You Can’t Do It Alone.Each One, Teach One!

Erica RamosIvana YbarraPSJA Financial Aid Officers

3 Goals to Accomplish During Our Session:

1. Learn what ‘GO Team’ members are and how valuable they can be

2. Learn how to recruit, select and train GO Team

3. Learn post-grad opportunities for both participants, campus & district

What do we, GO Center Sponsor/Counselor do?

What is a GO Center?

Success in the ProgramüPSJA ISD had highest percentage of FAFSA

completions with 71% in Rio Grande Valley.

üSeniors of 2017 received over $18.5 million in national, state, & local scholarships.

üOver 90% of seniors applied to 1four-year university and 1 two-year college.

GO Center/Collegiate Mentorship Program

• In 2001 Texas legislature adopted the “Closing the Gaps,” proactive plan designed to increase participation and success in higher education.

• As a result, in 2002, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board launched “College for Texans,” outreach initiative with the slogan “Education. GO Get it.” The goal of the campaign was to enroll 630,000 academically prepared students by 2015, 430,000 beyond the 200,000 expected to attend college at current rates.

• In 2010, the Generation Texas Movement was created, a grassroots movement to promote higher education and support the “Closing the Gaps” campaign.

Through both inspiration and information, Generation TX connects us to each other and clarifies the steps on the path to college and career education, from taking challenging classes, to applying to

college, to finding the money to pay for school.

GO Team!“Equip them. Empower them. Encourage them. Expect great things from them.”

Student volunteers who are committed to building a college-going culture through participation in the GO Center. They are a true reflection of your senior class.

Traits:• Exercise leadership qualities, take initiative, and

accept and carry out additional responsibilities beyond regular job assignments for the good of the GO Center and the high school.

• Serve a role model for peers and others by displaying positive attitude toward responsibilities.

• Committed to quality in carrying out job responsibilities and is an asset to the high school GO Center.

• Goes above and beyond to assist other students in completing their higher education admissions and applications.

Establishing a GO Team

GO TEAM

1 Week Before School:

Orientation & Training

• Orientation begins one week before students return to school.

• Make it fun! • Review program and

mentor goals and expectations

• Provide an Agreement listing expectations. Parents and students are required to sign.

Summer: Make Final

Selections, & Inform

Students

• Team members are selected over summer break &

• Notified at least one week before school starts.

• Submit list of students to counseling department to assign class time in Go Center

May: Review

Applications & Interview

• Applicants do not submit their own paperwork. Keep it confidential.

• Recommendation section completed by current GO Team

• Hold team meetings to review applications

• Interviews conducted by current GO Team in panels of 3 or more

April: Application opens for Juniors

• Spread the word by:• Classroom

presentations• Speaker

announcements• Current GO Team

recommends • Teachers &

Counselors help promote

Go Team TrainingGo Team Members will be fully trained in:

üApply Texas Application ProcessüCommon App ProcessüCoalition ApplicationüACT & SAT registrationüFAFSA demo (FAFSA4CASTER)üFSA ID accountsüZeeMee accountsüCollege Night Registration ProcessüResume Writing/SamplesüEssay Writing

Perks of Participation• Leadership conferences • One on one workshops with counselor/sponsor

Ø resume buildingØ essay revisingØ FAFSA & FSA ID

• Gift of Time! Assigned ‘Go Center’ on their schedule. • No class credit • Volunteer hours• College swag items • Fridge/Microwave/Keurig/Snacks

Success Stories & Post High School Opportunities

• Collegiate G-Force Mentors –highest paid work study job at UTRGV and other partnered schools.

• Advise Texas Mentors, UT Employees who mentor and work at low socio-economic campuses.

• Testimonies by former high school GO Team mentors• Christian Ramon – Advise Texas• Rosalina Viramontes – Collegiate G

Force

Thankyou!

Pleasetakeamomenttocompletetheevaluationtoreceiveyourraffleticketatthedoor.

#PSJACollege4All