Unit 5’s new College and Career Resource Center (CCRC) at both high schools seeks to provide students with the resources and support they need to create a plan for life after high school graduation.

The CCRC’s aim is to make sure that all students, once they leave high school know what they are going to do next in life, whether that involves going to college, entering a career, trying out trade school, or serving in the military.

The CCRC, located at the beginning of the junior hallway of NCHS,  will be working with students to help them identify their interests, and then potentially placing them in internships and job shadowings through programs such as NCHS’s Entrepreneurship / Internship course, the work program, and BACC.

This will allow students to have real world experience in fields that they are interested in, so that by the time they graduate, those students will know if that is something they would like to continue in.

Mrs. Karrin Hawkins, head of the CCRC and newly appointed post high school counselor, will also be visiting freshman homerooms every late start to introduce students to different career clusters, so that they can sign up for classes that are aligned with their interests.  

Besides time spent in freshman homerooms, Hawkins will be reserving her office hours this fall, from now until November, for seniors only.    

“I feel like this is senior’s time,” Hawkins said, “because of the college application process and financial aid.”

After November, Hawkins’ office hours will be concentrated on juniors and helping then map out a plan, until the beginning of second semester when her office will then be open to all students.   

Because this is the first year of the CCRC, Hawkins is still in the process of building her library of resources for students; however, she has a variety of web resources such as interest inventories and virtual tours as well as books regarding college pricing.

Another resource that Hawkins has for her senior students is College Craze Tuesdays.   

College Craze Tuesdays allows seniors to meet representatives from universities and learn more about their schools without missing a full day of classes.

To do that Hawkins brings the colleges representatives to the students.

Most Tuesdays in the Senior Cafeteria there will be representatives there to talk to seniors during specific times throughout the school day.   

I wants “kids to know they [college reps] are here for them,” said Hawkins.  

Colleges reps will also be in the atrium during lunch periods where any student is welcome to stop by to get information.

*Students who wish to make an appointment with Hawkins can do so through Mrs. Beyers in the counseling office.