D.C. Conference on College and Careers
Each year, the D.C. Office of the State ​Superintendent of Education (OSSE) hosts an event focused on college and career opportunities at Gallaudet University. The application process for schools is quite competitive; only about a dozen middle schools from the district are invited to participate. A colleague and I applied for the program last year and were able to bring fifteen of our hardest-working sixth- and seventh-grade students to enjoy the day's activities. We had worked with these students in small-group settings throughout the year and spoke with each individually about what a privilege it was to come on the trip.
​
I think many educators mentally classify college and career conversations as most relevant to their oldest students. After all, my eighth graders will be in high school next year; they are closer to higher education and jobs than any of my other scholars. However, my colleague and I felt that it was very important to bring younger scholars to the conference. Our eighth graders had already had some similar experiences, and we wanted to make sure that we were expanding access for all of our scholars (regardless of age). Furthermore, we picked a group of students that we knew would come back to school and share their positive experiences with peers. The students we brought are seventh and eight graders this year, and they still sometimes talk with their friends about things they saw and learned at last year's conference. This has generated additional interest in college and career information throughout our middle school population, and interest in learning more is a critical ingredient for access expansion.
Example of email communication with the event organizers at OSSE. My colleague and I applied for our slot months in advance and ensured that our scholars were prepared to represent our school and its values effectively.
At the conference, our scholars got to spend a great deal of time listening to inspiring speakers, interacting with students from other parts of the district, and learning important life skills. Session topics included financial literacy, resume-writing, and even basic computer programming. Students had a wonderful time on the trip and came back to school eager to learn more about some of the new topics to which they had been exposed. Furthermore, they represented the school exceptionally well, and we have been welcomed back for the 2018 conference this June. We will select an entirely new group of participants this year so that we can continue expanding access for as many of our scholars as possible. It has been very easy to find students who are excited about going to the conference; those that went last year came back buzzing with excitement and shared many details about their experiences with their friends and families.
Scholars at the OSSE college and career conference. To the left, our students participate in a roundtable discussion with their peers at other schools about the college experience and how they are preparing themselves for it. To the right, our scholars learn to build virtual worlds using a computer program and basic coding commands.
Scholars Say...
When we went to Gallaudet University, I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot of things. I learned about how to keep your bank account safe. I also learned the job and the salary of a police officer and all the training they have to go through.
While at the college fair we learned about some of the major classes we take in college. It was important because I've never been to college and the things we learned are really important.
What I learned from the field trip [to the college and career conference] is how to invest your money. I also learned more about lawyers.
I had a positive experience because I learned about business and how to prepare for a better future. I liked learning about career paths because it helped me [think] about how I'm going to go about my future.
I learned about banks and money. I was very interested because I didn't think of all the things that you need to pay for and what's a good way to budget.
I learned about banks and money. [I] was very interested because I didn't think of all the things that you need to pay for and what's a good way to budget.
What I learned at the college and career [conference] was financial literacy. It helped me learn more about saving my money, deposits, banking, and good uses of money.
The experience at the college and career event was great. I learned about how much money police officers make and how to start your own business in different ways.
I learned about different college courses. I had a lot of fun because I got a good experience about the college life.
Selected quotes about the experience of attending the conference. Unfortunately, I no longer have the written reflections that students completed at the end of the trip, but scholars were eager to share their memories of the event and what they learned. It is interesting to see how many students highlighted financial literacy in their comments. This is a topic on which we spend relatively little time in school, but it is extremely important for functional adults. I am glad that these students recognized how important it is.