Can I brag on senior DS for a minute?
Aug 25, 2014 16:32:30 GMT
MizIndependent, scorpeao, and 4 more like this
Post by genny on Aug 25, 2014 16:32:30 GMT
Sorry so long, but this mama is so happy!!
Friday one of our school districts work/study advisors made an appearance in one of DS's classes. They are like counselors, except all they do is work with kids to help them fulfill their intended pathway -or if they haven't chosen something they'd like to do yet, they help them figure it out.
So the advisor is talking with the class and singled out DS and asked if he had any idea what he wanted to do yet - DS responds he wants to be an engineer, but hasn't decided between chemical and mechanical yet and would love to talk with somebody about this. After a brief convo with the teacher of that class, the advisor made a couple of phone calls, then spoke with the counselor, then came back to DS. There is a dual enrollment program (I've seen some of you mention it with your high schoolers as well) that is a collaboration between the local technical college, the school district and several of the larger companies in town. The program is a manufacturing/mechanical engineering software class that gives these kids an inside track to jobs with some very large companies here in town.
Specifically the track they are trying to put him on is with Pratt Whitney. They have an internship program (that pays pretty dang good for an 18 year old). If he makes the internship and they feel he is a good fit and hire him at the end of the internship, they will pay 100% of his schooling UP TO A MASTERS DEGREE! His dream is Ga Tech, but without some kind of miracle, we just can't afford it. His GPA is good, but not good enough for Tech to enter as a freshman. He is kicking himself now for not buckling down before now.
Now, it might be a long shot that it all works out that way, but I have to tell y'all we are so stoked about this! We have been stressing BIG TIME how we are going to pay for school, finding scholarship money, etc. This advisor has talked with me 3 times since Friday afternoon around 4. She is AWESOME - she has given me more helpful information in these short conversations than anything I have found on my own. Further, she explained, if he does NOT get the internship of his choice - just the fact that he was part of this program is a HUGE deal on job and college applications and she will continue to help him after he graduates. She helped me lay out a contingency plan on Friday if he doesn't get the Pratt internship next summer.
I feel like a lot of weight has been lifted - there are opportunities I did not know were available. It was all so much simpler 22 years ago when I was in his shoes!
I went in this morning to sign all the paperwork and they requested he start today (tomorrow was the goal). He is so excited he can barely contain himself.
Here is DS at Ga Tech 2 weeks ago - he took an informal tour with his cousin who is a senior there. DS was helping him move back into his new dorm after a summer in Seattle at an internship with Boeing.
Wish us luck!
Friday one of our school districts work/study advisors made an appearance in one of DS's classes. They are like counselors, except all they do is work with kids to help them fulfill their intended pathway -or if they haven't chosen something they'd like to do yet, they help them figure it out.
So the advisor is talking with the class and singled out DS and asked if he had any idea what he wanted to do yet - DS responds he wants to be an engineer, but hasn't decided between chemical and mechanical yet and would love to talk with somebody about this. After a brief convo with the teacher of that class, the advisor made a couple of phone calls, then spoke with the counselor, then came back to DS. There is a dual enrollment program (I've seen some of you mention it with your high schoolers as well) that is a collaboration between the local technical college, the school district and several of the larger companies in town. The program is a manufacturing/mechanical engineering software class that gives these kids an inside track to jobs with some very large companies here in town.
Specifically the track they are trying to put him on is with Pratt Whitney. They have an internship program (that pays pretty dang good for an 18 year old). If he makes the internship and they feel he is a good fit and hire him at the end of the internship, they will pay 100% of his schooling UP TO A MASTERS DEGREE! His dream is Ga Tech, but without some kind of miracle, we just can't afford it. His GPA is good, but not good enough for Tech to enter as a freshman. He is kicking himself now for not buckling down before now.
Now, it might be a long shot that it all works out that way, but I have to tell y'all we are so stoked about this! We have been stressing BIG TIME how we are going to pay for school, finding scholarship money, etc. This advisor has talked with me 3 times since Friday afternoon around 4. She is AWESOME - she has given me more helpful information in these short conversations than anything I have found on my own. Further, she explained, if he does NOT get the internship of his choice - just the fact that he was part of this program is a HUGE deal on job and college applications and she will continue to help him after he graduates. She helped me lay out a contingency plan on Friday if he doesn't get the Pratt internship next summer.
I feel like a lot of weight has been lifted - there are opportunities I did not know were available. It was all so much simpler 22 years ago when I was in his shoes!
I went in this morning to sign all the paperwork and they requested he start today (tomorrow was the goal). He is so excited he can barely contain himself.
Here is DS at Ga Tech 2 weeks ago - he took an informal tour with his cousin who is a senior there. DS was helping him move back into his new dorm after a summer in Seattle at an internship with Boeing.
Wish us luck!
