Counseling

Welcome to the Wilmington Area High School Counseling Office page. The WAHS counseling office adheres to the American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA) National Model for School Counseling. It is our goal to provide a comprehensive counseling program that meets the needs of our students within the Academic, Career, and Personal/Social domains of the National Model. School Counselors are advocates for students and provide support to maximize student potential and academic achievement. We collaborate with other educators, parents/guardians, administrators, and the community to assist all students in recognizing their abilities, interests, potential, and goals as they begin their journey through high school and progress to become life-long learners and productive members of society.

When helping our students prepare for their future academic decisions we realize this can be an extremely difficult process. With competitive college/vocational applications and job placement, the need for post-secondary preparation has become more important than ever before. It is crucial to plan wisely with close cooperation between parents and WAHS’s Guidance Office and teachers. In addition to the courses required for graduation, students can elect to schedule other courses that appeal to them and their future. When making course selections, students need to be aware of the requirements for college/vocational admission and/or job placement. We encourage the students to read through the Program of Studies and discuss options with their parents/guardians and the WAHS Guidance Office. We also require a parent and student signature on the scheduling form so the Guidance Department is aware that the student and parent have made a joint decision on the students’ schedule. These needs are the reasons for a close working relationship and open communication among parents, students, and the Guidance Office.

We encourage students to take challenging courses each year. Students who do not meet the pre-requisite/grade requirements for a course as stated in the Program of Studies may still schedule for those course/s, with parental permission via a Parent Responsibility Course Waiver form. These waivers are available online, or can be obtained through the Guidance Office.If students are interested in pursuing an education beyond high school, they should place an academic emphasis in English, mathematics, science, social studies, and world languages. It is also important that students begin to explore the educational institutions available at the post-secondary or vocational levels they are interested in. Students are exposed to and made aware of entrance requirements for post secondary educational opportunities through individual meetings and during the scheduling process with the WAHS Guidance Office.

Additionally, a parent conference may be requested and scheduled with an administrator, school counselor, or teacher to discuss a student’s academic opportunities, academic concerns, the selection process for scheduling classes or post-secondary opportunities available for WAHS students.

SCHOOL COUNSELORS:

Mrs. Gray
HS Counselor
gray@wasd.school

Ms. Powell
MS Counselor
powell@wasd.school

Mrs. Lewis
ES Counselor
lewis@wasd.school

Mrs. Telesz
Remediation Counselor
telesz@wasd.school

Forms

Job Opportunities

Resources

Scholarships

Scholarship for Trades and Careers schools: https://www.imagine-america.org/applyforscholarships/
The Coolidge Scholarship https://coolidgescholars.org/
Hoyt Scholarship: Hoyt Scholarship Application (pdf)
Sharp Scholarship: Sharp Scholarship Application (pdf)

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH SITES:

Community Foundation of Western PA – Scholarships open January 1

Fastweb.com

Pittsburgh Foundation

Scholarships.com

Bigfuture.collegeboard.org

JLV Scholarships

Finaid.org

Going Merry

CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY FOR UPDATED LIST OF SCHOLARSHIPS…

Students, especially seniors are encouraged to apply to many scholarships to help pay for post secondary education. Scholarships are free money that do not need to be paid back. There are several scholarships available through the local community and scholarship search sites. An updated list of scholarships can be found below. Check back frequently. Paper applications for these scholarships are also available in the school counseling office.