NORWICH – Hundreds of Chenango County high school students turned out to Spring College Day, hosted in the field house of the Norwich Family YMCA this week, to explore options available to them at the end of their high school career and speak with representatives from more than 40 different institutions around the state.
The event, sponsored by the Chenango County School Counselor Association (CCSCA), was a draw for all eight school districts in the county as well as surrounding districts, including Morris, Edmeston and Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton. More than 400 students were anticipated to attend this year’s College Day and according to event organizers, turnout lived up to those expectations.
“This is something we do every year for (high school) juniors, so it’s a good first exposure to colleges,” explained Candice Poyer, Sherburne-Earlville guidance counselor and member of the Chenango County School Counselor Association.
Despite the lower number of colleges attending last year’s College Day - fewer than 25 due to budgeting purposes, Poyer recalled - this year’s turnout was closer to what the CCSCA had hoped for, with several colleges, employment agencies and armed services represented.
“One year, we had more than 100 attend,” she said. “It’s still not where we were but we’re building those numbers back up.”
As for the benefit to the students, Poyer said events like College Day are an opportunity for them to consider life beyond high school.
“Ideally, we like them to know where they want to go by the end of their junior year. That way, when they come in their senior year, we can help them get started on the paperwork,” she added.
Unadilla Valley junior Ashley Morgan was one of nearly 50 UV students who took an interest in College Day.
“Coming to events like this has been good,” she said, also mentioning that she attended a similar event in Syracuse with different colleges represented. Morgan went on to describe how she had intended to enroll at SUNY Oneonta upon graduation but seeing what else is available, she said, was a game changer. “This has helped me a lot ... I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in,” she added. “Now, I have narrowed it down to becoming a State Trooper or going in to Occupational Therapy.”
As an incentive for students to speak with college representatives and stay focused on relevant information, CCSCA members turned it into a contest, providing each student a registration form with a list of six questions to ask regarding matters like SAT requirements, majors that colleges offer, and the cost of tuition, room and board. Representatives were then asked to initial next to the questions they answered and contest winners received prizes donated by participating businesses, organizations and universities.
Each representative was also asked to complete an evaluation for CCSCA to improve on the event in the coming years. “Evaluations from representatives has always been positive,” Poyer pointed out.
Poyer also noted that each attending organization paid a fee, which will be put toward the creation of two $500 scholarships available to students in Chenango County who plan to enter a human services field or related course of study.