GPS (Guide to Post Secondary Education)

1 in 5 adults in Louisiana have some college credit but haven’t earned a degree. Some reasons adults (or young adults) do not attend or complete college are:

• Fear
• Immaturity
• Lack of guidance/support
• Academic unpreparedness or
• Insufficient finances

High school guidance counselors desire to assist in this discovery process, but according to the American Schools Counseling Association, the ratio of guidance counselors to students in Louisiana is about 1:450.

We propose implementing a Guide to Post-Secondary (GPS) Curriculum at Northside High School to guide families through the college or trade school enrollment process. This curriculum includes workshops for parents & students such as:

• Career exploration

• Financial planning/management

• College/trade school

• Application college tours

• ACT prep

• Volunteering enrollment

9-12 grade students and their parents will matriculate through a series of workshops to foster conversations and thought processes about their future and create a clear, purposeful plan with action steps that will lead to a solid decision to attend a 2-year, 4-year college or trade school.

Students and parents who complete this curriculum will develop strong communication with each other, as well as, develop a “village” with other families and support staff who will take the journey with them. The support staff would follow each student and family for at least two years after high school graduation.

Funds received from the 24 Hour Citizen Project will be used to award incentives as students complete each checkpoint. The first 10 students who complete the GPS curriculum will be awarded scholarships.