By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … HMS Richards middle school seventh and eighth graders had an unusual visitor in March—a college recruiter. While it may seem unusual for college recruiters to reach out to students before high school, Jessica Williams, recruiter from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, spoke to the students about the ways they can prepare in high school for a successful transition to college.
Casey Jordan, seventh and eighth grade teacher, originally made contact with Williams when she reached out to all the Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities to ask for logo mugs for students to use for hot drinks while they work on writing in the classroom. That connection sparked the idea for Williams to visit with the class when she came to meet with Campion Academy seniors.
Williams emphasized two things in high school that students can do when planning for college.
First, she said, “Do your best right away. Don’t wait until you are a junior and then wish that you hadn’t gotten that low grade because you didn’t care when you were a freshman.” Second, “Get involved, be a well-rounded person, try music, sports, leadership, student association, church involvement and more.”
Jordan reflected, “The students had a lot of questions and enjoyed the conversation with Miss Jessica. It was a great experience as it allowed the kids to see how their futures are affected by the choices they make today.”
–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy’s communication director; photo supplied
