High School Highlights
- Deadline for FASFA: March 2, 2022 – Graduates must submit the FAFSA to qualify for grants, loans, and other types of financial aid for college and career training. Early graduates need to fill this out, too.
- Upcoming High School Webinars:
- 3/25: High School for Incoming 9th Graders and New Families
- College Information Series: Our College Advisor will be presenting on the first and third Friday of each month on the topics below. To RSVP and view additional topics, please see College Information Series.
- 3/4: Extra Curriculars – Community Service – Summer Programs
- 3/18: Testing
- 4/1: Understanding College Fit
- ASB Game Day! Friday, March 11th at The Great Park, Parking Lot 3: 8000 Great Park Blvd, Irvine, CA 92618, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
- College Fair: Save the date! We will be having a virtual college fair on May 11th.
Graduation 2022
Important! Due to a conflict we did not anticipate, our graduation date has been rescheduled for Tuesday, June 7, at 4 p.m. Our Graduation Website has been updated to reflect the final time and date of our ceremony. We apologize for the switch and thank you for your understanding. On the website, you will see these important tasks for all of our graduates to complete as soon as possible:
- Diploma and Participation Form
- Post Graduate Survey
- Lookbook Submission
- Cap and Gown Order
- Graduation Remarks
- Performance/Speech Application (if interested)
How to Read a Financial Aid Letter
It’s college decision time! With each offer of admission comes an offer of financial aid. Understanding the details can be daunting, so here are a few tips:
- First, look for your offer of aid. It might come with the letter of admission through the mail or email or it might be located in the college portal. Your letter of admission might include a scholarship but there may be details about need-based aid available on the portal.
- Read your offer carefully. Sometimes financial aid award letters are too good to be true. Make sure you understand each type of aid. Scholarships and grants don’t have to be paid back but loans do.
- Remember, it’s about the final cost and not the scholarship or grant amount. A $30,000 scholarship for a school that costs $45,000 is a much better offer than a $30,000 scholarship for a school that costs $80,000!
Going Merry has an excellent blog post about reading financial aid award letters with examples. If you would like help understanding your award letters make an appointment with Laura Kazan.
ASB Club Spotlight
During BSU meetings, we’ve been breaking down the portrayal of Black Americans in the media, such as music and film. We plan to create a positive change for the black community, which starts within, by debunking all the stereotypes towards African Americans so we don’t let them affect us and educate others. We better understand how to make things fair for all of us by revealing the unfairness of the world. So when we meet others or are promoting black stories, we can end the incorrect vision around Black Americans.
Learner Spotlight: Gretchen Menesez
I’m Gretchen and I will be graduating from iLEAD in June. While I didn’t join the iLEAD team until I was in 7th grade, I am a lifelong independent studyer with a passion for music. I have been composing and writing my own songs, and I am part of the worship team at my church. Aside from music, I am an avid reader and a huge Harry Potter fan. To stay active, I participate in mud runs and other 5k runs, indoor rock climbing, and martial arts. I have earned my green belt with a black stripe and will continue on to earn my black belt. I love to take road trips. Last summer my family and I drove across the lower part of the United States, and I even did a large portion of the driving.
At iLEAD, I have become an independent learner with the flexibility to housesit, babysit, and pet sit, which has helped me save money for my future. After graduating, I will attend cosmetology school and work as a hairstylist. I love the art aspect of cutting and coloring hair. Being a stylist will also allow me to work with people while having a flexible schedule as I plan to independent study my future children. I’ve been interested in this career choice for quite some time, but this year I feel even more confident in this being the right path for me after taking a class called College and Career Readiness. While it is an elective, I think it is a valuable tool from which any iLEAD learner could benefit.
Schooling with iLEAD has provided opportunities to give back to the community. Each year I help to pack shoeboxes with supplies for less fortunate children across the world and also volunteer at the shoebox processing center. I can often be found acting in plays and skits at our church, participating in children’s ministry, and helping with summer programs. I believe independent studying with iLEAD has allowed me experiences that I might not have had in a traditional school setting. Most importantly, it has allowed me time to spend with my family and friends.
