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Ways Students Can Use Summer Vacation to Prepare for the
Future
Special to The Truth
Is your family thinking
about the skills and experience your child needs for college
and future success? The majority of college admission
officers recommend that students start preparing before or
by ninth grade. Yet, more than half of middle level students
haven’t started prepping for college, according to
statistics from the National Honor Society (NHS) and
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS).
Experts say that summer is
the perfect time for children to get ahead in building
skills and experience for the journey to and through college
and lifelong success.
“It’s never too early to
start building your future,” says Jonathan Mathis, director
of the National Honor Societies. “The down time during the
long vacation can be an ideal opportunity to make progress
working toward this goal.”
As part of “Honor Your
Future Now,” an NHS and NJHS campaign to encourage students
to prepare now for college and success beyond, the National
Honor Societies are offering the following advice to
families with college-bound students:
• Don’t Wait: No matter
what grade your student is entering in the fall, encourage
extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities that foster
well-roundedness.
• Be a Leader: Encourage
participation in leadership programs to learn important
skills like resourcefulness, problem-solving and
cooperation. Becoming a strong leader early can help your
student throughout college and his or her career.
• Build Character: Teach
your student about the importance of demonstrating high
standards of honesty, integrity and showing respect toward
others. Building strong character can serve as the
foundation for future success.
• Give Back: Suggest
joining volunteer projects that your student is passionate
about, and emphasize the importance of being active in and
giving back to your community.
• Find a Voice: It’s
important for your student to understand his or her role and
rights as a citizen. Take advantage of this election year to
talk with your child about the political process and why
it’s critical to get involved.
• Be There For Your Child:
Getting to and through college can be daunting for students,
but teaching the values of scholarship, service, leadership,
character and citizenship can help children prepare for
college and beyond. Involved parents can make a lasting
positive impact.
• Understand Finances:
College costs can be overwhelming. It’s never too early to
start planning. Spend time with your child this summer
researching what need-based and merit-based financial aid
options are available. Talk to your child about putting some
of the money earned through jobs or received as gifts into a
savings account, such as the 529 plan.
More tips and resources
for parents and students can be found at
HonorYourFutureNow.org.
Between the sun and fun of
summer, help your child spend time now preparing for
college, career and a lifetime of success. It’s never too
early to begin thinking about a successful future.
Courtesy StatePoint
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