Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District

Excellent and Proud of It!

Mrs. Teresa Wilhelm-Cook, School Counselor

Mrs. Cook 
Welcome to the School Counseling department of Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District.
I am the School Counselor for Pre-K through 12th grade. I have been employed at Turkeyfoot since 2001. I began as the Music Teacher/Music Director. I graduated from Frostburg State in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education.  In 2008, I again graduated from Frostburg State University with a Master of Science Degree in Education in School Counseling. 
At that time I became the Elementary School Counselor, in addition to my duties as the Music Teacher/Music Director. 
In 2014, I took over the duties as the School Counselor for the entire School District.
I live in Meyersdale, where I grew up,  with my husband and family.  I have two grown children, and three grandchildren.
I love the atmosphere of the small school here at Turkeyfoot.  It is like that of a family.
I want the best for all the students and strive to make that happen to the best of my ability.
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• Participants should be high school seniors planning to pursue a post-secondary education.
• Please submit a one (1) page essay of no more than 500 words (single spaced, double spaced between paragraphs) on a School Counselor who has made a difference in your academic, career and/or social-emotional development.
• The School Counselor you are writing about must be a certified School Counselor, employed as such in Pennsylvania.
• ALL Essays must be submitted electronically.

Students can apply FREE to PennWest University – California – Clarion - Edinboro in February

We are making it easy for your seniors and transfer students to apply to PennWest University during the month of February by waiving all application fees. Please let your students know that they can apply through PennWest.edu/apply or CommonApp.org free of charge through Feb. 28^th.

UPCOMING VISITS

Each PennWest campus – California, Clarion and Edinboro – is hosting Pick PennWest events (Admitted Student Days) this spring. Encourage your admitted students to join us for the day to meet faculty, spend time with current students, and learn more about enrolling at PennWest.

Each of our campuses will be hosting Pick PennWest days on the following dates:

·         Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023

·         Saturday, March 25, 2023

·         Monday, April 10, 2023 (will be added as an option after the Feb. 25^th event)

·         Students can register to attend at www.PennWest.edu/pickpennwest

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The Problem 1 out of 3 college students end up spending time and money on remedial math courses that don’t count toward their degrees because they lack sufficient math skills. ‌  The Solution Taking precalculus increases a student's likelihood of completing a bachelor's degree more than other advanced math courses in high school.

Can earn college credit and/or advanced placement, stand out to colleges, and often get high school GPA bonus points—powerful incentives to take AP and four years of math. Get more time with their teacher—140 hours compared to just 48 in a college precalculus course. Have access to digital learning and practice resources, including AP Daily videos—short on-demand videos that support what they're learning in class.

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Dear High School Students, Family Members, and School Counselors,

We are pleased to announce that representatives for the United States Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy will be hosting two Military Service Academy Nights for students interested in attending one of our nation’s Service Academies. The programs will include presentations from Academy Liaison Officers and a detailed explanation of the Congressional nomination process. Service Academy Liaisons will also be available to answer questions from Academy Night attendees. As students begin to consider and work towards the possibility of attending an academy, these events are intended to assist in their overall preparedness. This years’ Service Academy Nights will take place on: 1. WHEN: Thursday, March 2, 2023, beginning at 6:00 PM. WHERE: Somerset Area Jr-Sr High School, 645 S. Columbia Avenue, Somerset, PA 15501 (Sr. High Auditorium).
 DID YOU KNOW: Over the years thousands of students and parents from across Pennsylvania have attended these Military Service Academy events and benefited from the information provided. The demand for this information is high due in part to the competitive nature of the nomination and appointment process. Nominations to the Service Academies are made by the President, Vice President, or a Member of Congress. There are five Service Academies: The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), The United States Naval Academy (USNA), The United States Military Academy (USMA), The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), and The United States Coast Guard Academy (USGA). Nominations are required for all but The U.S. Coast Guard Academy, to which appointments are made based on an annual nationwide competition. The desire of these young men and women of Pennsylvania to serve our nation is truly admirable, and we hope that this event provides them the information and tools they need to be successful applicants to our Service Academies. We hope you can join us on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at 6:00 - 8:00PM in Somerset.

Sincerely, BG Robert “Hank” Sembower Jr. (R-PA) PA Co-coordinator - USMA West Point Field Force Email: [email protected] Bruce Apgar CDR USN (RET) Senior Naval Science Instructor  BG William D. Colvin (R-PA) PA Co-coordinator USMA West Point Field Force Email: [email protected] Charles “Chuck” Schrankel Deputy, Western PA - USMA West Point Field Force Email: [email protected] 

Additional Information: The following summer programs offer excellent opportunities for high school students to immerse themselves into the academic, military, and social life of a West Point cadet or Naval midshipman. These programs give you a taste of the character, determination, commitment to excellence, and leadership required to be a cadet or midshipman. 1. USMA – West Point, Summer Leadership Experience (SLE). Application window opens February 1, 2023. Two sessions: Session 1: June 3-9, 2023, and Session 2: June 10-16, 2023. 2. US Naval Academy Summer Seminar Program – Application window opened January 4, 2023. Three sessions: Session 1: June 3-8, 2023, Session 2: June 10-15, 2023, and Session 3: June 18-23. The following leadership, civic, and business-oriented programs provide high school students opportunities to participate in group activities while also expanding their individual skillsets needed to advance and excel in their careers. 3. Keystone Boys State (KBS) – will be held at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, PA from Sunday, June 18 to Saturday, June 24, 2023. 4. Keystone Girls State (KGS) – will be held at will be held at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, PA from June 18, 2023, through June 23, 2023. 5. Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) – will be held at Lycoming College, PA and Pennsylvania College of Technology both located in Williamsport, PA. Event dates are: a. Week 1 – July 2 - 7, 2023 b. Week 2 – July 9 - 14, 2023 c. Week 3 – July 23 - 28, 2023 d. Week 4 - July 30 - August 4

Below are the upcoming PHEAA February webinars.  Please share as you see fit and/or join us.  This month’s topics can be useful to any age or stage a family may be in when considering higher education.  We look forward to ‘seeing’ you!

Advanced Planning for Financing Higher Education    Tuesday 2/7/23 @ Noon;   Tuesday 2/21/23 @ 6:30pm

The thought of Higher Education costs can be overwhelming; however, planning and identifying what you can do to help lessen those costs is an important step.  It’s never too early or too late to start understanding what those costs are and what is available to help maintain, plan and help you make affordable decisions.  Join Dan Wray and Linda Pacewicz of PHEAA’s PA Forward Private Student Loan Program in a one-hour webinar to begin that process and become prepared.

Searching for Scholarships and Affording the Balance  Thursday 2/9/23 @ Noon;  Thursday 2/23/23 @ 6:30pm

There are many ways to pay for education, and one important step is to search and apply for Scholarships. More free money equals less borrowing.  This presentation will review the types of options available, along with tips on applying.  It will also offer samples of fun scholarship options to get you started.  We’ll then review what to do about the balances that might be left over in order to make affordable higher education decisions.  Join Linda Pacewicz and Daniel Wray from Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA ) for an hour of detailed information on this topic.

Register here

https://www.pheaa.org/virtual

Information for College Financial Planning:
Saving for Your Child’s Education: 529 College Savings Plans - https://www.moneygeek.com/financial-planning/paying-for-college/choosing-529-plans/________

***Attention 2023 Seniors

***SAT Practice sites
satpractice.org
sat.org/practice tests (for printing paper practice tests)

***Scholarships you can control!!!

******Check out Raise.me a site where you input your information (grades & activities) and you can earn money towards your education.  Check out what colleges are participating.

******Also go to cb.org/opportunity to look at information on their College Board Opportunity Scholarships
Build your college list $500
Practice for the SAT $1000
Improve your score $2000
Strengthen your college list $500
Complete the FAFSA $1000
Apply to colleges $1000
Complete all SIX actions $40000

PLEASE CLICK ON THE USEFUL LINKS ON THE LEFT TO FIND COLLEGE PLANNING, FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP LINKS!!

ALSO CLICK ON THE CALENDAR LINK TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT EACH MONTH!