College is expensive and Westhill’s scholarship committee is here to help students. There are tons of scholarships on the Naviance portal that Westhill seniors can apply for. Mr. Stepkoski sent out a survey to all Westhill seniors and with a group of parent volunteers is able to match students with scholarships and notify them via email.
The survey includes questions about extracurriculars and background. Through this program, students are able to find scholarships that apply to them. The scholarships vary in due date so checking your email often is recommended. Many scholarships require a short essay but some require merely listing your extracurricular activities.
“Our committee matches students with scholarships they are most likely to qualify for. When a student fills out our application form we take the scholarships that are activated, we sort through our student database, and are able to send them that information. We try to make it as user-friendly as possible by sending the link and requirements for the scholarship. The goal is to make the process easier and less overwhelming,” parent volunteer Mara Hammerman said.
The committee is available to answer any questions or help students fill out scholarship applications on Thursdays from 8:30-11:00, or students are welcome to contact Mr. Stepkoski.
Senior internship season is also fast approaching! As the second quarter comes to a close, seniors are looking towards the Student Internship Experience (SIE) opportunities at the end of the year.
The programs goal is to allow students to “explore an area of interest outside the constructs of their formal educational program. By helping to foster independence and decision making skills, the program will provide students an opportunity to make a smoother transition from high school to college, the work place, or military service,” according to stamford-sie.org.
The program will run from May 18 through June 5, 2020 (end date subject to change due to snow days and graduation date changes). The program has the requirements of a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.0 and students must have successfully met grade, attendance, and behavior requirements for both semesters one and two of senior year. Students must not have failed any senior year course and meet all graduation requirements.
All internship applications must be reviewed and approved by the student’s guidance counselor, principal, SIE Coordinator, and parent or guardian.
Some examples of internships students have done in the past include revamping Westhill’s LanD Crew mentoring program, creating an app, or working at the Stamford Hospital. Students can find their own internship or rate their preferences of the ones listed on the site.
Students should go to https://stamford-sie.org/student_entry.php to fill out the application and are required to submit them by January 31st.
