Monday, March 2, 2020

Student Opportunities

Scholarship Links for Seniors:

Going Merry - College Scholarship - Website

Charlotte Knights STEM & Healthcare Scholarships - Applications

Horatio Alger National Career & Technical Scholarship Program - Application

Assistance League of Charlotte Scholarships - Application

DeMayo Law Offices Scholarship - Application

Crown Jewels Chapter of Charlotte Scholarship for African American Students - The Crown Jewels Scholarship Application & The Crown Jewels - Excel Village HBCU STEM-FAB(c) Scholarship Application

Summer Experiences: 

Novant Health & Charlotte Orthopedic: Junior Volunteer Summer Program - Application

Montreat College Compass Summer Experience - Information & Registration

NC State Wilson College Summer Textile Exploration Program - Application

Samford University Summer Programs - Information & Registration

Virginia Tech's Black College Institute 2020 (FREE residential, academic leadership program) - Information & Application

Enterprise Leadership Challenge (FREE) - Information & Application










Friday, December 6, 2019

Summer Opportunity


COMPASS is a week-long summer immersion program for current 8th through 12th-grade students who would like to explore an academic field of interest with college-level instructors and get a taste of the college experience.

Students have two opportunities to attend COMPASS in 2020, June 21-26 and June 28-July 3!

They invite all interested students to register before Dec. 31 to receive the early-bird rate of $595 -- a $200 discount off regular pricing!


Friday, November 22, 2019

Summer Opportunity & Scholarship Information

Summer Opportunity

Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy is offering Bulldog Pharmacy Camp the week of June 21 to 26, 2020 for high school students that are interested in investigating a career as a pharmacist.  We would like to invite you to participate in Bulldog Pharmacy Camp.  During the week of pharmacy camp, you will experience hands-on learning about health careers in pharmacy, participate in tours of local health care facilities and local pharmacies, participate in compounding activities and hands-on demonstrations in the College of Health Sciences Learning and Simulation Laboratories. Students who attend the camp will have the unique opportunity to spend time on the Samford campus and experience campus life, spend time with pharmacy professors, and have a lot of time to interact with other students also interested in careers in pharmacy. 

The camp is open to rising high school juniors, seniors and entering college freshmen. Selection for the camp is based on high school academic performance and your interest in the professions of pharmacy.   Attached is a flyer that will provide you with important information regarding this exciting opportunity. 

Information about the camp and the camp application can be found at https://www.samford.edu/pharmacy/bulldog-pharmacy-camp.  If you have not taken the ACT or SAT, you will need me to send an email to pharmacycamp@samford.edu stating that you are applying for camp and have not taken the test yet. 

Space is limited so please apply early.  The application deadline is February 1, 2020. If you have any questions, please call 205-726-2008 or email pharmacycamp@samford.edu.

New Scholarship Information

The Assistance League of Charlotte will be moving its scholarship application online this year.  They plan to have it available on their website by February 1st. The qualifications are the same as year's past and are noted below. The application checklist is also included, so you know what will be expected.  
The following criteria must be met to be eligible for the scholarship:
  • Be a graduating senior from a high school in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and a U.S. citizen
  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 weighted
  • Score a minimum combined total of 1100 on SAT math and reading/writing OR minimum 21 on ACT
  • Enroll as a full-time student for the fall and following spring semesters at one of the 16 campuses of
    The University of North Carolina (See attached list)
  • Disclose all financial sources for your college education; this scholarship is based, in part, on financial need
  • If selected as a finalist, complete an interview with the Assistance League of Charlotte Scholarship Committee
Application Checklist
Signed Statement of Intent to Enroll in The University of North Carolina System, Page 5 (wet signature required, print and sign)
  • Official transcript including your senior year 1st-semester grades
  • SAT or ACT scores (or both)  
  • Copy of your parent’s/legal guardian’s 2019 Federal tax form (Please only send form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ)
    • Note: You must be listed on the tax return submitted. (Do not send W-2’s or 1099’s or entire tax return). If 2019 tax return is not available, please submit 2018 tax return.
  • A resume that includes community service, clubs, activities, awards, work history, etc. (up to two-pages)
  • one-page, double-spaced, typed essay about why you are the best candidate for this scholarship
  • A signed letter of recommendation on school letterhead from your high school counselor/instructor
  • A signed letter of recommendation from a non-family member outside of your school



Friday, November 1, 2019

Reminders & Opportunities

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Sophomores, you will take the PreACT on Wednesday, 11/13 which is a half-day.

Juniors & Junior Parents, be sure to complete the Junior Questionnaire on Naviance. Your parents should also complete the Junior Parent Questionnaire. These can be found by clicking on "My Surveys" under the "About Me" tab. Both questionnaires must be completed one week before your scheduled Junior Family Meeting or the meeting will be rescheduled. Completing it sooner will help us greatly. One or both parents should attend the meeting with the student. Parents may sign up for a meeting time hereIf you cannot make your scheduled meeting time, please email or call ahead of time to let us know. We tried to provide time slots at the beginning and end of each available day to help with parent work schedules. 

Seniors, if we have submitted your requested transcripts, please allow two to three weeks for them to be processed. Colleges & universities are extremely busy during application season. This means that your college portals are not updated immediately. If you are concerned that your transcripts were not received by the college or university, please contact their admissions office first before reaching out to us. 

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:

 1. The Perry Outreach Program will be on Saturday, January 11, 2020, at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. The Perry Outreach Program is a free, one-day, hands-on experience for high school women who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine and engineering. Students will hear from women leaders in these fields and try it for themselves by performing mock orthopaedic surgeries and biomechanics experiments. 

They are now seeking applicants for our Charlotte, NC program. Participants should be women in grades 10 and up with an expressed interest in science, medicine and/or engineering.  You must fill out their online application in advance of the December 11, 2019, application deadline


Additional information can be found their our website: www.perryinitiative.org

The application may be accessed directly using the following link: http://perryinitiative.org/programs/student-online-application/.

2. The Free Enterprise Leadership Challenge is the flagship program of the Jesse Helms Center Foundation, a non-profit, education museum, and archive located in Wingate, North Carolina. Some Hickory Grove alumni have attended this Leadership Challenge and have great things to say about their experience. This program is an affordable summer option for rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors who would like to improve their leadership skills. Registration begins on January 1, 2020.

Friday, January 25, 2019

Upcoming Events & Summer Opportunities

*USA Gap Year Fair - February 10th at Providence Day School, 2:00-4:00 PM

- Register now at the following link: USA Gap Year Fairs.

*Charlotte National College Fair - - Sunday, March 17, 2019

- Find out more here.   

*Job Fair at HG Christian - Tentatively scheduled for Thursday, 2/28 during the lunch hour. 

*Spring Guidance Night April 9th

- High school students and parents are encouraged to attend.

- Please put this date on your calendar as we will have sessions about paying for college and pursuing athletics in college. There will also be some college representatives available to speak to students and parents.

*Summer Opportunities for Learning & Enrichment

- Visit the following links to learn about numerous programs scheduled during the upcoming summer for students who wish to increase their knowledge and participate in experiences related to a field of interest. Some of these are free while others are quite expensive. Financial assistance may be available so be sure to check them out to see if they are a good fit for your student.

U of SC Carolina Master Scholars Adventure Series 2019 - Click here to learn more.

Compass Summer Experience Montreat College - Click here to learn more.

Leadership Initiatives - Click here to learn more.

Meredith College Programs - Click here to learn more.

VA Tech Black College Institute - Click here to learn more.

VA Tech Hispanic College Institute - Click here to learn more.

NC State Native Education Forum - Click here to learn more.

NC State Emerging Scholars Academy - Click here to learn more.

NC State Caminos - Click here to learn more.

NC State Textiles Summer Programs - Click here to learn more.

UNC Project Uplist & Uplist PLUS - Click here to learn more.

North Carolina Renaissance (NCR) - Click here to learn more.

2019 Summer Pre-College Programs w/ Financial Aid - Click here to learn more.

Design Camp @ NC State (for middle & high school) - Click here to learn more.

Duke Summer Session  - Click here to learn more.

National Residential High School Summer Programs - Click here to go to a listing of programs. Individual links with more information are found there.

Bank of America Student Leaders Program - Click here to learn more.

The United States Naval Academy Summer Session - Click here to learn more.

EGIA Foundation Scholarship Program (career in HVAC) - Click here to learn more.

*College Fly-in Diversity Programs: Please click here to learn more about opportunities for students of color.

*Scholarships: As you are accepted to colleges/universities, be sure to check their scholarship portal for school-specific scholarships.

List of Top Scholarships - Click here to learn more.

Englander Peebles Scholarship Essay & Video Competition - Click here to learn more.

EGIA Foundation Scholarship Program (career in HVAC) - Click here to learn more.

Younce, Vtipil & Baznik 2019 Scholarship Contest - Click here to learn more.

Sarah Scott Schofield Scholarship - Click here to learn more.

Flavorful Futures Contest - Click here to learn more.

Brady Cobin Law Group Scholarship - Click here to learn more.


Friday, December 7, 2018

A New Adventure

Greetings parents & students!

I have been in my new position as the high school guidance counselor for a little over four months now. I can say without a doubt that I feel truly blessed to serve in this capacity. God's timing is perfect and I know He has placed me here for a reason. Having been a teacher at here for twelve years, it is rewarding to now be with some of the very same students I taught as they navigate their high school years. Being in this position allows me to see the full picture of what we do to invest in the lives of our students here at Hickory Grove. Thank you for your words of encouragement and your belief in me as I learn and grow as a counselor.

I will be updating this blog often with information related to academics and guidance. Students can check here for important dates and deadlines and discover exciting opportunities to increase their learning through summer programs, community involvement, and other educational events outside of the normal school setting. Please feel free to contact me throughout the year as questions related to guidance come to mind. Dr. Similton and I will do all we can do to point you in the right direction.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Upcoming Opportunities:


*USA Gap Year Fair, Charlotte, NC, February 10th, 1:00 - 4:00 PM - Registration is now open.

*Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy is offering a one-week Pharmacy Camp this summer for high school students that are interested in investigating a career as a pharmacist. The application deadline is February 1, 2019. 

*Duke Summer Session - Applications are due by April 15th.

*Bank of America Student Leaders Program - Application is open November 11th through February 1st.


Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Charlotte College Fair | March 18 | 12-4pm

Parents and Students,

On March 18, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will be providing a free College Fair for high school students in Charlotte. This will be a great opportunity for you and your high school student(s) to attend, gather information about colleges he or she may be interested in attending, ask questions of the admissions representatives at those colleges, and learn more about the college admissions process. With about 200 colleges in attendance, this event is sure to give you a wide range of colleges from which to draw information!

This event is being held at The Park Expo and Conference Center on Sunday, March 18, from 12-4pm. You can learn more about the event, from where to park to which colleges will be attending, by visiting their website: https://www.nacacfairs.org/charlotte.

This Spring is also a great time - especially for our Juniors - to continue the college planning process. I am available to meet with you and your students to help in this process! Please contact Michele Wilson in the High School Office to set up an appointment.

Sincerely,

Greg Lineberger, M.Ed.
High School Counselor