December 3, 2007

To: Members of the Senior Class

From: Mr. Mellody, Guidance Counselor, Scranton Campus

Re: General Information

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER:

The Educational Opportunity Center, located at 135 Franklin St. in Scranton, offers a program funded by the United States Department of Education called SPARC/Talent Search. The purpose of the program, through workshops, is to help students investigate areas such as career interests, work-related values, decision making, careers of the future, training/education options, financial aid, memory improvement, test-taking skills, stress reduction and sponsor college and career related trips. In addition participating students may use the College Edge Center to apply online to schools/jobs, create and post your resume online, generate formal letters, apply for financial aid, calculate your expected family contribution and locate and apply for scholarships. Interested students may pickup a brochure in the guidance office. The Educational Planner at the center, Pam Kahn, may be contacted at 496-0296.

FLYERS SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT CAREER SEMINAR:

The Philadelphia Flyers have issued an invitation to our students to participate in the Flyers Sports and Entertainment Career Seminar, Thursday, December 13^th at the Wachovia Center. The seminar will start at 2:30 p.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m. They have assembled a panel of experienced speakers representing the Philadelphia Flyers to provide students with the opportunity to hear about career fields such as marketing, broadcasting, business development, public relations, sales and more. The registration fee is $30.50 and includes admission to the seminar, a ticket to the Flyers and Montreal Canadians game that same night and a food coupon. You have the opportunity to purchase additional Flyers game tickets for $30.50 for family and friends based on availability. Interested students are asked to call Travis Kraus at 215-952-5357.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

· 2008 Sam Walton Community scholarship is a non-renewable $1,000 award for the first year of undergraduate study. Students must be a graduating senior and may not be a Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club associate or a child of a Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club associate. The application is available at walmartfoundation.org. The online and postmark deadline for entry is January 14^th.

· Big 33 scholarship applications are presently available at big33.org. There are multiple scholarships available and students are encouraged to apply for all that they meet the eligibility requirements. The deadline is February 1^st.

· Rider University offers academic scholarships ranging from $6,000 to $18,000 per year to incoming freshmen based on high school grade point average and standardized test scores. In addition one of their other scholarships is a full tuition acting scholarship to two students who possess exceptional talent and plan to major or minor in theater at Rider. Interested students in the acting scholarship are asked to contact the Fine Arts Department at 609-896-5168.

· The Art Institute of Philadelphia offers a number of unique scholarship opportunities that may assist with financing your education. Their scholarship opportunities cover a broad range of areas including those based upon portfolio, grade point average, essay writing ability and design skill. Each scholarship is independent of one another and may have different criteria and deadlines. Interested students are encouraged to call the admissions office at 1-800-275-2474.

REMINDER:

A Financial Aid Night for Higher Education will be held at Holy Cross High School – Scranton Campus on Tuesday, December 11^th at 7:00p.m. in the school auditorium.