Week 5!!! 09/21/2011
 
We are now in week 5 of the school year and the Senior Counselors are calling out all 12th graders to meet with them one-on-one.  If you are a Senior be sure to have all your questions ready when you meet with your counselor.  By now, you should have an idea of which college/univerisites or trade schools you want to apply for next fall.  If you need help with your serach, visit the link on this website, College Search!  If you are planning on applying for a UC/CSU or private university, be sure to sign up for the ACT or SAT, which are both offered here at DMHS.  Counselors also have fee waivers for these tests.  Don't forget that 11/8 is the last chance to register for the December SAT or ACT.  All of your tests should be done December of your Senior year.   

We are also very excited to announce that the College Voc/Tech night will be Oct. 12 from 6-8:30 at the Indio Fairground, Fullenwider Auditorium.  All students and families are encouraged to attend.  There will be a ton of college, military, tech/trade and vocational reps avaialbe for you to meet and get information.  This is a great way for you to get a head start on planning your future!!!  See you there!
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Welcome Back!!! 09/06/2011
 
The Counseling department would like to welcome all students and staff back to campus!  It is an exciting time for us as we manage to try and get every student into the classes they need.  We have been working since the last part of the school year to try and make this the best schedule ever.  We are now in our 3rd week of school and the focus has shifted from fixing schedules to now reviewing grades and status reports on all our students.  We will then transition to meeting with all the senior students one-on-one, with the hopes to help guide them into the busy year to come, and also get them ready for what is to come after high school. 

Another exciting thing happened in the counseling office this year.  We switched to grade level counseling!  Counselors are now assigned a grade level.  The change brings on the hope that we can do more for students in grade 9-11.  The counselors in these grade groups will try and work with them closely to help prepare for graduation and beyond.
 
We also have Back to School Night and Parent Teacher Conference coming up on September 21 from 5-7.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to meet your teachers, counselors, and administrators!

Finally, as we begin this school year we would like to set the intention of this year to be about student success.  We feel we have the best students in the world attending DMHS, and we want great things for all of you.  Work hard, get involved, and always do the right thing - all apects we feel will make this a very successful year!   

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September came and left before we could even catch our breath!  October went even faster...  Seniors and their parents received their naughty or nice Graduation Evaluation  by mid October.  College Voc/Tech Night, the PSAT and Mt. St. Mary's presentation all happened on the same day on October 14th but we managed to survive.  La Verne, CSU San Bernardino, Azusa Pacific, and CSU Long Beach already visited our school and provided wonderful presentations.   All seniors who meet the A-G requirements were invited to apply online to the CSU campuses on October 20-21 and to apply to the UC campuses on November 3-4.  Honor Roll was also a success with over 400 students being recognized for their hard work and efforts.  The Counseling Calendar is full of future services and activities we will be providing to our Rams...  Wow just writing about all this is getting me tired!  Have a restful and safe Veteran's Day everyone!!!
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Lets Catch Up... 03/03/2009
 

On 12/09/08 the counseling department took 11 Seniors to the UCR Palm Desert campus for a workshop on a new local scholarship program.  This program is targeting local college-going students.  In addition to the student workshop, the Pathways to Success Scholarship was officially launched. 

On 12/11/08 Academic Awards Night was hosted by the DMHS Counseling Department.  We recognized 133 students who obtained a total G.P.A. of 3.5 or higher in at least three “A-G” university approved courses during the 2007-2008 school year.  Qualified students received a certificate and an academic letter or medal.  Congratulations to the students who earned this honor.

12/16/08 Beatrice Salcido from SBB College gave a presentation to our students at our DREAM Center.  Miss Salcido covered some of the services that SBB offers such as career counseling, admissions assistance, and financial aid.  She emphasized to our students that in today’s competitive job market it is important to have specialized training which will give our students the extra edge.

12/18/08 A Senior Assembly emphasizing the FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid was given by the counselors.  Students received handouts that included a list of documents needed to fill out the FAFSA along with a Student Handbook called Fund Your Future.  Students saw a 15 minute video:  A guide to filling out the FAFSA which was followed by counselor presentations and questions and answers time. 

1/7/09-1/9/09 All Seniors were given the opportunity to apply for the FAFSA Online in the Computer Lab.  We had a great number of students start their FAFSA Applications!! 

1/13/09 Counselors hosted the Parent FAFSA Night to help parents understand the Financial Aid Process.  Gloria Hernandez, a Financial Aid Specialist, from College of the Desert presented to our parents and students.  About 75 parents and students attended this evening workshop, and had many of their questions and concerns addressed.

1/14/09 ASVAB Interpretation was given to over 226 Juniors!  Students got their ASVAB scores back and filled out an Interest Inventory to further assist them in career planning.

2/5/09 Pathways 2 Success Presentation

2/6/09 UTI Fieldtrip:  This is our 3rd year visiting UTI and the 36 students who attended were very impressed by the facility.  We've already had 5 students complete their training and are now working in the automobile industry.  Thank you UTI for giving our students the opportunity to visit your campus and for all of your services!  Special Shout Out to Andy Radler our representative from UTI! 

2/9/09 Darius Riggins from CSUSB did a Follow-UP presentation for 52 of our students who were accepted to CSUSB.  Our students who are planning to attend a university have many concerns and worries which Mr. Riggins was able to address.

2/10/09 COSMOS  is a four-week residential program for talented and motivated students completing grades eight through twelve. Students work side-by-side with outstanding university researchers and faculty exploring advanced topics that extend beyond the typical high school curriculum. COSMOS courses are hands-on and lab intensive emphasizing current research underway at the University of California.  Melina Duarte, COSMOS Representative, gave a presentation to 35 of our students who are possible candidates for this wonderful program.


2/18/09-2/20/09 The PSAT Interpretation was offered to all the students who took the PSAT this school year!


2/23/09-2/27/09 FAFSA TIME CRUNCH!!!  Counselors made sure to be available at least 1 period per day during this week in the computer lab to ensure that students filled out their FAFSAs.  We were also available during lunch time to help students make corrections to the FAFSA or to submit it.

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Today we had Andrew Caddo with the Art Institute visit DMHS.  He had a wonderful presentation on the various programs The Art Institute has to offer.  From Culinary Arts, Fashion Design, to Graphic Design; there was information for any student interested in these career fields.  There were 117 students who attended the presentation, ranging from 9-12th grade.  Caddo also spoke about the different scholarship opportunities that The Art Institute offers.  Representatives will be available in February at the Fantasy Spring Casino to help students and parents get more information and enroll students for next year.  Mr. Caddo will also be conducting classroom presentations in Mrs. Bliss’s art classes for more in-depth info on careers available through the Art Institute. 

 

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Yesterday the GEAR UP program had a SUPER TREAT for the sophomore class of 2011...for those who obtained their parent's permission they were able to see the movie Freedom Writers and hear from one of the Freedom Writers in person.  Mauricio Antonio Becerra who works with Erin Gruwell from the Freedom Writers Foundation and who was characterized in the movie spoke to our students in the theatre before the movie was showed.  He did classroom presentations where he encouraged and motivated our students to stay in school and further their education even when life gets tough.  Mauricio shared some of his personal experiences during his high school years and students had the opportunity to ask questions and advice from him.  All sophomores received a free copy of the book Freedom Writers Diary and there was a book signing at lunch time.

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Freshmen and Sophomores we hope you enjoyed your assemblies as much as we enjoyed preparing and presenting them to you.  We want to encourage you to do your best in school and to plan for your future...life after high school.  Remember you all have the potential to achieve your dreams if you really want them.  Don't forget our main message...Don't Drop Out, Stay In School!!!! 

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The Ram Counselors along with Mr. Peter Alvarez from Catch The Dream Program have been super busy Bees this week!  Here are some of the events that we set up for you this week:

11/14/08 CSU Long Beach Presentation (50 students participated)

11/17/08 CSU San Bernardino Presentation (48 students participated)

11/18/08 UC Riverside and Cal Baptist Fieldtrip

11/19/08 Chico State Parent Presentation (Evening)

11/20/08 St. Mary's University Fieldtrip

11/17-11/21 Counselors Available for University Online Applications             (at the Career Center on rotating periods)

 

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Andy Radler, a representative from Universal Technical Institute (UTI), came to visit DMHS on November 12th.  He gave an informative presentation to our students and emphasized the importance of advancing your education after high school.  He informed our students about UTI and their specialized training and certified programs in automotive/diesel technology, collision repair and refinish technology.  Many former DMHS students who have attended UTI have come back to the Coachella Valley and have been hired at high end dealerships and automotive repair shops.  We had a little over 200 students attend this workshop!

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Congratulations to Jannell Garcia, Class of 2008, for winning a Full Scholarship from Burrtec Waste and Recycling Services which will cover all her college expenses for the next 4 years.  In addition to the monetary aid, Jannell will be doing an internship with them and has a guaranteed part-time job and summer job with them.  Jannell was selected for this scholarship based on an essay she turned in and after being interviewed by Burrtec representatives.  Mrs. Alicia Garcia, our school's registrar and Mr. John Garcia who also works at CVUSD are the proud parents of Jannell.  Special thanks to the Burrtec Company for believing in our students and making their college dreams a reality. 

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