/ resource partnership, UnMaze.Me will post a weekly article on five key areas needed to reach our goal;
Area 1:
Community Educator Interview- This post is on specific programs in the area that need to be highlighted. This includes post-secondary experts such as deans, college professors, program leaders, business owners, educators, and school counselors.
Area 2:
College Resource Guide- This post includes reviews of useful websites, apps, or other articles that should be shared and discussed.
Area 3:
Generalized Blog Articles- This post includes generalized topics surrounding college and career readiness, such as the application process, scholarship finding, writing essays, going to college as an adult, and so forth.
Area 4:
SW Florida Happenings: This article promotes the various events and activities in and around SW Florida, such as College Sunday, deadlines, College & FAFSA nights, etc.
Area 5:
University Showcase: This includes a look at the various 300+ universities and colleges throughout Florida so students find their perfect fit for their college and career aspirations.
As you can see, this partnership will create a large amount of resources for families throughout the SW Florida region. Feel free to check-in weekly and share the information you feel will help other families in need.