West Shore School News is a presentation of West Shore Educational Service District in partnership with Mason County Press and Oceana County Press.
CUSTER — Michigan College Access Network recently recognized Mason County Eastern High School’s senior class as “champions” for having a college application completion rate of 80 percent or higher by the end of October 2024.
Just over 50 schools out of nearly 300 were able to meet this standard, measured as part of MCAN’s College Bound Michigan Initiative. MCAN Executive Director Ryan Fewins-Bliss explained that high college application rates make a difference, stating, “Students deserve to have options for their post-secondary paths. I’m so proud of our Michigan College Month champion sites for their commitment to developing and strengthening a college-going culture.”
After learning about the recognition, MCE Superintendent Paul Shoup highlighted the work of staff members, Shelly Rife, counselor at MCE, and Emily Merten, post-secondary advisor, a new role funded by the Promise Zone.
“(They) have worked with students to help them determine their post-secondary plan and have assisted students in completing applications and FAFSA,” said Shoup.
MCE’s superintendent also praised the senior class, stating that “This is a highly motivated group of students who value their academics and have post-secondary plans, which they want to achieve.”
Merten, who has been in the advisor role since the beginning of the school year, explained that for MCE’s seniors, “realizing all the doors that would open to them once they obtained a degree” – and “degree affordability” from using the Promise at WSCC motivated seniors to apply for college.
Merten added that her role working with seniors “has been rewarding in more ways than one,” expressing that the “biggest reward is helping them complete the necessary steps to achieve their goals and dreams and seeing their success after high school.”
An application is a first step, but students need additional support from schools and families to stay on track, she said. “Once a senior has applied to college, they need to complete their FAFSA. The FAFSA is a great opportunity for parents to support their students, as there is a part of the form the parent must fill out.”
MCE values supporting students with post-secondary planning. “MCE has built a culture where every student needs to have post-secondary plans. Jobs and careers are continually changing,” Shoup said. “More and more careers require post-secondary training to be successful.”
MCAN’s executive director emphasized that schools that promote post-secondary aspirations for a certification or degree, “are going above and beyond to help Michigan students pursue their dreams and help achieve our statewide college attainment goal of ‘Sixty by 30,'” which is increasing the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree from 51.8 percent today to 60 percent by 2030.
For more information on the statewide champions, visit MiCollegeAccess.org, and for local college access information, visit MasonCountyCAN.org or MasonCountyPromise.org.
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