Appendix A

Appendix A

Memorandum of Agreement

From the

U.S. Army Secondary Education Transition Study

. Department of the Army,

U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center, and Military Child Education

Coalition, 2001.

Memorandum of Agreement

I. Purpose

This agreement is designed to facilitate the mutual development of reciprocal practices,

conduits for information between systems about requirements, and accelerate the

exchange of emerging opportunities. The fundamental architecture of this agreement is

to sustain partnerships that serve as extraordinary models. The anticipated outcome will

be institutionalized systems for transition predictability of the high school experience for

the military connected student. The intent of this Memorandum of Agreement is to

immediately address transition problems identified in the United States Army’s

Secondary Education Transition Study (SETS) data. For the sake of the child, this

Memorandum of Agreement is adopted by the United States Army’s Secondary

Education Transition Study (SETS) partners in a way that models and exemplifies

partnership, flexibility, inclusiveness, and information sharing for all schools that serve

high school age military students.

II. Scope and Memorandum of Agreement Time Table:

Designed to address transition challenges that are primarily high school connected, the

scope of this document and process is to agree on issues that can be immediately

solved and to begin implementing those solutions not later than School Year 2001/2002

III. Guiding Principles

Whereas,

Military students are faced with numerous transitions during their formative

years, and..

Whereas,

Moves during the High School Years provide special challenges to learning

and future achievement, and…

Whereas,

There are some 175,000 secondary school-aged students of military

personnel, and…

Whereas,

The Army’s Secondary Education Transition Study revealed that the average

military-connected student transitions more than two times during their high school

years…

Whereas,

The participants of the Secondary Education Transition Study understand

that there are many students in schools that face transition challenges…

Therefore,

be it resolved that in the best interest of all students in transition, we the

undersigned

agree to:

Improve the Timely Transfer of Records.

Practices may include:

1. Developing consistent systems that allow for hand carried or temporary records

to be used for placement.

2. Cooperating and monitoring jointly with the supported military installation the

effectiveness and efficiency of in/out-processing (school clearance).

3. Evaluating the processes through a determination of local critical effectiveness

measures.

Develop Systems to Ease Student Transition during the First Two Weeks of

Enrollment.

Practices may include:

1. Collaboratively developing “virtual” orientation (school and installation Web sites).

2. Creating and implementing combined awareness training of school and

appropriate installation staff on the challenges a student faces as the “new kid.”

3. Highlighting and monitoring the support systems and practices that increase the

likelihood that a quick assimilation will be made.

4. Communicating information about specialized high school programs (e.g.:

magnet or special schools admission requirements, timelines and prerequisites).

Promote Practices Which Foster Access to Extracurricular Programs.

Practices may include:

1. Reviewing local try-out timelines and systems with an eye to the opportunity to

increase access and encourage inclusiveness.

2. Encouraging counselors, school coaches, and Youth programs staff to routinely

write letters of referral and/or recommendations for students transitioning out of

the system.

3. Posting current and accurate information (including calendars of events) on

school system and installation Web sites.

Establish Procedures to Lessen the Adverse Impact of Moves from the End of

Junior Year, as Well as Before, and During the Senior Year.

Practices may include:

1. Using counselors and school transition specialists as outreach to students and

resources to parents and staff.

2. Encouraging and supporting student networking and sponsorship groups.

3. Giving senior students and their parents additional assistance and support as

needed for graduation completion and post-secondary application.

Communicate Variations in the School Calendars and Schedules .

Practices may include:

1. Collaborating and posting current/accurate calendars and school year events in a

manner that is easy for parents to access.

2. Sharing calendar and school year information

3. Defining, explaining, and illustrating the type(s) of high school schedule(s) in-

place at each high school.

Create and Implement Professional Development Systems.

Practices may include:

1. Emphasizing strategies that support attention to individual student needs.

2. Developing, encouraging, and fully supporting joint installation and school

professional development communities that share strategies, resources, and

effectiveness indicators.

3. Discovering, recognizing, and consider replicating proven practices in

sponsorship and peer mentor programs.

4. Ensuring that all professional school staff has the basic information about military

life and culture. For example Army Family Team Building (AFTB) or other service

modules could be used as a resource for professional development.

5. Developing joint training modules for schools and installation personnel.

6. Teaming school counselors with appropriate installation personnel/resources

(chaplains, child and youth services, installation counselors) on the unique

social/emotional needs of military students.

Continue Strong, Child-Centered Partnerships between the Installation and the

Supporting School.

Practices may include:

1. Connecting Installation School Liaison Officers and the school district

counterparts in a working group in order to share ideas about partnership

systems.

2. Including senior level military representation from the supported military

installation as an ex-officio member or an advisor to the district school board /

advisory council.

3. Encouraging site leaders to include an active duty member(s) and/or military

spouse(s) as a member of the site based management team (or equivalent

organization) of each high school that serves military students.

4. Collaborating with the installation to provide a community orientation program for

military families.

Provide Information Concerning Graduation Requirements.

Practices may include:

1. Communicating high school requirements (enhanced or alternative diplomas).

2. Communicating options and opportunities for earning graduation credit

3. Communicating information about state testing

4. Communicating opportunities available to senior students in transition to

graduate from the sending high school through reciprocity.

Provide Specialized Services for Transitioning Students When Applying to and

Finding Funding for Post Secondary Study.

Practices may include:

1. Developing processes to inform parents and students of the best methods for

completing college/ vocational-technical application. Specifically highlight

resident eligibility requirements and the opportunities and the other challenges

for the mobile student.

2. Modeling what should be in a student portfolio.

3. Training counselors and teachers on how to best assist a transitioning student on

preparing for college/vocational-technical application.

4. Supporting preparation programs for success on the SAT and ACT.

5. Publicizing scholarships and grants available to all students and those uniquely

designed for military connected students.

IV. Commitment

The signatory leaders commit to continue developing and implementing best and

promising practices that will assist the transitioning military-connected student, as

defined and articulated March 2001.

Be it resolved, therefore, that the following school system signatories enter into

this agreement on behalf of their organizations.

Superintendent Signature: ______________________________________________

Superintendent Name: ______________________________________________

School System: ________________________________________________________

Date: ______________________________________________

Appendix B

Best and Promising Practices

From the

U.S. Army Secondary Education Transition Study

. Department of the Army,

U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center, and Military Child Education Coalition,

2001.

I. Introduction

May 2000, the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) briefed the twenty-seven

Secondary Education Transition Study (SETS) senior leaders (commanders,

superintendents, and school board presidents) on the preliminary findings of the United

States Army’s Secondary Education Transition Study. The SETS research was

conducted in order to understand the challenges that military-connected high school stu-

dents have transitioning from one school system to another. The ten major patterns that

emerged from the Secondary Education Transition Study data as the most cogent were

the keystones of that briefing.

Working together, with the endorsement of the Chief of Staff of the Army, the SETS

senior leaders developed the ten issues into an Army-wide Action Plan. The intent was to

effectively use the salient patterns, lessons learned, and the shared promising practices

discovered through the United States Army’s Secondary Education Transition Study to

increase the likelihood of predictability for the military-connected high school student.

SETS is about mobile children, it is not just about the Army; therefore, the results and

ideas gleaned have the potential to help all mobile students regardless of the occupation

or service affiliation of their parents.

An outgrowth of the ten-issue action plan was a proposal from one of the working groups

for a cooperative understanding. The concept was put forth that a Memorandum of

Agreement be negotiated between the nine sites that participated in SETS. The

Memorandum of Agreement, regarding Guiding Principles, operationalizes much of what

was put forth in the research-based action plans. The SETS school systems and

installation partners have agreed to look for opportunities, procedures, and means to

ease the challenges inherent in school transition. The policy and procedures, curriculum

and graduation requirements, and extracurricular participation links would be formally

developed. Formal and informal articulation of courses, credits, and reciprocal avenues to

fulfill graduation requirements is the highest priority.

This supporting document, Best and Promising Practices, is designed to facilitate the

mutual development of reciprocal practices, conduits for information between systems

about requirements, and accelerate the exchange of emerging opportunities. The

fundamental architecture of the Memorandum of Agreement, as well as the supporting

Best and Promising Practices document, is to sustain partnerships that serve as extra-

ordinary models. The anticipated outcome will be institutionalized systems for transition

predictability of the high school experience for the military-connected student.

II. Purpose

The purpose of the following best and promising practices is to provide a framework for

possible courses of action. These suggestions and examples are for local consideration

and are organized in support of the Guiding Principles, as stated in the Memorandum of

Agreement, developed March 14-16, 2001. Best and Promising Practices, delineates

possible areas/opportunities for school systems and supporting installations as they

discover, develop and share expertise. These ideas and initiatives outlined here are

intended to be start points. Other creative solutions and innovative ideas, which reinforce

the Guiding Principles, are encouraged.

III. Best and Promising Practices

A. Improve the Timely Transfer of Records

1. Develop and disseminate a checklist of necessary registration information and

withdrawal processes.

Develop administrative procedures that address transfer of school records for

students entering and leaving the system.

b. Develop a withdrawal procedure for high school students related to installation

out-processing.

2. Provide the names of primary and alternate school personnel (include phone #, e-

mail address position etc.) for additional information pertaining to the transfer of

records.

3. Develop a comprehensive information campaign to inform parents of transfer of

records procedures.

4. Post information contained on withdrawal documents on district Web sites.

5. Suggested administrative procedures for Transferring Records

A general withdrawal form can be generated at the campus most times during

the school year without prior notification. This is usually sufficient for enrollment

in another school. The school official (principal, assistant principal, or

counselor) should sign the form documenting on the form those areas not

cleared, if any.

b. In addition to the general withdrawal form, parents may request that they be

provided records to hand carry with them. This request requires a 48 hour prior

notice to ensure processing time and is available prior to 15 June and after 1

August of each school year from elementary and middle schools.

Because they are open all summer, the process is available at all times at the high

schools. If requested, the following items should be provided to students or

parents, as appropriate:

1) Copy of report cards, or current grades in classes, if available.

2) Copy of withdrawal document form, which includes the immunization record,

completed course grades (9 week grades), identification of enrollment in

special programs;

3) Copy of any other records requested by parents, including any special

program supporting documentation (

at no cost

)

4) At times, special circumstances of a family may not allow for the 48-hour

notification preferred. If this occurs, campuses need to respond to the

situation with sensitivity and should make efforts to respond to the request.

B. Develop Systems to Ease Student Transition during the First Two Weeks of

Enrollment

1. Share ideas for creating intentionally inviting school environments that are attuned

to the needs of mobile military-connected students/families.

2. Establishing an institutionalized welcome program at each high school site.

Examples are:

Student and parent conference with counselor

b. Activities to ease into new school

1) School tour

2) Introduction to teachers, coaches, club sponsors

3) Assignment of cafeteria/lunch partner

4) Escort to bus

Presentation of orientation packet

1) Welcome brochure

2) Map of school

3) Student handbook

4) Student organizer/planner

5) Organization/club information

6) School spirit items

7) Pass to next dance/activity

3. Develop “virtual orientation” (school and installation Web sites) For example: Each

school and military installation should consider having the following information on

their Web site:

Calendar

b. Transition checklist

School registration form and registration packet

d. School counselor and school newsletter

Area specific items

Zoning areas

g. Student handbook

h. School area map

Link to MCEC Web site

School Liaison Officer email address and the services provided

Family Support Center/Army Community services available

Army Family Team Building Information

m. School Profile (test results, demographics, history of the school)

n. Sample portfolio including content example for student work (if applicable)

o. Sponsorship

4. Encourage counselors and/or transition specialists to participate in the MCEC

Transition Counselor Institute

5. Conduct welcome events for new students/families

a. Dance honoring new students/families

b. Reception by principals, counselors

Pizza party

d. Feature new student names on media retrieval, opening exercises, school

newsletter, etc.

6. Principal activities

a. Send welcome postcard to student and family

b. Provide name to PTA president

Tea/coke party with the principal

d. Present certificate of welcome

For Example:

During the first two weeks of the regular school year there are

potentially hundreds of “new” students/families. In August of 2001, Lawton Public

Schools mail a card to the home of every enrolled student. The card requests that

students/families

new to the Lawton-Fort Sill community

return the card to the

student’s assigned school. This card provides the name and address of

new to the

community

students/families to the principal. Hopefully, this prevents the student

from being lost in a “sea” of incoming seventh graders or sophomores.

C. Promote Practices which Foster Access to Extracurricular Programs

1. Exchange information about the governing agencies requirements for

extracurricular participation.

2. Encourage school system athletic and fine arts directors to network with each

other on a consistent basis.

3. Suggestions for implementation of transition processes that encourage student

participation:

Coaches, sponsors, and/or advisors are available to counsel incoming students

year-round

b. A student interest inventory is offered through phone, fax, internet or mail to

determine academic and non-academic interests to personalize information

distribution on arrival and facilitate introductions to sponsors and coaches

Spring and fall orientations are conducted that include information regarding

co-curricular and extra-curricular activities

d. Incoming students are interviewed by counselors to determine interests and

guide them to matching activities

School Web pages include schedules, try-out time lines, activities, and contact

information.

4. The school district may consider the following:

After meeting state requirements, schools offer open membership on a

continuous basis

b. School officer elections occur in the fall

Perspective students auditioned via videotape for cheerleading

d. Spring induction is observed for Honor Societies (i.e. NHS, Art, Foreign

Language)

Sports offerings are numerous enough to accommodate a year-round calendar

Cheerleading squads may be chosen mid-year as well as at the end of the year

Establish Procedures to Lessen the Adverse Impact of Moves from the End of Junior

Year, as well as before, & during the Senior Year.

1. The school systems and installation partners should consider measures to mitigate

the adverse impact of senior moves, such as:

Early resolution of class rank of arriving students to facilitate fair competition for

honors

b. Conversion of grade point average (GPA) between losing and gaining school

grading systems for the purpose of establishing class rank, competing for class

honors, applying for post secondary education opportunities, etc.

Priority counseling to resolve graduation requirements and assist

students/parents in accomplishing actions to obtain reciprocity for course

credits, graduation certificates, senior year course selections, etc.

d. Providing post secondary education counseling to identify college/vocational-

technical education opportunities and sources of potential financial assistance.

Priority placement into courses/classes essential for completion of graduation

requirements.

Early identification and priority access to those extracurricular activities that will

afford the transitioning student a greater opportunity for acceptance into post

secondary education institutions.

Encouraging parents to participate in early counseling sessions designed to

facilitate a smooth and successful transition, as well as a productive senior year

that provides the senior student with the opportunity to fulfill their

secondary/post secondary educational goals.

h. Encouraging parent participation in “College Night” activities and other

available forums intended to provide students with information upon which to

base post-secondary education decisions.

Recognizing that those transition issues associated with the critical first two

weeks of enrollment (

see MOA)

are greatest significance to transitioning

seniors.

2. Conduct surveys of recently transitioned senior students and parents to gain

feedback useful for improving senior transition actions/processes.

E. Communicate Variations in the School Calendars and Schedules

1. Collaborate and post current/accurate calendars and school year events in a

manner that is easy for parents to access.

2. Share calendar and school year information.

3. Define, explain, and illustrate the type(s) of high school schedule(s) in place at

each high school.

4. Exchange ideas and strategies for “transition labs” or other systems for academic

support specifically designed to ease the adverse impact of mid-year moves.

Note:

It is important for the serving schools and installations to meet regularly to work

on issues related to calendars and schedules and to clarify and comprehensively

define the implications for each year.

5. For purposes of this document, the terms “calendar” and “schedules” are defined

in scope by means of this comprehensive list of what those terms mean relative to

school and installation documents. These include (but are not limited to):

Opening and close dates

b. Beginning of semester dates

Grading periods

d. Major Department of the Army, installation/community events

Graduation dates

Holidays and vacations

Extracurricular dates and tryout dates

h. Assessments (e.g. PSAT/SAT, state tests, graduation tests)

Enrollment dates

Summer school

Extended learning/ intersessions programs

6. Identify variations in schedules that it would be helpful to share with partners. For

example block schedules are not the same from district to district. Many systems

also have a version of block scheduling at the middle schools.

Systems and campuses will develop easy to access Web and print-based

publications that provide detailed descriptions of each type of schedule used.

Systems and campuses will describe the processes available for transition

support into and out of the scheduling systems in place at each campus

Consider developing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) for the schedules

with the family in transition as the primary audience.

7. Discuss and agree upon means by which basic information will be shared, from the

Web page to hard copy materials for a welcome packet.

8. Compose a general timeline and process for sharing and annually updating this

information among the nine installations.

F. Create and Implement Professional Development Systems

1. Exchanging the processes and products associated with the development and

support of joint installation and school system professional development

communities.

2. Share strategies, resources, and effectiveness indicators.

3. Provide joint “Understanding the Military Family” workshops by the installation and

the schools. The Garrison/Base Commander may speak to school staffs that have

a significant population of military students about how the military life and culture

impact on students.

4. Offer staff development courses that include instructional strategies for meeting

the needs of a diverse student population.

5. Installation and School System tours –Provide teachers from the post/base and the

school system outside the gate an opportunity to tour the installation and the

post/base schools, providing them a glimpse of a day in the life of the parents and

their military students. These visits will facilitate the articulation of curriculum

issues, expectations, and requirements for each school system.

6. Handbooks — Develop a handbook for teachers to use as a reference, outlining

the roles of the military units. Publications will be developed for the installation with

the school (grade level or course) curriculum expectations and requirements

articulated.

Middle School Tours – Students from the post middle school will tour the high

school in the adjacent county to provide a glimpse of a day in the life of a high

school student.

8. Middle School High School Night – Twice each year, in October and May, each of

the high schools in the area visit the middle school on the installation. Principals,

counselors, and coaches are available to talk with rising ninth graders about

opportunities, expectations, and requirements for high school.

Documents from the Army Education Summit held in July 2000 will be made

available to school system personnel. These documents outline the ten (10) major

transition issues and provide a context for teachers to understand the Army

Secondary Education Transition Study.

10. School districts present Parent Information Sessions, specifically including

installation families in advertising the sessions. The sessions will feature various

educational topics, i.e., Attention Deficit-Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), counseling

groups in the schools, etc. The annual Military Parent Academy, a weekend

seminar designed to offer parenting support, will be advertised to military parents

who live off-post as well as those who reside on the installation.

11. Institutionalize opportunities for parents and adopt-a-school units to be invited to

visit and participate in the local schools.

12. Encourage mentor and tutor programs like Partners in Education Programs (PIE).

13. Facilitate the use of Web sites between schools.

14. Designate a staff member in each school to serve as liaison and coordinate with

their counterpart at the installation. This individual will help to ensure school staffs

have any available information regarding transition issues.

15. School systems should consider sending counselors and/or professional campus-

level academic advisors to MCEC’s Transition Counselor Institutes in order to have

a designated transition specialist in place at each high school that serves military

students.

G. Continue Strong, Child Centered Partnerships Between the Installation and

Supporting Schools Participate in a coordinated effort between the SETS partners to

design the critical components for creating, implementing and monitoring the viability

and robustness of the mutual effort and progress on the agreement (see the

MOA)

Examples of such partnerships:

1. Establishment of a military child committee

2. Consist of members of both agencies

3. Meet regularly

4. Establish a “Local Action Plan”

5. Establish additional collaborative activities such as:

Mentor/internship programs

b. Voluntary advisory council

Parent-teachers organizations

d. Chapel youth organizations

Family counseling programs

Family action agencies

g. Join ministerial alliance

h. Speakers’ bureau

Pool of installation presenters for school classrooms

Joint organization student leadership projects

Leadership retreats for elementary or secondary students

Soldier mentoring activities

m. Encourage military parent involvement in school activities

Provide clear information on the eligibility requirements for in state tuition.

6. Consider establishment of ex-officio school board member or military advisor to the

school board

7. Consider establishment of installation liaison to school board

8. Exchange ideas with other school systems for coordination of effort and discussion

of new challenges and opportunities.

Examples:

Additional Lawton-Fort Sill Projects are:

APLAS

(Army Partnership with

Lawton Area Schools.) Units develop partnership with elementary schools and provide

mentors for junior high school students. Military Installation co-facilitates summer

leaderships project for 100 high school students. Military parents are encouraged to

attend school conferences and functions.

Wings of Eagles

provides Lawton-Fort Sill

sixth-grade students a weekend (Friday-Sunday) retreat at Fort Sill to enhance the

young people’s self-confidence, leadership skills and self-esteem.

Provide Information Concerning Graduation Requirements Consider adopting the

following practices that articulates the scope and conditions for reciprocity of

graduation requirements:

1. Permit the course as a substitute for state or Department of Defense Education

Activity (DoDEA) requirements. As long as state or DoDEA requirements are met,

local requirements will be adjusted to support the student’s transition.

2. A local waiver policy to include a standardized application form, a systematic

review process, and flexible guidelines for approval. The waiver process will

document how graduation requirements were met.

3. School officials will issue course credits to a student who transition near the end of

a semester, as long as the student has passing grades.

4. In the event that a transitioning senior does not qualify for a diploma in the

receiving school system, but can qualify in the sending school system, course and

test credits will be transferred back to the sending school for issuance of the

diploma.

5. Adopt a standardized matrix that depicts in a graphic representation the partner

school systems’ graduation requirements. School officials will update the matrix

content annually and whenever a major revision occurs.

6. Inform school partners, parents and students about required state

exit level/end-of-

course

testing and passing scores to improve probability of appropriate, timely

placement in courses and programs. This information will be disseminated through

system/installation Web sites and print media.

Note:

The signatory partners will determine the process and responsible agents who

will be required to maintain the “graduation requirements matrix” and distribute all

updates. Adopt a policy of program continuity for a student enrolled in top tier diploma

programs, such as a college/university preparatory program of study, and/or rigorous

academic programs such as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID),

Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB). A student with

satisfactory grades will not be required to re-qualify for these programs.

Provide Specialized Services for Mobile Students when Applying to and Finding

Funding for Post Secondary Study

1. Share information with SETS Partners on methods that have worked in informing

parents and students of the best methods for college and vocational/technical

applications and the mobile student.

2. Ensure that every junior and/or senior student (and their parents) receives

information about the college and vocational/technical application process,

financial aid, available scholarships and grants for pursuing postsecondary

education. Counselors and/or teachers provide models of completed applications,

financial aid documents, scholarship and grant forms, and letters of

recommendation. Include the military liaison in the distribution process.

3. Provide all 11th/12th grade students and their parents with printed information

about what they will need for postsecondary educational pursuits and success.

The document/handbook includes checklists, timelines, suspense dates, Web

sites, phone numbers and names of contact persons at various local and state

colleges/universities and at technical schools as well. The document/handbook is

updated annually with assistance from counselors, other school personnel and

college/university/technical school contacts. This document/handbook would be

included in the welcome/orientation packet that all transfer students receive upon

arrival at their new school. In addition, multiple copies of the document/handbook

will be provided to the military liaison for distribution from that office.

4. Conduct a district-wide college night and individual school college nights as well to

provide information and assistance for students and/or parents with college and/or

vocational/technical applications and financial aid packets. Information about

available scholarships and grants should also be provided. College and

vocational/technical admissions professionals conduct all activities. Ensure that the

military liaison is included on the mailing lists of all scholarship, grant, and financial

award grantees. The military liaison can schedule and replicate this program

possibly at their Youth Activities Center on the installation.

5. Hold career education/information seminars for transitioning students. Invite

representatives from local colleges/universities/vocational-technical schools, civic

groups and various companies that provide scholarships or financial assistance to

interested students, such as the Kiwanis, IBM, Texas Instruments, Coca-Cola,

What-a-Burger, Motorola, Dupont, Texaco, Service Merchandise, Wal-Mart and J.

C. Penney. Keep the military liaison informed of the dates of these seminars or

that individual could also schedule similar seminars at the installation.

6. Work with MCEC to inform the colleges and universities of the unique needs of

military students related to (post secondary) application and funding.

Request that MCEC send copies of all documents that describe and detail the

unique needs of military students to local college/university admissions

personnel. (Local district/installation will provide addresses.)

Provide the name of the military liaison to the local college/university.

Create a local Task Force and/or Standing Committee that includes

representation from MCEC, public education, the military liaison, local

colleges/universities and vocational-technical schools to develop solutions to

identified needs and to address issues affecting transitioning students. (Names

of committee members would be included in the document/ handbook that is

distributed to all transitioning students.)

7. Train counselors and teachers on how to best assist a mobile student on preparing

college and vocational/technical applications.

Ensure that all high school counselors and the military liaison are provided with

information and training from the MCEC Transition Counselor Institute —

provide videos, booklets, or other publications that can be distributed at local

schools or on the installation. Counselors will in turn serve as

resources/trainers for teachers.

b. Provide assistance on completing college applications, choosing a career,

pursuing financial aid and completing financial aid packets, writing resumes

and themes for college entrance requirements, and securing letters of

recommendation from former and current teachers and administrators. Training

software could possibly be installed on one or more installation computers at

the youth activities center.

Partner with local colleges, universities, and technical schools to conduct

orientation classes for local seniors. Create a mentoring program that matches

successful college freshmen with local seniors to assist with the college

application and financial aid process. Hold several program sessions on the

military installation, if necessary.

d. Use resources of the installation Education Center to provide information and

assistance to parents and students — especially about careers and

opportunities to finance post-secondary education through military service.

Provide information about various funding sources, scholarships and grants

that are available for special populations such as single parent families, military

dependents, and minority groups.