myOptions Encourage Learning Series
Presented in Partnership with ASCA

Current Learning & Continuing Education Unit Opportunities
Presented in partnership with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), myOptions® Encourage™ will host three webinars on topics related to college preparation. Best of all, you can earn CEUs for your participation in each.
Follow the links below to learn more.

Preparing for Genuine & Strategic Planning Conversations on Advising Students about Credentials and Careers
Now that we’re almost 25% through the 21st century, are you prepared to offer your students a diverse set of post-high school options? Are these career and college options as diverse as the students you serve? Join myOptions Encourage and a distinguished education leader for a discussion about viable choices outside of a four-year degree that meet the needs of our rapidly changing jobs and industry markets. We will shine a light on ways to help you take assessment of your college and career program, develop key questions to frame strategic conversations to reshape school or district programs, and review what students are telling us they need to make educated decisions on career fit.
Advising Students on Credentials and Rewarding Careers
In part two of our myOptions Encourage Spring 2023 learning series, we continue our conversation on career fit and the importance of showing students the emerging job markets and value of all postsecondary credentials. We know that focusing on 4-year college degree completion is not enough to meet the diverse needs of students. Get a glimpse into the “world of work” our students will enter, which is evolving dramatically, as well as the career advising tools and resources counselors should consider. myOptions Encourage and NEXTGEN Talent will share insights on the critical connections to make between high school and postsecondary education, how to find local labor market resources, and finally how to identify rewarding postsecondary options with your students.
Learning that WORKS for New York!
In the final myOptions Encourage | ASCA Spring 2023 learning session, join in and hear from a school counselor and student at Marilyn A. Noonan School in Durham, New York as they share how a two-year Heavy Equipment Repair and Operations program provides students with an opportunity to learn through work. We are excited to showcase this successful program to help illustrate how to activate the key ideas and challenges laid out in the first two learning sessions. With both the school counselor and a student you will get a full view about how this program helps students explore potential career outcomes, plan their high school courses, gain industry-based certifications, and attain technical skills. This literally is learning that WORKS!
Previous Recordings
The Role of School Counseling and Smart Application Lists
A student’s final college application list represents many dedicated hours between a student, the student’s family and school counselor. Yet, even with all the time invested by everyone, the unfortunate reality is too many students may not complete all their college applications, may not have a viable college option to meet their needs at the end of senior year or may even withdraw or transfer in their first year if they do go to college. Hear why college lists matter to student outcomes, lessons learned in college counseling program design that led to targeted successful student outcomes and what this means to you in terms of strategies and resources.
Help Students and Families Build a Balanced College List
College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won, and crafting a balanced college list is essential to students’ success in matching to the right college. In the complex, complicated landscape of college options, you are poised as a school counselor to support students and engage families through this process. Learn to develop and maintain a strong college list-building practice into your school counseling program so students are prepared for all the college application process entails.
Implement Programming & Leverage Community Resources to Help Students Build a Balanced College List
We know that students who enroll in colleges that are a strong match and fit are more likely to graduate. How can you implement programming in your school and/or in partnership with community organizations to help students and families build a balanced college list? Hear from a state college application campaign, a school counselor and a community-based organization to learn effective practices to engaging students and families in this important process. Learn about both short-term and long-term strategies. Building a balanced college list is the first step for student success in the college application process. Focus on ways to help students begin the application process informed and empowered with a balanced list.