For years, it has been the object of desire for many over-achieving students. The coveted valedictorian spot breeds intense academic competition and a firestorm of debate over who should receive the honor. The current trend centers around how many students should be named valedictorian when so many seniors earn a perfect grade point average throughout their high school careers.

“It does kind of make it a little less prestigious, but it’s kind of nice that so many people have worked so hard in your class and that you’ve been with a lot of good people,” said Michael Knollmeyer, a senior at a Mid-Columbia high school who is sharing the honor of high school valedictorian with nine other students.
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College is not for everyone. And not every job requires a college degree. Some jobs require expertise and know-how that only comes from having hands-on experience or natural talent. That is why apprenticeships are a great option for high school students who are not interested in college and might not be ready for the demands of the work force.

“Before trade schools became common, apprenticeships were the only way for young people to learn a skilled trade. Master craftsman would carefully pick young apprentices, who would work for years under their tutelage, gradually learning the tricks of the trade.”

In addition to guiding students toward traditional four-year colleges and two-year colleges, high school guidance counselors should consider telling students about the many apprenticeship programs available through career colleges and local business. Schools across the country are launching successful high school apprenticeship programs. Read about the success at one school.

A recent study by ACT concluded that many middle and high school students are not effectively planning for the future; they aren’t thinking about their post-high school plans early enough, and they may not be taking the right classes to meet their goals.

To help high school guidance counselors and parents be more effective, ACT offers the following suggestions to help your students achieve success.
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According to a recent CNN.com article, a team of researchers at the University of Oregon in Eugene is leading a re-examining of AP courses in U.S. history, biology, chemistry, physics, European history, world history and environmental science.

“We recognize that simply having a course that requires a teacher to cover a lot of content is not the same as the best-level college course, in which teachers are facilitating in-depth study,” said Trevor Packer, Advanced Placement executive director.

Find out how the potential changes to the AP program will affect your high school students.

Testing is becoming a regular part of education for K-12 grade students. Whether it is placement tests, progress assessment tests, college entrance tests or high school exit tests, students endure their fair share of testing. With more schools incorporating high school exit tests into their educational experience, making sure students have mastered the necessary high school curriculum has new meaning.

“High school students in 20 states this spring must pass a standardized test to get a diploma. The class of 2006 will see the next major expansion of exit exams. Four states — Arizona, California, Idaho and Utah – for the first time next year will withhold diplomas from seniors who fail the final exam. Washington state will phase in the test by 2008.”

Read the full article on high school exit exams in high schools around the country.

Recent cases of teachers sexually abusing students have caused many high school counselors, parents and school administrators to look at the behavior guidelines for teachers and students. But because nobody specifically tracks sexual abuse or misconduct by educators, it’s unclear if the number of incidents is on the rise or if students are simply more willing to come forward.

“No parent sends their child to school thinking they are going to have sex with a teacher,” said Robert Shoop, an education law expert at Kansas State University who researches sexual exploitation of students. “These people are not hanging around playgrounds in trench coats. They are often popular, gregarious and well-liked teachers.”

Learn about the warning signs of sexual predators and what you can do as a high school counselor to ensure the safety of your students.

A lot of things go through a student’s mind when they first step foot onto a college campus for a visit. They might feel overwhelmed or immediately feel a sense of belonging. Whatever they are feeling, asking the right questions is often no where on their mind.

The American School Counselor Association has put together a campus visit checklist that every potential student should use when they go on a campus visit.
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As the school year comes to an end, high school students around the country are looking for things to do. Some are preparing to go off to college. Others have mornings of summer school to look forward to. Still others are looking for that important summer job.

While it can be hard for high school students to compete in the job market, there are many jobs available to responsible teenagers who want to earn their own money or intern to gain a better understanding of their dream job.
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