June 19 deadline for HS grads to sign up for free Career Exploration class
Class completion required to apply for special scholarship
University of Hawaiʻi
Shai Paige, Annicah-Marie Hong, Bryson Maghinay
UH Career Exploration online class
Kapolei HS graduate Shai Paige and family
Kailua HS graduate Bryson Maghinay
Pearl City HS graduate Annicah-Marie Hong
UH Career Exploration online class
Link to video and sound (details below): https://bit.ly/2Y9ECwo
WHAT: The deadline to sign up for free Next Steps: Career Exploration classes at the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges is June 19, 2020.
WHO: Almost 1,000 public school 2020 graduates are already taking the free Career Exploration courses, earning college credits, making them eligible to apply for $2 million in Stronger Together Hawai‘i Scholarships at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) in July 2020.
WHEN: Sign up by June 19 for the next free online class, which begins on July 6.
WHY: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many graduates’ plans for college and work. UH developed Career Exploration classes to help students identify their next steps toward their career goals, whether to enroll in college, seek employment or both. Students will begin to earn college credits and start working toward their next graduation, and earning a college degree.
HOW: All public high school graduates are encouraged to sign up for the free class via the Next Step: Career Exploration website (http://uhcc.hawaii.edu/nextstep/), which includes a list of frequently asked questions. They can also email or text nextstep@hawaii.edu.
OTHER FACTS:
The UH Community Colleges and Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education are co-sponsors of the Next Steps to Your Future initiative. Hawai‘i P-20’s Summer Advising Initiative helps students to make informed critical decisions toward achieving their post-high plans. Advisors will guide students through their summer transition toward college or career, including nudging messages through a texting campaign, building on a Hawai‘i P-20 pilot project previously implemented in a few high schools this year. Students who participate in the free summer advising program will also be eligible to apply for the Stronger Together Hawai‘i Scholarships. Sign up for advising by texting “nextsteps” to (808) 460-8360 or signing up at www.p20hawaii.org/nextsteps.
HCF will award the Stronger Together Hawaiʻi Scholarship on a case-by-case basis, and funding can cover traditional educational expenses, such as tuition and books, or other emergency expenses. Online applications will be available in July, and updates will be posted on the HCF and UH Next Steps websites.
First Hawaiian Bank and HCF provided the seed funding for the Stronger Together Hawaiʻi Scholarship Fund, which they hope other donors will contribute to, enabling the fund to help a greater number of students affected by COVID-19 this year and students who are in need in future years. Donations to the Stronger Together Hawaiʻi Scholarship Fund can be made to HCF online.
VIDEO: https://bit.ly/2Y9ECwo
BROLL: (1 minute, 37 seconds)
0:00-0:48, 6 clips: Zoom video of UH career exploration class
0:49-1:07, 3 clips: Video of Shai Paige studying and photos of graduation from Kapolei High School
1:07-1:19, 2 clips: Video of Bryson Maghinay studying and photo of graduation from Kailua High School
1:19-1:37, 3 clips: Photos of Annicah-Marie Hong, including graduation from Pearl City High School.
SOUND:
Shai Paige, Kapolei High School graduate (12 seconds)
“I feel like it’s good for a lot of us incoming college freshmen that college is obviously a way different environment from high school so I think it’s a nice way to kind of ease into everything.”
Bryson Maghinay, Kailua High School (14 seconds)
“It helped ease me into a college environment sort of. So now, when I do actually start community college, I’m more comfortable.”
Annicah-Marie Hong, Pearl City High School (10 seconds)
“The kind of work that we are doing helps me with college, and it’s also helping me to find the kind of person I am, so that I can gear myself towards a career that will be best for me.”
William Dressler, UH Career Exploration instructor (12 seconds)
“You are going to be a lot happier if your career plans are lined up with what you value because technology may change and market demands may change but your values will remain constant so that’s what I really try to focus on in the beginning with them.”