17 Prospect St | Vermillion, SD 57069
(605) 677-7000

Student Services

Overview

Vermillion High School Student Services Department

The VHS Counseling Office will use the Remind App to send out important reminders to VHS students and parents this year.

  • To receive messages via text, text @vhscounse to 81010.  
  • Or click on the following link: http://www.remind.com/join/vhscounse
  • (You can opt out of text messages at anytime by replying, ‘unsubscribe @vhscounse’)
Method Test Prep – Free online ACT Prep Program

You’ve signed up for the ACT.   A solid score can mean qualifying for the reduced tuition dual credit program, scholarships, and being accepted at your top choice school.  Instead of spending the time before the test searching for four-leaf clovers and other lucky charms, how about spending a little time on Method Test Prep?

Method Test Prep is a FREE online ACT Prep program available to all VHS students through their SD MyLife portal.   Students can access the self-paced program anywhere they have an internet connection.  Mrs. Larsen provided a short demo of the program to students and parents of the “What?” “Where?” and “How?” of Method Test Prep during Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Links to the presentation and to the Method Test Prep Student User Guide (for iPad) are located below:

ACT Prep Presentation            MTP Student User Guide for iPad

Federal Student Aid (FSA):

ATTENTION SENIORS:  – New FSA ID:  In May, the Department of Education implemented a new FSA ID to replace the FSA PIN as the login process for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  Seniors and their parents need to create a FSA ID and are encouraged to do it now.  It’s also important that students and parents create their own FSA ID as they will need them to sign and complete the FAFSA each year the student plans to apply for financial aid.  The following PDF walks through the steps for creating the new FSA ID needed to log into the FAFSA website. Creating FSA ID

FAFSA: Students attending college in 2018-2019 will be able to file a FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2018, rather than beginning on January 1, 2019. For more information, please visit:https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/fafsa-changes

ACT PREP CLASSES-

We are excited to announce that we have connected with a tutoring company to offer ACT Prep classes! This semesters dates are set and we have a great group of students ready to take it. If this is an area of interest for your child let the counseling office know for future times.

Graduation Requirements

Vermillion High School’s Graduation Requirements are designed to balance the rigor required for success in post-secondary pursuits with the flexibility of choice in courses that are aligned with a student’s career interests.  Toward that end, all students in the state of South Dakota are required to complete a plan for their high school career – or a “Personal Learning Plan” as a part of their graduation requirements.  This plan is a work in progress as students progress throughout their high school career.  VHS students create & update their Personal Learning Plan (PLP) through their SDMylife portfolio.  A hard copy of the graduation requirements and PLP may be accessed through the link below.
The following Course Information and Career Planning Guide helps students understand the course options available in each discipline at VHS.
I noticed in the graduation information something called “CTE” — What is CTE anyway? 
Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares students for a wide range of careers and further educational opportunities. These careers may require varying levels of education—including industry-recognized credentials, postsecondary certificates, and two- and four-year degrees.  Within CTE, occupations and career specialties are grouped into “Career Clusters.”  Each of the 16 clusters is based on a set of common knowledge and skills that prepare learners for a full range of opportunities.  CTE equips students with: 
  • core academic skills and the ability to apply those skills to concrete situations in order to function in the workplace and in routine daily activities
  • em­ployability skills (such as critical thinking and responsibility) that are essential in any career area
  • job-specific, technical skills related to a specific career pathway
Vermillion High School currently has approved CTE programs in the Career Clusters of: 
  • Architecture & Construction
  • Arts/AV
  • Business Management & Administration
  • Information Technology
  • Human Services
  • Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

VHS courses that fulfill the CTE option for graduation are noted in the course descriptions of the Course Information Guidebook.

For further information about CTE visit  South Dakota CTE Clusters and Programs of Study

Student Information

Senior Information

 

Junior Information

Sophomore Information

Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Seminar is the nation’s only program designed exclusively for high school sophomores.

HOBY’s purpose is to bring together a select group of high school sophomores who have demonstrated leadership ability so that they can interact with groups of distinguished leaders in business, government, education, and the professions to discuss present and future issues. These interactions occur during summer seminars which are three to four day weekend events. To learn more about HOBY, visit: www.HOBY.org

Current Scholarships

Scholarships/Scholarship Sites 

Updated: October 16, 2018

SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOLARSHIPS: 

  • http://www.studentscholarships.org
  • Builddakotascholarships.com
AMERICAN LEGION:
AVIATION SCHOLARSHIPS:   
COLLEGE STEPS PROGRAM: 

A program developed by Wells Fargo to help you plan for college.  Enroll at any time and receive electronic postcards with helpful college-planning information.  In random drawings seniors can receive a $1,000 college tuition prize.

                   
DISCOVER PRIVATE COLLEGES:
By logging into the discover colleges web site for free information about private colleges, you will be automatically entered into the $2,500 drawing.
FAFSA (FEDERAL STU AID)
  • www.fafsa.gov

FASTWEB – http://www.fastweb.com

 www.smartscholar.com
www.studentscholarships.org
HARVARD UNIVERSITY :

Harvard announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition.  If your family earning is less than $60,000 a year and you are an honor student, you can go to Harvard for free-no tuition and no student loans.

MITCHELL TECH:
Three scholarships to check out: STAR SCHOLARS, MTI LEGACY , and AG EDGE CREDIT; log on for more information.
WILL TO WIN-ASTHMA:

Outstanding senior, disciplined, determined, and successful in managing their asthma; 2  $5,000 scholarships in each of these areas: performing arts (dance, music, theatre), Visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film), community service, athletics, Science. 

  • www.willtowinscholarship.com
YANKTON COLLEGE:

$1,000 scholarships to students that have a Yankton College connection.

Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation: 
Raise.Me:
  • Go to their Website,
  • create a profile and fill it in to earn money toward college!!
  • Great to start in 9th grade!!!!!!

Hyvee:

$1000  scholarships to qualified students. Program guidelines and application forms are available at www.hy-vee.com Deadline: Applications must be postmarked on or before February 8, 2019

Questions contact: Hy-VeeUniversity@hy-vee.com

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc:

Apply online  at scholars.horatioalger.org  Deadline: October 25, 2018

Any questions see Mrs. Kirsch in Counseling Office.

Voice of Democracy-

Patriotic Audio Essay Competition Top Scholarship $30,000– Application forms can be picked up in the Counseling Office.  Deadline: October 31, 2018 

Prudential Spirit of Community Award:  

Students grades 9-12 who have volunteered over the past year are encouraged to apply. Qualified     certified applicants will receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award, and will become eligible to win $1000 or more, a medallion, and an all-expense paid trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C.

TO APPLY GO TO: spirit.prudential.com or nassp.org/spirit   – Deadline: November 6, 2018.

South Dakota State DAR Scholarship for Military Descendants:

The South Dakota State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution offers a $500 scholarship to direct descendants of United States Military Veterans. Applications are in the counseling office.   Deadline: February 15, 2018.

Snow Queen Contest and Scholarship Program
  • Who? Freshman and Senior Girls
  • For more information and an application stop in the Counseling Office.
  • Deadline: November 9, 2018
ELKS SCHOLARSHIPS:

There are four opportunities available for students.

  1. ANY high school senior who is a U.S. citizen may apply for the Most Valuable Student Scholarships. Applications must be submitted online at enf.elks.org/mvs by November 15, 2018.
  2. For the children or grandchildren of dues-paying Elks, they can apply for the The Elks National Foundation Legacy Awards. The application must be submitted online by at elks.org/scholars/scholarships/Legacy.cfm by February 1, 2019.
  3. The South Dakota Elks Association Vocational Grant is for students who will be enrolled in a Post Secondary Vocational/Technical School program. The paper applications must be submitted to the Yankton Elks Lodge, 504 W 27th Street, by November 15, 2018. They must be received by the Lodge prior to the deadline, not postmarked.
  4. Emergency Educational Grants are also available to children of deceased or totally disabled Elks members. For more details on the Educational Grant program, please visit, elks.org/scholars/scholarships/Eefgrants.cfm

If you have questions, contact the local scholarship chairman, Steven Pietila, at 605-760-4916.

Applications are in the counseling office.

Tests

Tests

College Admission Tests

Most colleges and universities require either the ACT or the SAT for college admission.  Check the website of the school(s) you are considering to determine which test to register for.  Both tests now utilize an online registration process.  Register for the ACT at http://www.actstudent.org. Register for the SAT at https://student.collegeboard.org/.  The ACT writing test and SAT sub tests require additional fees, and may be required by certain post secondary institutions.

Test preparation resources:

ACT:

Registration information is available in the guidance office — must register online at www.actstudent.org.  The ACT test is given at VHS.

Test Date

September 8,2018

 Registration Deadline

August 10, 2018

 Late Registration Period/Late Fee

August 26, 2018

 Photo Upload Deadline

 

August 31,2018

 
October 27, 2018 September 28, 2018 October 14, 2018 October 19, 2018
December 8, 2018 November 2, 2018 November 19, 2018 November 30, 2018
February 9, 2019 January 11, 2019 January 18, 2019 February 1, 2019
April 13, 2019 March 8, 2019 March 25, 2019 April 5, 2019
June 8, 2019 May 3, 2019      May 20, 2018      May 31, 2019
July 13, 2019 June 14, 2019     June 24, 2019      July 5, 2019

Test Fees: ACT  $50.50  ACT WITH WRITING  $67.00            

Vermillion’s High School code is:  421-315

Vermillion’s Test Center code is:  197-480.

SAT:

SAT TEST Schedule – Registration information is available in the Counseling office – must register online at http://www.collegeboard.com/.

Vermillion’s High School code is:  421-315

 

Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test:

Sign up in the Counseling Office; cost is $15.00 (cost subject to change)

 

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB): 

The ASVAB is the most widely used multiple aptitude test battery in the world, developed and maintained by the Department of Defense. Students are provided with scores on eight individual academic tests and three Career Exploration Score composites: Verbal Skills, Math Skills, and Science and Technical Skills. The battery takes approximately three hours to complete and test results are returned to schools in about two weeks. For more information on the ASVAB test, go to the Today’s Military website.

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