2012/2013 Test Dates

September 8, 2012

October 27, 2012

December 8, 2012

February 9, 2013

April 13, 2013

June 8, 2013

Westwood School Code: 164-070

Go to www.actstudent.org to register

• "2 for 1" in 2012 at Western Iowa Tech Community College
• January and May 2012 high school grads
• who take one summer class – get one class
• of equal or less cost FREE

• Why Summer Classes?
• • Get a head start on your college degree
• • Progress toward an Accelerated degree
• • Convenient class times
• • Five-week and ten-week sessions
• • General education credits transfer to four-year colleges

• Here’s How:
• • Apply for admission
• • Submit your high school transcript
• • Complete and return enclosed Eligibility Confirmation Card (See Mrs. Oberg)
• • Register for classes TODAY!
• • Classes begin May 31, 2012 and July 5, 2012

• Summer class listing available at www.witcc.edu

A $100 scholarship is being offered by the Smith-Rhodes Post No. 295. Application deadline is April 1, 2012.

The Woodbury County Cattlemen's Association is sponsoring a scholarship of $500 for two seniors in the Woodbury County school districts. The senior must be a Woodbury County resident who will be furthering their education in agriculture. Parents, guardians, or student must be a member of the Woodbury County Cattlemen's Association. Deadline for applications is May 1, 2012.

Wayne State is pleased to announce that Westwood High School will have 1 Cooperating School scholarship to award to a graduating senior for attendance at Wayne State College during the 2012-13 academic year. Each scholarhship will waive one-half of a student's tuition, renewable for four years up to 128 credits. Application deadline is April 9th. Please contact Mrs. Oberg for further information.

Applicants MUST be attending a trade school to earn a degree in journeyman classes for plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, sheet metal, carpentry, masonry, or welding. Amount of scholarship $1,000 ($500 for 1st semester; $500 for 2nd semester). Two letters of recommendation needed. All requested documents must b received by April 1, 2012. Mail to: Steve and Linda Hopkins 2976 Buttonwood Key Court. St. James City, FL 33956.

Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) will offer one $1000 scholarship to a full-time Iowa State University freshman agriculture student. See Mrs. Oberg for further details. Deadline: April 13, 2012.

The Burgess Health Center Auxiliary will be awarding seven (7) $500.00 scholarships to selected area students training for a health care career.

Please note that the applications must be returned by April 1, 2012. Applications are located in the commons or contact Mrs. Oberg for an application form.

Applications for two different scholarships (The Monona County Farm Bureau Scholarship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Scholarship) are now available for the 2012 high school graduating students of Monona County Farm Bureau members.

The Monona County Farm Bureau is offering 3-$500 scholarships. The deadline is March 1, 2012. To be eligible, applicants must be a family member of a Monona County Farm Bureau member and must be entering a profession or vocation reuiring at least 2 years of college.

See Mrs. Oberg for the application form.

Please see Mrs. Oberg if you are interested in the Iowa Pork Foundation Scholarship.

Requirements:

Iowa Resident

Incoming freshman

Major in an ag related field with an emphasis on swine production

2 letters of reference

2.5 GPA

Deadline: April 30, 2012

Last year, Tip Top Tux started an annual scholarship program to help high school seniors. One (1) $5,000 and (5) $500 scholarships were awarded.

Please visit their website to download the schoarship application.

Westwood Education Association Scholarship. Application deadline: April 1, 2012.

Hummel Insurance Most Active Westwood Student. $500 scholarship. Application deadline: April 1, 2012

Westwood Athletic Boosters Scholarship. Deadline application: April 1, 2012

Two scholarships will be given to two (2) seniors who attend WIT in the fall of 2012. Application deadline: April 1, 2012.

Matt Rice Memorial Scholarship worth $200. Due April 1, 2012

Masonic Lodge Fillable form for 2012. Application is due April 1, 2012

On College: College admission offices using social media, Internet to look at students

By Purvi S. Mody

Daily News columnist

Posted: 09/26/2011

Every year, I do an online search of my students to see what college admissions officers might find if they do the same.

One student had multiple pictures of herself visibly drunk. Another student had written mean things on his Facebook wall about a teacher who was writing one of his letters of recommendation.

One student was tagged in a photo with three others giving the middle finger and laughing at the camera. One student insulted the football teams of three colleges he was applying to.

One made racial slurs against minorities while writing about wanting to give back to his community. Another student congratulated another for getting arrested.

All of these students thought that they made their social networking profiles private. But simply typing in their names in an online search revealed their virtual personas -- personas that colleges are increasingly interested in.

Every year, there are stories about how colleges look to social media to get a holistic sense of a student applicant. For students who work so hard putting their best foot forward on college applications, it's critical to remember that submitting an application is no time to relax -- it's the opposite.

Here are some tips to make sure that every interaction a college has with you is positive.

1. Make sure your online profiles are completely private. I realize this sounds obvious, but making your Facebook private does not mean that someone cannot see photos of you posted by others unless you deliberately choose that functionality. And if you tweet, do so cautiously.

2. Use the Internet to show positive traits. Post photos of you with your family and friends having clean fun. Start a blog about activities you have been involved in or about your take on current issues.

3. Know that if you become a fan of a college, that college becomes part of your network and will have access to your entire profile -- unless you specify otherwise.

4. Disengage from any groups that can be seen as negative, and join ones that accurately and positively show your interests. Instead of "I hate school," join "Salsa dancing rocks."

5. Google yourself and see what comes up. If someone else has the same name as you, put in your initial on your applications and on your online pages.

6. Make an appropriate email address; a simple address with your first and last name will do. An address using sexygurl69 will leave an impression you don't want to make.

7. If you put your cell phone number on your application, make sure that your voice mail is simple and doesn't have loud background music. And every time that phone rings, pick it up thinking that it's the admissions officer from your dream school.

Don't pick it up when you are in a car with all your friends. And don't pick it up during school hours, and especially if you are in class.

And never let someone else pick up your phone. I called a male student once to confirm an appointment, and his girlfriend picked up. She rudely demanded to know who I was and why I was calling him. Your choice of friends shows your sense of judgment.

8. If you put your home number on your applications, make sure that everyone in the house knows that colleges might be calling you -- even your little brother who may occasionally pick up the phone. Also, have a voice mail that works and check it every day.

Technology, for all of its virtues and its ability to connect people together, opens the doors to your private life. Before the Internet, colleges relied solely on the information in applications and letters of recommendations. But even with the openness of the Internet and social media, you still have a choice in what colleges see.

When I do my searches, I am also often happily surprised with the results: a picture of a student playing with several puppies at a local pound; a poem a student wrote about her best friend; a video of a student singing in a talent show.

Purvi S. Mody is co-owner of Insight Education, an educational consulting firm that helps students throughout the Bay Area to achieve their educational goals. Email her at purvi@insight-education.net.