This year’s seniors have just entered their final semester of high school. With those final months of “senior-itis” come important moments, like applying to colleges and financial aid, ordering yearbooks, and finally preparing for graduation.

Senior counselor Shea Vetterick and college and career counselor Stacy Alexander have been keen on motivating students on their push to graduation. On Friday, January 22, Alexander held a virtual meeting for seniors that focused on the factors that play into their upcoming graduation.

“The goal of the meeting was to provide important senior information to all the seniors regarding graduation requirements, post-secondary planning, and other expectations,” Vetterick and Alexander explained in a collaborative email.

During this meeting, Alexander covered a presentation that explained several things that seniors needed to do, such as filling out questionnaires for the counselors and applying to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as the Tennessee Promise. She also motivated students to understand and use Naviance, a software provider for college applicants, to request their transcripts in order to send them to colleges that they have applied for.

The counselors found success in their meeting with seniors, emphasizing a high student turnout in their response. They also added that they are planning to continue the informational meetings in order to aid and improve the senior class’s last months at Central.

“We are hoping to have bi-weekly meetings with the seniors now that we are in the last semester,” they stated. “This will provide seniors a chance to ask any questions they may have as well as allow us to provide helpful information.”

Vetterick and Alexander additionally mentioned graduation in their meeting: “We were not able to provide a specific date for graduation but will be able to as soon as Central Office finalizes graduation information.”

With graduation almost in reach, senior students have a lot to do, but their counselors are working just as hard as they are to make sure that those goals can be met. Their support does not stop at meetings, either.
“Students may contact Mrs. Alexander for specific post-secondary plans,” the counselors finished with. “If you have questions, we are here to help!”