College and Career Readiness Programs
At Altavista Combined School’s Future Center, advisers work one-on-one with high school students to help them explore a broad range of opportunities. The center, which opened in the fall of 2021, offers college fairs, SAT prep workshops, FAFSA nights, help with resumes, job applications, and more.
These programs at Brookville High School, Rustburg High School, and William Campbell Combined School offer the same services as Altavista’s Future Center.
Altavista Future Center Helps Seniors Get on Track
When Stephanie Tyree was hired as the Future Center director in 2023, she developed the vision statement “Dream. Plan. Do.”
To bring this vision to reality, Tyree listens, encourages, guides and follows up with each student to ensure every one is on a track with a post-graduation plan.
She meets with seniors every fall in the space designated for the Future Center at Altavista Combined School. Some show up with a list of dream schools. Some focus on a trade or plan to join the military or get a job.
Still others don’t have a clue. “Those conversations last longer,” Tyree said. “Sometimes I can get them to vocalize what they actually are thinking, but they’re afraid to give it a voice.” She often directs students who are floundering to SchooLinks.com, a platform to help navigate career pathways and work-based learning programs. She also schedules a follow-up meeting. “It isn’t my job to give them a plan, but to help them know how to achieve their dreams through a plan that is their very own,” she said.
When Tyree joined in the summer of 2023, 91% of students had just graduated with a plan for their future. In the last two years that percentage has risen to 100. “It is imperative that each senior has a plan that they can follow after they walk across the stage with their diploma,” she said.
Tyree works with students on job and college applications and organizes interview and resume workshops often in conjunction with community employers with which the center continues to build working relationships.
She also holds preliminary interviews for programs such as those for Jefferson and Walentas Scholars at the University of Virginia which makes college affordable for deserving, high-performing students.
In addition, the Future Center organizes a Virginia College Application Week when students can submit their college applications for free; a College Nights Event that explores the benefits of college and awards a $1,000 scholarship; FAF$A Next where financial aid officers from area colleges help families complete forms; a Decision Day in May celebration; SAT Prep sessions; college field trips; college admission visits to ACS; and a Middle School career speaker series.
The Future Center work is separate from services offered through school counseling though the two departments work in tandem. The Future Center work allows counselors to focus on mental health and relationship issues as well as class schedules, graduation requirements, testing coordination and specialized instruction followup. Tyree said the close working relationship between the two departments allows students to benefit from the best of both worlds.