Ap(PARENT)ly Monthly College Information Newsletter

Click the "Read More" link below for a wealth of information from the September 11th issue of apPARENTly, WiHi's College Newsletter.  Featured in this month's newsletters are links about scholarships and college informational nights.  

apPARENTly
WiHi Parent & Student News You Can Use


September 11, 2013

http://www.wihi.org


Counseling News
 

Area Happenings


826Michigan


Neutral Zone


Join Together

Contact Us


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WiHi College Counseling News:

Seniors

1. *5 Brainstorming Tips for Great College Essays: For Parents and Counselors… By Kim Lifton                                                                                                        As a news reporter, I learned how to find a story anywhere. Today I use the same skills I honed during my journalism career to brainstorm with students. However, there is one important difference. As a reporter, I selected an angle for each story. As a writing coach, I guide my students and help them reflect on their life experiences so they can choose their own angle. I do not choose story ideas for my students; you shouldn’t either.

1. Be a coach. A coach is a guide and mentor, someone who is encouraging yet tough when he needs to be, a person who gives tips and instructions but does not do the job for the player. A football coach suggests strategies but does not punt during the game. A debate coach prepares her students but never stands at the podium during a competition.
2. Listen and observe. Listen to what your student says. Make sure you hear it. Then ask follow-up questions. Let the student talk. Look for cues.  Don’t assume you know what the student should write or where she is going. Pay attention.
3. Follow the student’s lead.  The student’s ideas need to be front and center. Help your student cut through the clutter and find an idea he is comfortable with. If he starts with a cliché like I hit the winning home run or I give 110%, see where it goes. Probe. You never know where or when the story will emerge. Be patient.
4. Never say no. You may be inclined to tell your student to scrap a seemingly bad idea and start over. But please don’t. There is no ideal subject. Rather than say No, this is a cliché or I’ve heard that idea before, redirect your student. Find out what happened in Belize during that service trip, what he learned playing football for three years, or what happened in Spanish class that inspired your student. Dig to find out why these experiences matter.
5. Don’t pick the topic. To be genuine, your student’s essay has to start with an original idea – not an idea from a blog or a book, not her mom’s idea, not something you think she should write. Admissions staff want to know what your student thinks of himself, what he learned, how he got to be the kid he is. They want to know something genuine about him that is not evident from the rest of his application. They want him to reflect on his experience – not you. So please, don’t tell your students what to write.

Kim Lifton is president of Wow Writing Workshop.  You can read Kim’s  blogs and get useful writing tips by signing up for Wow’s newsletter; Wow is also on Facebook and Twitter. Check our calendar to sign up for Brainstorming Like a Pro and Better Essays in Less Time webinars and product demonstrations that will help you master the Common App essay
 

Juniors

1. Consider the Questbridge Scholarship!

QuestBridge takes all of the following factors into account when evaluating an application for the National College Match

Academic Achievement, Financial Need and/or Personal Circumstances


Academic Achievement: We seek students who have demonstrated a level of academic achievement that meets or exceeds the admissions standards of our partner colleges. Some of the factors we use to assess academic ability when selecting finalists are included below. Please also see our Match Recipient Profile and Finalist Profile. 

• Grade Point Average (GPA): Both unweighted and weighted GPAs are considered.
• Class rank: Over 71% of last year's finalists were in the top 5% of their class.
• Rigor of high school curriculum: Finalists typically take the most challenging courses available at their high schools, usually including Honors, AP, and/or IB level courses, if available.
• Standardized test scores: Students should submit any standardized test scores they have received, including the SAT (CR + M) and the ACT. 72% of last year's finalists score above a 1200; 19% score above a 1400. SAT Subject Tests and AP test results are also considered. (A note about test scores: To be considered for a College Match scholarship, applicants selected as finalists must submit the standardized test scores required by the QuestBridge partner colleges they are interested in attending directly to the colleges. For information on the tests each partner college requires, please see theStandardized Testing page.)
• Essays: Most finalists' essays show evidence of strong writing ability, as well as intellectual spark, determination, and altruism.
• Recommendations: The Teacher Recommendations and Secondary School Report (counselor recommendation) tell us more about a student's academic abilities, how a student interacts in the classroom and school community, and how the student compares to other students at his or her school.

Financial Need: The National College Match is designed for students who come from families with a history of earning low to moderate income. Some of the factors we use to assess financial need when selecting finalists include annual household income, assets, and household circumstances.
Annual household income
College Match finalists typically come from households earning less than $60,000 annually for a family of four, and often less than $50,000. All sources of family income are taken into account, including:

• Salaries, wages, and tips
• Business and farm income
• Rental income
• Interest and dividend income
• Retirement distributions
• Alimony
• Child support received

Students with divorced or separated parents must report the income of both biological parents, as non-custodial parent information is taken into consideration when determining financial need. The only exception is when the student has not had contact with the non-custodial parent for an extended period of time.
Assets
All assets held by the family are taken into consideration, including:

• Home ownership
• Business or farm ownership
• Cash and savings
• Investments
• Additional properties

Household circumstances
Individual circumstances are taken into consideration, including:

• The number of people supported by the household income
• The number of students in college (undergraduate only)
• Unemployment or other changes to the household income
• Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch
• Having been in foster care
• Other non-discretionary financial commitments, such as high medical bills

Please note that finalists will need to submit official documentation verifying their financial situation to the colleges to which they apply. A thorough financial review will be performed by QuestBridge and by the colleges for all students who become finalists.
Personal Circumstances: We also take the following factors into account when reviewing applications:

• Parents' level of education: Many past award recipients have been among the first generation in their family to attend a four-year college.
• Extenuating circumstances: For example, if students have jobs to help their parents pay the bills, or spend much time out of school caring for siblings if their parents are absent or at work.
• Extracurricular achievements: Accomplishments and leadership roles in extracurricular and community activities.

 

All Students

1. Visiting colleges or want to? Amtrak features 50% coupons for student and parents/guardians at:http://www.campusvisit.com/amtrak.htm

2. Greyhound offers 15% discount for students with their “Student Advantage Card.” Also gives up to 50% discount on stuff. http://www.studentadvantage.com/nextstep

 

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College Programs

Lutheran Colleges Fair, 9/17, 7PM, Zion Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor www.lutherancolleges.org/events


Carnegie Mellon University Info. Session, 9/18  7PM  Cranbrook Upper School, Bloomfield Hills register at412.268.2082


Kendall College of Art and Design Spark Sessions: 9/18,19, 25, 26, 30, 10/3  kcad.edu/artprize


Wellesley College Discover Days, 9/21, 10/14, 11/9 www.wellesley.edu/admission


Washington University in St. Louis Info. Session, 9/22, 7PM, Livonia Marriott Hotel (800) 638-0700


Boston University Reception: 9/23 6:30+  Troy Marriott Hotel  bu.edu/admission


Michigan State University’s James Madison College Visit Days, 9/25, 10/4,23, 11/11  10:00AM www.jmc.msu.edu/visit


Lake Forest College Green and White day 9/28  www.lc.edu


National (art) Portfolio Day, 10/27, 10-4, College for Creative Studies, Detroit


*Carnegie Mellon University (PA) School of Music Open House, 10/13/13, 12:30-6PM,music.cmu.edu/pages/openhouse


*Brown University (RI) Info. Meeting: Monday, 10/14, 7PM, Greenhills School, Ann Arbor brownedu/go/brownnearyou


*Seniors Exploring Engineering at Purdue University (IN), 10/14/13, 9-4PM www.purdue.edu/wiep


Emory University (GA) Open House Detroit, MI, Tuesday, October 15, 2013, 7:00-9:00 PM Detroit Marriott Troy200 W. Big Beaver Road Troy, MI 48084 Register


North Carolina State University Open House: 10/19  nscu.edu/openhouse


Seton Hall University Open Houses: 10/20, 11/24/2/16/2014 www.shu.edu/visiting


Colgate University (NY) Multicultural Open House, 11/3-4  apply at:www.colgate.edu/openhouse


Mt. Holyoke College Focus on Diversity Weekend, 11/3-4, application in Counseling Office


Smith College Women of Distinction  11/8-10  apply at: www.smith.edu/admission/wod


University of the South Multicultural Weekend  11/10-11, apply by October 1 at Sewanee.edu


Counseling Department News

1.   John Boshoven was the sponsored guest of Penn State University in University Park August 4-6. Penn State’s 40,000+ students LOVE their school, recent warts and all. Set in a treed college town, Beaver Stadium rises before all the campus buildings appear. The campus is well laid out, with wonderful state-of-the-art facilities making this flagship one of the finest in the land. Boasting of high rankings and proud traditions, its engineering school gets high marks as does its College of Undergraduate Studies, a focused program for half of the freshmen who are “undecided.” Rather than leave them to figure it out. PSU has an articulated advising program that others should emulate. Almost every major you can think of can be studied here, or at its 20 regional campuses spread throughout the commonwealth. It’s $45,000+ out-of-state price tag makes a regional school more affordable, like it’s Altoona campus 30 minutes away. For ice cream, hit the mega campus creamery-yum, with good portions.


2. John Boshoven will serve as a Michigan Associaion for College Admission Counseling Delegate at next week's national conference in Toronto. He will also be honored by the University of Chicago for his three year term on their National Counselor Advisory Board and meet with the membership of the College That Change Lives as a member of their Board of Directors.


College News

New college rankings are out. Are they part of the problem?The annual US News & World Report college rankings were released Tuesday, and critics charge they're contributing to a national college affordability problem that has seen student debt soar.


By Amanda Paulson, Staff writer: Christian Science Monitor / September 10, 2013
People are led on a tour on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. in August 2012. According to statistics released Tuesday, by US News & World Report, the average student receiving financial aid at Harvard and Yale paid about a quarter of the sticker price and most graduates leave with smaller debt than peers who attended less prestigious schools.
·       The latest college rankings from US News & World Report came out Tuesday, ending any speculation about whether Harvard, Princeton, or Yale
But, while jockeying for the top spot can be a friendly battle among elite institutions, whose positions in the top tier are largely assured and rarely shift more than a place or two, critics charge that the rankings – along with not delivering much useful information – are contributing to the college affordability problem.
This year, the rankings come out against the backdrop of a national discussion on soaring student debt and skyrocketing tuition, and a proposal from President Obama to create a new national college ranking system – one that would emphasize things like graduation rates and sticker price.
"We’re going to start rating colleges not just by which college is the most selective, not just by which college is the most expensive, not just by which college has the nicest facilities – you can get all of that on the existing rating systems. What we want to do is rate them on who's offering the best value so students and taxpayers get a bigger bang for their buck,” Obama said in a speech last month at the University of Buffalo.
Not so the US News rankings, in which sticker price doesn’t really play a factor, and there’s little effort to capture value or measure real outputs.
“They’re not asking the right questions. They’re not asking questions about value and real value. They’re focused much more on inputs like wealth and prestige and who they exclude,” says Amy Laitinen, deputy director for higher education at the New America Foundation.
Most students, she notes, aren’t going to Harvard, Yale, or Princeton; 80 percent go to nonselective institutions.
“What they should be asking is: Am I going to graduate? How much debt will I graduate with, and how much money will I make to help me pay off my debt?”
There are a few tweaks to this year’s rankings, including a de-emphasis on the class rank of admitted students (which many high schools are doing away with), and on student selectivity overall, and more emphasis on graduation rates (not just the overall rate, but the difference between a school’s predicted graduation rate, based on the student body makeup, and actual graduation rate).
The shifts reflect a broader decision to reduce the weight of “input factors,” such as how strong a school’s freshman class is, and increase the weight of output measures.
But ultimately, a school’s standing still has a lot to do with selectivity, student SAT and ACT scores, and nebulous factors like academic reputation – computed based on a survey completed by university and college administration officials.
 +++++++++++*Helping or hovering? When 'helicopter parenting' backfiresJoNel Aleccia NBC News
 
As the first generation of kids who have "helicopter parents" graduates into the world, some some studies show that the parenting style may have backfired.
The father who called to dispute the C grade his adult son got on a college exam had good intentions, Chris Segrin knows. He only wanted what was best for his kid, and if that involved lobbying the University of Arizona professor for a change, so be it. “Somehow, his dad just seemed to know that the exam was worth a grade of a B,” says Segrin, a behavioral scientist who studies interpersonal relationships and mental health.But what the dad didn’t know is that the phone call actually undermined his son, leaving the young man feeling insecure and incapable, not empowered and supported, a casualty of what researchers like Segrin describe as an epidemic of “overparenting.” “When it was all done, the son came in. He was actually a nice kid who apologized profusely,” Segrin recalls. “Sometimes this type of parenting is imposed on children against their will.”Whether it’s called overparenting or the better-known “helicopter parenting,” the style of overly attentive, competitive child-rearing popular since about the mid-1990s may have backfired.


As the first generation of overparented kids continues to graduate into the world, a slew of studies, including Segrin’s, now show that youngsters whose parents intervene inappropriately -- offering advice, removing obstacles and solving problems that kids should tackle themselves -- actually wind up as anxious, narcissistic young adults who have trouble coping with the demands of life.“The paradox of this form of parenting is that, despite seemingly good intentions, the preliminary evidence indicates that it is not associated with adaptive outcomes for young adults and may indeed be linked with traits that could hinder the child’s success,” concludes Segrin’s latest study, set to be published next month in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. Other recent studies also have found that too much help can create undesired outcomes, including a paper by California sociologist Laura T. Hamilton that says that the more money parents spend on their child’s college education, the worse grades the kid gets. Another study by Virginia psychologist Holly H. Schiffrin finds that the more parents are involved in schoolwork and selection of college majors, the less satisfied their kids feel with their college lives.


C. Lee and Khris Reed write the blog "Helicopter Parenting and Just Plane Dad," in which they chronicle their attentive efforts to parent 16-year-old Hailey. They defend their "extremely overprotective" style of parenting and disagree with studies that show that so-called helicopter parenting hampers young adults' coping skills.

That news doesn’t sit well with parents like C. Lee and Khris Reed of Seffner, Fla., who are the producers of a blogdubbed “Helicopter Mom and Just Plane Dad: Tales from the Not-So-Darkside of Parenting.” In it, they proudly chronicle their all-too attentive parenting of their only child, 16-year-old Hailey, dubbed “Beloved” on the blog, and they don’t apologize for it. “We are extremely overprotective and overbearing,” says mom C. Lee Reed, 42, an executive assistant at a large orthopedic practice. “I know at every second where she is and who she’s with. I will monitor every bit of technology. She knows the rule is we know every password.” The Reeds are familiar with research on helicopter parenting and, in short, they don’t buy it. Good parents naturally are invested in every aspect of their children’s lives, they contend. “I don’t agree that just because we’ve been that way, we hamper her,” says C. Lee. Adds Khris Reed, 41, a general manager for a local auto parts store: “When people say ‘helicopter parent’ or ‘helicopter mom,’ in general, it’s the idea of the mom standing in the bushes with binoculars. The far extreme has put a bad rap on it.” They believe that Hailey, who attends an online high school and doesn’t drive yet, is developing the life skills and self-sufficiency she’ll need to flourish at college in a few years, and later on her own, while still maintaining close ties with Mom and Dad. For her part, Hailey thinks so, too. “They teach me a lot of things that I’ll need to know in the real world so that I’m not lost and I know how to take care of myself,” she says.

Helicopter parenting sprang up in the era of “Baby on Board” signs, mandatory car seats and bicycle helmets and police department fingerprinting sessions to prevent child abduction. There was a greater sense of anxiety, combined with a greater sense of competition, as the children of the massive Baby Boom generation reached high-school and college age, says Margaret Nelson, author of the 2010 book “Parenting Out of Control: Anxious Parents in Uncertain Times.”
“Parents have become constantly more involved in their children’s lives than they were a decade or two ago,” says Nelson, a professor of sociology at Middlebury College, a top liberal arts college in Vermont.

There was a push, especially among educated working professionals, to provide youngsters with every opportunity to succeed, from homework tutors and lacrosse camps at age 8 to college application essay assistance at age 18, the experts say. Parents became fierce advocates for their children, intervening with teachers, coaches -- even employers. The problem with all that help, says Segrin, is that when it’s overdone, it keeps children from developing their own age-appropriate strengths and skills. “When we do not give the child the freedom to try on his or her own and maybe fail on his own, he doesn’t develop the competency that children who fail learn,” he says. Segrin’s latest papers relied on interviews with more than 1,000 college-age students and their parents from across the nation. They found that many of the young adult kids are in touch with their parents constantly, with nearly a quarter communicating by text, phone or other means several times every day and another 22 percent reaching out once a day. “There’s this endless contact with parents,” says Segrin, who doesn't have children. “I don’t think it’s just calling to socialize. A lot of it is, ‘How do I?’ ‘Will you?’ ‘Can you?’ They are still quite reliant on their parents.” The studies showed that parents who felt more anxiety about their children and more regret about their own missed goals led to greater overparenting. At the same time, they found that kids who were overparented were more likely be anxious and narcissistic and to lack coping skills. That makes sense to Elizabeth May, 22, a recent University of Arizona graduate who participated in Segrin’s research with her mom, Suzanne May, 55. She says her parents were not the helicopter type, but she knows of plenty who were. In one instance, the house where May lived with roommates was broken into and things were stolen. May called the landlord to ask that an alarm system be installed, but before she could finish the negotiations, her roommate’s mother rushed in and demanded action. “I felt like it kind of undermined my communication with our landlord,” she says. “I feel like we could have gotten it done ourselves.”


Separating harmful overparenting from appropriate parenting isn’t easy.“There’s no sure 100-percent fault-free parenting guidebook,” observes Suzanne May.

In this culture, helicopter parenting is almost contagious, observes Nelson, the Middlebury College professor, with parents vying with each other to prove how engaged and attentive they are. It would be better, suggests Segrin, for parents to put that energy into helping children -- especially late adolescents and young adults -- learn to handle problems and setbacks on their own That can be challenging because different kids can handle responsibility at different ages, experts say. But it starts with parents actively choosing to let children experience the consequences of their actions instead of rushing to intervene. Suzanne May, an elementary school teacher who left the workforce while she raised her three kids, recalls a time when one child forgot crucial homework and called to ask May to bring it to school. "I told her, 'No, it's your responsibility. I'm not at your disposal to say, 'Hey, Mom, I forgot this,'" May says. That was a hard stance at the time, but her daughter learned that she needed to remember her work. In the short run, letting kids suffer discomfort or failure is tough, Segrin says. Most parents want to help their children if they can. “Overparenting is motivated with the idea of doing good things,” Segrin says. “But it does the exact opposite in the long run. In the long run, parents are impairing their child’s coping skills. They’re winning the battle, but actually losing the war.”

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2013-14 Testing Dates and Deadlines


ACT
  The ACT Assessment Test assesses a high school student’s general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. The Writing Test, which is optional, measures skill in planning and writing a short essay. The ACT is generally taken by 11th Graders in the spring/summer of their Junior year of high school and by seniors retaking them to improve their scores. The ACT is also included as part of the Michigan Merit Examination (MME) and will be administered in school in March, 2012.http://www.actstudent.org

2013-14 Test Dates

Test Date                     Registration Deadline              (Late Fee Required)

September 21, 2013   August 23, 2013                       August 24–September 6, 2013

October 26, 2013        September 27, 2013               September 28–October 11, 2013

December 14, 2013     November 8, 2013                 November 9–22, 2013

February 8, 2014         January 10, 2014                    January 11–24, 2014

April 12, 2014             March 7, 2014                         March 8–21, 2014

June 14, 2014              May 9, 2014                           May 10–23, 2014

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SAT
  The SAT Reasoning Test is a measure of the critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college. The SAT is usually taken by 11th Graders in the spring of their Junior year in high school and retaken by seniors to improve their scores. Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, with two writing subscores for multiple-choice and the essay. 

Test Dates                   Registration Deadlines         Regular Late (a fee applies)

October 5, 2013          September 6, 2013                  September 20, 2013

November 2, 2013      October 3, 2013                      October 18, 2013

December 7, 2013       November 8, 2013                  November 22, 2013

January 25, 2014         December 27, 2013                 January 10, 2014

March 8, 2014             February 7, 2014                     February 21, 2014

May 3, 2014                April 4, 2014                          April 18, 2014

June 7, 2014                May 9, 2014                            May 23, 2014

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Selective Service Information: For 17 and 18 year old men, federal law requires that you register with Selective Service within 30 days of your 18th birthday. When register, you stay eligible for federal student loans, federal job training and jobs. You may register at http://www.sss.gov or at the post office.

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Test Preparation Services

1. Hello! I want to introduce myself, Carla Jablonski, as the new Learning Center Manager for College Tutors.  I look forward to meeting you and other staff members at your school.  My background includes privately working with students in the areas of ACT test prep strategies, Math and Study Skills, Time Management, and College Preparation to Obtaining Employment.

Our Fall Activities include:

·         FREE ACT/SAT/PSAT/Plan/Explorer Practice Tests on

o   October 5, 2013

o   November 2, 2013

o   December 7, 2013

·         Homework help in all subjects

·         Specialist available for AP and IB classes

·         Learning Skills that include: Studies Skills, Test Taking Skills, Time Management, and Note Taking

·         College Planning, Career Assessment, or Essay Writing

·         Open House scheduled for October 5th, 2013 – 12:30-3:00pm.  Come meet our tutors.

I can be reached at (734)761-8393 or www.collegetutors.com/annarbormi.

 Carla Jablonski, Learning Center Manager


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Dawn Farm

We’d like to update you about a free, ongoing resource designed to educate parents, families and people who work with adolescents about how to identify and help young people who may be experiencing problems related to alcohol/other drug use.
 
When teens are in trouble in school, at home or in the community, alcohol/other drugs are often factors – and are often the last factors to be seen. Early identification and intervention with substance-involved young people can often prevent serious, sometimes irreversible consequences. The “Teens Using Drugs: What To Know and What To Do” series provides a starting point for families struggling with teen alcohol/other drug use and professionals who want to help.
 
This series, now in its fourteenth year, was developed by Ron Harrison, a social worker specializing in working with substance-involved adolescents and their families, and presented by Ron until his death in April 2011. Dawn Farm, one of the long-time co-sponsors of this program, stepped up after Ron’s death to present and coordinate the series. Since then we’ve made changes based on feedback from people attending the programs, and identified a core group of therapists from Dawn Farm and Growth Works to be presenters. I’m the Project Manager at Dawn Farm; I am also the coordinator and one of the presenters of the “Teens Using Drugs” series.
 
Programs are presented on the first (part one) and second (part two) Tuesday evenings of October, November and January through June, from  7:30 pm to 9:00 pm, at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center, classroom EC4 (second floor,) 5305 Elliott Drive in Ypsilanti. The series is free and open to all; reservations are not required. A certificate to document attendance is provided on request. The series is co-sponsored by Dawn Farm, the Livingston and Washtenaw Regional Coordinated School Health Program Council, and Saint Joseph Mercy Health System Greenbrook Recovery Center. The program is targeted primarily to parents, but is also inclusive of other family members, teens, students and people who work with teens – anyone interested in attending is welcome!
 
We would like to ask your help in getting the word out to families and others who may be interested in or benefit from attending this program.   For more information please contact me at 734-485-8725 or tshirey@dawnfarm.org, or check the Web site at http://www.teensusingdrugs.org. We’re interested in hearing your feedback about how this program can meet the needs of the young people and families you work with. Thank you!
 
Tamara Shirey
Dawn Farm Project Manager and “Teens Using Drugs” Series coordinator
734/485-8725  tshirey@dawnfarm.org
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826 Michigan

We recently tallied up our 2012-13 facts and figures and came up with a number that knocked us flat: This past year, 826michigan's programs reached 2,701 students in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Detroit.

In the 2013-14 school year, we plan to take that number and send it through the roof with more programs in Detroit, with our brand-new tutoring lab at Beezy's Cafe on Washington Street, and (of course) with our classic field trips, creative writing workshops, and In-School Residencies.

But, as always, we need you. And this year we're asking for your help with our new fund, Ate 2 6. Ate 2 6 will support 826michigan's effort to provide healthy snacks for students in our after-school program (because everyone's brain works better with a little snack). A $10 donation to Ate 2 6 will fund one day of tutoring snacks; $40 sponsors one week.

Click here to learn more about Ate 2 6 and how you can donate to keep tutoring students full and focused.

Speaking of those 2013-14 programs, here are some dates you might like to know.

September 9: First day of Teen Drop-in Writing at the Michigan Ave branch of the Ypsilanti Library!
September 10: First day of Youth Drop-in Writing at Michigan Ave!
September 11: First day of Youth Drop-in Writing at the Whitaker Rd branch of the Ypsilanti Library!
 
September 17: Fall Workshop Schedule released!
September 18: Fall Workshop Schedule registration begins!
September 23: First day of tutoring at Liberty Street lab!
September 23: First day of Drop-in Writing at 826michigan!
 
October 1: Fall Workshop Schedule begins!
October 7: First day of tutoring at Washington Street lab!
 

TUTORING Drop-in tutoring does not need to be registered for, you just drop-in. Free tutoring is offered Mon. - Thurs. from 3:30 - 5:30 at 826's location of E. Liberty, behind the Robot Store. Student 8 - 18 may drop in any time to get help with any subject. Students must show up to drop-in tutoring with homework or other assignments in hand. Drop-in tutoring encourages smiling, feeling good about oneself, grades going up, enthusiasm toward learning, and positivity. The intention of drop-in tutoring is to mentor, listen to, and help students with their homework needs.
Contact  amy@826michigan.org
phone: 734.761.3463
http://www.826michigan.org

The Neutral Zone                                                                                       

The Neutral Zone is a diverse, youth-driven teen center dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas. Why would 3500 teens visit Neutral Zone in a month? Programs, programs, programs (and sometimes pizza – you just can’t go wrong with pizza!)

 

NZ Program Areas include:

Music & Technology
NZ holds weekend concerts and events for teens most Saturday nights. Teens also create, record and promote their own musical projects using NZ’s equipment and expertise.

Education
 Neutral Zone works hard to level the playing field for all teens through free drop-in tutoring, one-on-one mentoring, and a college prep program featuring college visits, ACT/SAT preparation, coaching on applications, essay writing, and financial aid, and opportunities for scholarships.
Literary & Visual Arts.
Creative writers turn up the volume by writing original poetry and short stories, while photographers and videographers discover and explore their talents using state-of-the-art equipment in digital art classes.



Leadership
The Teen Advisory Council runs the show at Neutral Zone, while several different discussion groups offer young people an open, positive space to explore sensitive issues and just plain have fun together.
Drop-in
teens come to NZ daily to shoot pool, play ping pong, use the internet, do homework, grab something to eat, or just hang out with friends in a safe, supervised space. For gfrom Terreneral questions Contact, Lori Roddy, lori@neutral-zone.org, 734-214-9995




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Submissions:
Please submit your articles, news, or announcements  to jboshoven@wihi.org  John B. Boshoven, Editor.

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John B. Boshoven, M.A., M.S.W., L.P.C.
Director of College Counseling, Washtenaw International  High School
Counseling Department Chair, Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI