Speaker will address college, career

In recent years, there has been more and more of a push toward college and career readiness — making sure students leave high school prepared for higher education or the workforce.

A guest speaker coming to Jay County is part of the effort to advance that agenda.

Brad Barry, liaison for Indiana University’s Making College Connections program, will speak at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the auditorium at JCHS in conjunction with parent-teacher conferences scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. the same night.

JCHS is one of the schools that agreed to pilot Making College Connections through IU.

Barry, IU’s assistant director of recruitment and outreach for 19 counties include Jay, Blackford and Randolph, will discuss a variety of issues related to post-secondary life, said Jay County counselor Chelsea Guggenbiller. Those will include the use of Link College Board and Khan Academy as a preparation tool for the SAT and ACT, study skills, workforce readiness and what two- and four-year colleges are looking for in applicants.

It’s not a new message, but one Guggenbiller said is worth repeating.

“I think they hear it from us, they hear it from teachers, parents,” she said. “I think having a representative come and just reiterate what we always tell them, walk them through things …”

Barry worked first as a laborer and then as a carpenter’s assistant while studying public financial management at IU. He took his current position in spring of last year.

Tuesday’s forum, which is targeted at high school sophomores and juniors as well as their parents, is the first step of the Making College Connections process. If students have a path their interested in exploring, they and their parents can make appointments with JCHS counselors to discuss their options further. And down the road, Barry will serve as a liaison to help local students get where they want to go.

“We don’t always get parent interaction,” said Guggenbiller. “We meet with the kids more. This gives parents the chance to come and all of us counselors to be there as well.

“If a kid is interested in this field or this college, how can we help them get there? He’ll be able to help us make the connections with different colleges or workplaces.”