
Every
spring,
the
educators
at
Henderson
Elementary
School
host
a
college
awareness
week.
Traditionally,
the
staff
hangs
college
banners
in
the
school's
hallways,
shares
facts
about
colleges
and
majors
during
morning
announcements,
and
provides
students
with
fun
and
engaging
college-related
activities
such
as
exploring
college
websites
and
taking
interest
inventories
to
determine
areas
of
study
that
might
interest
them.
This
year,
Henderson
Elementary
Principal
Suzanne
Bevans
and
school
counselors,
Kristen
Gowing
and
Suzanna
Erlichman,
teamed
up
to
ensure
their
annual
tradition
continued
by
celebrating
College
Awareness
Week
with
their
students,
virtually.
"We
want
them
to
get
excited
about
the
idea
of
college,"
Gowing
said.
"Our
hope
is
that
they
will
begin
to
dream
about
what
they
want
for
their
future,"
she
added.
Starting
early
is
important
according
to
Erlichman.
"College
is
only
one
option
and
even
within
college
there
are
many
options,"
she
shared,
adding,
"Exploring
these
tracks
can
be
a
fun
and
exciting
way
to
begin
exploring
interests
and
setting
goals."
While
the
week-long
virtual
event
is
fun
for
students,
there's
also
a
practical
side.
"Discussing
career
opportunities
at
an
early
age
also
allows
us
the
opportunity
to
make
the
real-life
connection
to
learning
in
math,
science,
and
language
arts,"
Bevans
said.
Staff
began
College
Awareness
Week
by
releasing
a
fun
videotaped
message
to
students
with
each
educator
sharing
their
personal
educational
stories.
"By
sharing
about
the
education
that
we
have
received,
we
can
help
students
understand
that
we've
been
on
this
journey
before
and
we
had
to
work
hard
and
overcome
challenges,
but
we
have
walked
away
with
a
degree
that
we
are
proud
of,"
said
Gowing.
Noting
the
influence
educators
can
have
on
students,
Bevans
said,
"It
is
important
as
a
role
model
to
share
with
our
students
our
own
journey
in
education."
The
team
has
prepared
additional
activities
for
students
throughout
the
week
including
sending
students
hyperlinks
to
virtual
tours
of
college
campuses.
While
taking
the
tour,
students
fill
out
a
virtual
scavenger
hunt
worksheet
that
helps
them
learn
about
the
college
or
university,
its
mascot,
costs,
and
the
connections
they
make
to
the
institution.
"This
exploration
is
not
only
for
fun,
but
also
to
get
them
to
think
about
things
they
will
need
to
consider
before
choosing
to
apply
there,"
Erlichman
said,
noting,
"If
the
student
is
doing
the
tours
with
a
family
member,
perhaps
at
their
alma
mater,
the
family
member
can
share
their
experience
and
the
student
will
not
only
be
learning
about
their
school,
but
also
that
family
member."
Connecting
with
students
and
families
is
at
the
heart
of
what
College
Awareness
Week
is
all
about.
"During
this
COVID
crisis
when
we
are
separated
physically,
it
is
even
more
imperative
that
we
connect
with
our
students
virtually
daily,
so
they
feel
secure
about
our
continued
support,"
Bevans
shared,
"I
am
so
proud
of
our
counseling
team
for
putting
together
the
Virtual
College
Week
to
promote
the
fun,
engaging
learning,
continue
the
connections
with
our
families
and
challenge
their
thinking
about
the
future."