On November 9th, WUHS’s College and Career Academy hosted its first Cash for College event of the school year. Over 70 families attended and were able to complete their FAFSA applications on the spot!
College and Career Academy Counselor, Mike Toste, coordinated the event with Fresno Pacific University and Fresno City College. Staff from all three schools were present to assist both English, Spanish, and Hmong speaking families in filling out the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Parents and students were greeted in the school’s library and loaned a chromebook to complete the necessary forms to begin the online application. So many families attended, that two overflow classrooms were utilized to accommodate all of the attendees.
Part of the goal of the College and Career Academy is to support students on their path to college. Not only are staff, including counselors and intervention specialists, available to help student meet their academic goals, they also provide support to students and families when filling out college and financial aid applications. The Cash for College event was designed to help Washington Union’s students and families learn about the types of college financial aid that they might be eligible for and to answer any questions about the FAFSA application. While the U.S. Department of Education recently simplified the application, many families still have questions and may need help going through the process.
Washington Union plans to host a second Cash for College Night, prior to the March deadline for filing the FAFSA. The event will be held the evening of February 22nd. Information about the time and location of the event will be provided to the students upon return from Winter Break. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the College and Career Academy at (559) 485-8805 ex. 210.