Leo Jr/Sr High School

Senior Newsletter

March 2010

- Important Dates - March 9 – 11: ISTEP Re-Testing (Spring GQE)

Wednesday (3/10): FAFSA deadline!!!

Wednesday (3/17): Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Friday (3/26): 2010 Class Tourney

Tuesday (3/30): Cap/Gown Pick-Up – Auditeria

Thursday (4/1): April Fool’s Day

Friday (4/2): No School – Good Friday

Sunday (4/4): Happy Easter!

April 5 – 9: Spring Break – Enjoy your week off!

Wednesday (4/21): Senior Breakfast/Awards Program

Thursday (4/22): Senior Panoramic Picture @ football field

Always walk through life as if you have something new to

learn and you will. ~Vernon Howard

Graduation practice will be on Friday, June 11, 2010 at 8:00 a.m.

Students are asked to arrive at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum by

7:00 a.m. Practice should end by 10:00 a.m.

Graduation is on June 11, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. Graduates are to arrive at the

Allen County Memorial Coliseum at 6:15 p.m. in the staging area. General

admission for family and friends begins at 6:00 p.m. There are no tickets or

reserved seating. All are welcome!

The staff and teachers of Leo High School would like to wish all

seniors good luck during these final few months of school. Keep

studying and working hard. And… take some time to appreciate

all the great things you have experienced these past four years!!!

Congratulations to Abi Kimm! Abi has been selected as a 2010 Horatio Alger Indiana Scholar! The Horatio Alger Association seeks to recognize those students who show evidence of integrity and perseverance in the face of adversity. We are proud of you, Abi!

Congratulations to the Early Graduates!!! The following students have met the requirements of the State of

Indiana and East Allen County Schools. They have officially graduated! See you all at the graduation ceremony…

Amanda Amstutz Neil Bender Cassandra Bregenzer

Courtney Burgess Marisa Burris Vannesa Clark

Claire Cook Kendra Davis Nick DeVaux Bret Easterday Rachelle Farber Lindsey Fields

Debra Hechler Robert Heiser Sarah High Taylor Howe Jason Klingenberger Alexandra Lairson

Marissa Merriman Alyssa Miller Catherine Sather Scott Smith Nick Zern

Mark your calendars! On Tuesday, March 30, Greg Muncy of Jostens will be at Leo

from 10:00 a.m – noon to distribute graduation orders. He will be handing out caps/gowns, announcements, etc. Mr. Muncy

will be in the cafeteria. If you have not ordered your cap/gown, you must contact Jostens immediately at 260-483-1825.

Senior Breakfast and Award Program Plan to attend this year’s senior breakfast and award program.

On Wednesday, April 21 at 8:00 a.m., a buffet breakfast will be provided to all seniors at no cost! The breakfast will be in the

extended area of the auditeria. This breakfast is for seniors only! Following the breakfast, at approximately 9:00 a.m., we

will move to the seats in the main area of the auditeria and begin the awards/recognition program. Families, relatives, and

friends are welcome to attend this program. EVERY senior will

be recognized and will walk across the stage.

Save the date!!! Senior Panoramic Picture… On Thursday, April 22th at 12:00 (noon), seniors will gather on

the bleachers at the football field to take the annual senior

panoramic picture. If it should rain, the picture will be taken on Friday, April 23th at 12:00 (noon) in the same location. Further

information will be coming from Ms. Ashton.

PTSA Scholarship Available… The 2009-2010 PTSA Scholarship application is available to

seniors who are PTSA members or who have an immediate

family member that is a PTSA member. Applications are available in the Guidance office from Mrs. Smeltzley, on the

school website, and as an attachment to this newsletter. Applications are due to the guidance office no later than April 5.

A message from the school nurse… This is a reminder that the immunization record is part of your

permanent academic transcript. If you would like your immunization record updated, you can send current shot records

to Mrs. Fawcett or call her (X 7111) if you have any questions.

Work Ethic Certification If you turned in your paperwork to participate in the 2009-10

Work Ethic Certification process, you will need to turn in your

paperwork documenting your hours of community service and/or internships.

A list of senior students who signed up to participate in the WEC program was attached to the last email. If you are not sure if

you are participating, please stop by the guidance office to

check! Documentation forms are again attached to this email.

How Does Dual Credit Transfer? Go to www.TransferIN.net to answer these questions and… more:

What is dual credit?

Is AP considered dual credit? What does “transferable credits” mean?

Just click on “High School Student” and then “Dual Credit”

NCAA Eligibility Center

If you plan to play Division I or Division II sports at the collegiate

level, it is important that you register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. The NCAA Eligibility Center unveiled a new registration Website for

college-bound student athletes. The new Web address is www.eligibilitycenter.org.

Student athletes that have registered prior to the launch of the new Web site will be required to log into their current account (www.ncaaclearinghouse.net). They will be asked to verify their e-

mail address and select a new password. The information that was previously submitted will carry over to the new account.

QUESTA Foundation for Education is a not-for-profit organization

dedicated to helping Allen County high school students attain a college degree through loans and scholarships. Their primary program is the “1/2 Back Loan Program.” This unique student loan program is special because a portion of the loan (up to 50%) can be forgiven upon achieving certain criteria. This program awards student loans with a forgiveness aspect based on academic merit and financial need. If the student meets certain GPA requirements and return residency requirements, they can have up to half of their loan forgiven. If you would like a brochure, please see Mrs. Smeltzley. Further information and applications are available on their website at www.questafoundation.org.

The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne… has many scholarships available to seniors planning to attend

college. Check out their website at http://www.cfgfw.org/scholar-

college.html to see if you qualify!!! Most applications are available online. Mrs. Smeltzley has approximately 50 hardcopies (booklets) of the scholarship

information available as well if you are interested. If you have questions, please see Mrs. Smeltzley.

Planning to attend an out-of-state college? The Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) is a tuition reduction

program that makes attending out-of-state colleges and universities more affordable for non-resident students. By enrolling in a MSEP

program at a participating institution, you will receive a reduced tuition

rate. To learn more, visit http://msep.mhec.org or contact Ms. Jennifer Dahlquist at (612)626-1602 or jenniferd@mhec.org.

AFTER THE FAFSA… eStudent If you have already completed the 2009-2010 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), it is important that you register and check your information on eStudent!!! You can register at eStudent to check the information five (5) days after you submit the FAFSA to the Federal Processor. eStudent allows students to:

Change their first-college choice

Update their address and phone number

Check to see if they have any outstanding issues that might prevent them from receiving state aid

Learn about their eligibility for state financial aid

View the history of grants, awards, and scholarships they have received from the State of Indiana.

The eStudent website is www.in.gov/ssaci/estudent

Need a tutor? Here are a couple options… Try “ClubZ”… ClubZ! is an in-home tutoring service in all subjects. They service

PreK through adults. They provide one-on-one sessions with qualified

teachers and advertise affordable rates. They also offer SAT/ACT

prep. Check out their website at www.clubztutoring.com or give them a call at 260-469-1517.

Try “Care 2 Learn”… Care 2 Learn provides tutoring for grades K – 12. They specialize in

dyslexia with the Wilson Method and Orton Gillingham. They also offer Geometry and Algebra. They can be contacted at 260-436-6393 and

their website is www.Care2LearnTutoring.com

College Applications

Students are still applying to colleges. While scholarship deadlines have likely

passed, most colleges are still accepting applications for admission. Direct links to

the universities are listed below. If you are planning to attend college in the fall

and have not yet applied, please do so SOON!!!

Ball State University www.bsu.edu

Indiana University www.indiana.edu

IPFW www.ipfw.edu

Ivy Tech Community College www.ivytech.edu

Purdue University www.purdue.edu

University of Evansville www.evansville.edu

University of Indianapolis www.uindy.edu

University of Saint Francis www.sf.edu

University of Southern Indiana www.usi.edu

Vincennes University www.vinu.edu

Other in-state and out-of-state universities may be found by going to

www.collegeboard.com.

SAT/ACT Information

Reminder: You must take one of the two tests prior to applying to any college.

See the registration schedule below.

Register for the SAT: You may register online at www.collegeboard.com (Leo school code: 151330) Late registration requires an

additional fee.

Test date: Register by: Late registration by:

May 1 March 25 April 8

June 5 April 29 May 13

Register for the ACT: You may register online at www.actstudent.org. (Leo school code: 151330 ) Late registration requires an

additional fee.

Test date: Register by: Late registration by:

April 10 March 5 March 19

June 12 May 7 May 21

Test Prep Review

The U.S. Army provides a free web-based tool called March 2 Success

for ACT and SAT test preparation, online study skills development, and Kaplan resources on preparing for English and mathematics

standardized tests. For those students needing extra help and who love to work online – this is another option. Find out more at www.march2success.com

The Test Prep Review website is a great site for any test prep.

There are free practice tests for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, etc. Follow the hyperlink to check it out!

Another useful website for test preparation, test details, and test taking tips is Test Editions . Follow the hyperlink and read!!!

Indiana College Information BALL STATE UNIVERSITY

The BSU Journalism department is offering scholarships to students planning to

major in any area of journalism, advertising and public relations. If you are

interested, please see Mrs. Smeltzley for an application.

BROWN MACKIE COLLEGE

Brown Mackie College of Fort Wayne is excited to offer scholarship opportunities for

students looking for postsecondary education opportunities in business,

healthcare, legal studies, and computer technology. Applications are available

from Mrs. Smeltzley. (Deadline – May 29, 2009)

The Brown Mackie College President’s Scholarship Award will be a total of $1,000

payable in three disbursements. Seniors graduating by the spring semester must

have a minimum of a 2.0 GPA and be involved in extra-curricular activities; and/or

involved in community activities. For information on Brown Mackie College and other

scholarship opportunities go to www.brownmackie.edu.

HARRISON COLLEGE (Formerly International Business College)

IPFW

IPFW is pleased to introduce its Chapman Scholars Program, a premiere scholarship

and educational experience for students of exceptional ability. Funded by a generous

gift from Howard and Betsy Chapman, the Chapman Scholars Program will offer high

achieving students the opportunity to pursue an excellent education at IPFW through

an exciting blend of challenging coursework, experiential learning, leadership

development, and civic engagement. Students selected as Chapman Scholars will be

awarded the full cost of tuition, fees, room, board, and textbooks for four years. For

more information on this opportunity, go to www.ipfw.edu/chapman.

All IPFW freshman scholarship opportunities, including deadlines and criteria for the

scholarships can be found at the financial aid website. www.ipfw.edu/finaid

A book is available from Mrs. Smeltzley that includes all of the scholarship

opportunities for incoming freshmen. If you would like to check the book out, please

let Mrs. Smeltzley know!!!

INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Networks Financial Institute provides four-year scholarships for qualified- incoming

Indiana State University freshmen who choose to pursue a career in financial

services. In its mission to prepare students for financial services careers, NFI

recognizes that the best entry-level positions in the industry are available for

graduates who distinguish themselves with the right attitude, knowledge, skills,

leadership and experiences. To be considered for a Networks Scholarship, you must

first apply and be admitted as a full-time student at Indiana State. For more

information on this opportunity or application to Indiana State University go online at

www.indstate.edu.

There are many other scholarship opportunities from Indiana State University. Please

check out their website at www.indstate.edu/admissions or call 1-800-GO-TO-ISU.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY

IU has a variety of scholarships available to students who will enroll as freshmen in

the fall of 2009. The following scholarships are Automatic Academic Scholarships -

students are automatically considered when they apply for admission, and no

separate application is required. These scholarships are renewable for four years of

study at IU by maintaining a 3.0 GPA and range in total value from $8,000 - $36,000

over four years. For more information about6 these and other IU scholarships for

incoming freshmen, please visit: www.scholarships.indiana.edu. Priority date for

admission and maximum scholarship consideration is November 1, 2009.

IU Excellence ($9,000 per year in state)

IU Excellence ($9,000 per year out of state)

o Both scholarships are awarded to the best and brightest students for

their distinctive and outstanding academic achievements in high

school. Students must have a SAT score of 1310 or above or ACT

score of 30 or above, and a minimum GPA of 3.80.

IU Prestige is a scholarship awarded to in state and out of state students

who have attained a prestigious level of academic achievement in high school.

Students must have a SAT score of 1260 or above or ACT score of 28 or

above, and a minimum GPA of 3.70.

IU Recognition is a scholarship that recognizes in state and out of state

students for their academic achievements in high school. Students must have

a SAT score of 1160 or above or ACT score of 26 or above, and a minimum

GPA of 3.6.

The Alumni Board of Trustees for the Delta Chi Fraternity at Indiana University has

authorized the creation of a $500 scholarship for an incoming male freshman at

Indiana University. Absolutely no commitment to Delta Chi is required or expected.

The application and details for the scholarship are available at

http://arete.kintera.org/IU.

IUPUI

A packet of freshman scholarships and applications are available from Mrs.

Smeltzley. If you have applied to IUPUI or plan to apply to IUPUI, please ask Mrs.

Smeltzley for the scholarship information!

IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

If you were denied admission without options, you do have a chance to request

reconsideration of the decision. You have to provide new and compelling information

(new SAT/ACT scores, grade improvement, etc.), submit the appeal in writing, and

make sure the appeal is written by YOU, the student – not your parents, a teacher,

or a counselor. There is a specific form for this process that can be downloaded at

the following website: Reconsideration request form.

TRINE UNIVERSITY (FORMERLY TRI-STATE UNIVERSITY)

Trine University’ Competitive Scholarship Program recognizes high achieving

students, who will contribute their academic, social and leadership skill talents to the

broader educational community. Two competitive academic tuition scholarships are

available from each of the following schools:

o Allen School of Engineering & Technology - $72,000 ($18,000 yr.)

o Ketner School of Business - $72,000 ($18,000 yr.)

o Franks School of Education - $72,000 ($18,000 yr.)

o Jannen School of Arts & Sciences - $72,000 ($18,000 yr.)

In addition to the above school-sponsored scholarships, 40 prestigious non-school

specific, non-major specific scholarships are available:

o Trustee Scholarships - $56,000 ($14,000 yr.)

o Trine Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship - $10,000 ($2,500 yr.)

Eligibility requirements: must have a 3.8 GPA minimum on 4.0 scale, minimum 1260

on SAT (R+M) or 28 minimum ACT composite, and must rank in the top 10 percent

of their senior class.

UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS

The U of I Krannert School of Physical Therapy and the School of Occupational

Therapy are having an open house on Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. –

Noon. Learn more about PTA, MOT, and DPT programs, meet faculty, admissions

staff, and students.

Register online at http://pt.uindy.edu or http://ot.uindy.edu

For more information, call 1-800-232-8634 ext. 8003

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA (USI)

Southern Hospitality Days - Tour campus and housing, meet current students, visit

with faculty and staff…

April 17, 2009

Register/reserve your spot online at www.usi.edu/admissn/visit.asp

VINCENNES UNIVERSITY

The Children of Alumni Scholarship provides $1,000 per year for a child of an alumni

of Vincennes University studying any major. This scholarship is renewable for up to

4 years. Applications are available at www.vinu.edu/foundation.

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

March 26 Community Memorial Hospital Healthcare Scholarship – $1,000 scholarships are available to

graduating seniors planning to pursue a health care career. Accepted fields of study include, but are

not limited to, nursing, respiratory care, radiology, medical technology, health information

management, physical, occupational, or speech therapy, pre-med, and pharmacy. One scholarship

is reserved for a student from Leo, Woodlan, or Eastside High School. Please see Mrs. Smeltzley

for an application.

March 29 The New Haven Woman’s Club Scholarship – Open to seniors planning to pursue a degree in the

medical field. Please see Mrs. Smeltzley for an application.

March 31 US Bank Scholarship - 40 $1,000 scholarships are available to high school seniors planning to

enroll next fall at an eligible four-year college or university participating in the US Bank No Fee

Education Loan Program. Recipients are selected through a random drawing process. Further

details, including college or university eligibility, can be found on their website at

www.usbank.com/studentloans

April 1 Indiana Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship – Open to seniors who are active affiliate or associate

members of the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association or a dependent child or grandchild of an active

affiliate or associate member of the association. You must be planning to major in a saw

enforcement field and enroll as a full-time student (12 hours) at an Indiana College or University.

Please see Mrs. Smeltzley for an application.

April 16 Fort Wayne Central High School Alumni Association Scholarship – This $500 scholarship is

open to seniors who are related to Central High School alumni. If you qualify, please see Mrs.

Smeltzley for an application.

April 23 Purdue Club of Fort Wayne Book Scholarship – Open to students planning to attend Purdue

University (either the West Lafayette or the Fort Wayne campus). This scholarship will cover

$150/semester at the West Lafayette campus and $125/semester at the IPFW campus. Please see

Mrs. Smeltzley for an application.

April 24 Nursing Scholarship Fund Program - The Nursing Scholarship Fund was created by the

1990 Indiana General Assembly to encourage and promote qualified individuals to

pursue a nursing career in Indiana. You must have a “C” GPA, demonstrate a financial

need, and complete and submit the FAFSA form. Applications are available online at

www.ssaci.IN.gov/2343.htm and are to be mailed directly to the financial aid office of

the college that the student will be attending. Individuals who are selected and accept the

Nursing Scholarships are obligated to practice as full-time nurses in an Indiana health

care setting for two years following graduation.

April 24 Minority Teacher/Special Services Scholarship – Open to a minority student (defined

as Black or Hispanic) seeking a teaching certification, a special education teaching

certification, or an occupational or physical therapy certification. Applications are

available online at http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2342.htm

April 26 Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship – Open to graduating seniors who have achieved a

minimum SAT score of 1940 from ONE SINGLE TEST or a 29 composite score on the

ACT. The student must also have a “B” GPA. Applications are available online at

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2341.htm May 1 Purdue FACS Scholarship – $500 scholarship open to any senior who will be attending Purdue

University, West Lafayette or IPFW in the college of Consumer and Family Sciences. Please see

Mrs. Smeltzley for an application.

May 8 Paul E. Shafer Junior Achievement Scholarship - Open to seniors planning to attend IPFW to

pursue a major in business, science, mathematics, engineering, or education. Seniors must have

actively participated in a Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, Incorporated ("JA") Economics

class. Mr. Sauder's Economics class qualifies you for this scholarship! See Mr. Sauder or Mrs.

Smeltzley for an application.

June 19 Abbott and Fenner Scholarship Program - $1,000 scholarship open to students who submit an

essay on the following topic: "What do you see as the long term impact of our current recession on

the average family? How might it affect their future decisions?". Visit their website for further

information. www.abbotandfenner.com/scholarships.htm

Children of Disabled Veterans (natural or adopted) or POW/MIA may be eligible for free tuition and fees at any

state-supported college or university in the United States. Visit www.in.gov/dva/2828.htm or

www.in.gov/veteran/forms for details.

General Information

Word of Caution: There are many companies who are willing to sell students their

scholarship search services, sometimes for hundreds of dollars. Some of these companies

are reputable, but many prey on willing students and parents. These companies can find

scholarships for students, but enterprising students and parents can find the same

scholarships on their own with a little initiative and dedicated time. Also be careful of

the “free offers” on some scholarship sites. They typically are set up to attract students as

they navigate through the site, but often these “free” offers redirect the user to potentially

expensive offers for other products and services.

WhatWillTheyLearn.com The American Council of Trustees and Alumni, an independent, non-profit dedicated to

academic excellence, are offering a new, totally free, online college guide called

WhatWillTheyLearn.com. This resource offers information about college education, not

just reputation. This website is based on a close look at countless college catalogs by

their staff. Visit the website to find out which universities make sure their students learn

what they need to know.

Are you interested in being a Court Reporter? The College of Court Reporting has

an online program that promises 90 percent of its graduates placement in the court

reporting program. If you are interested in more information in this field, please

see Mrs. Smeltzley for check out their website at www.ccr.edu.

Indiana’s Independent Colleges and Universities invite you to check out their

campuses online. Visit www.indianacollegechoices.org for further information.

ATTENTION SENIOR MALES - SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males 18 years old must

register with the Selective Service at www.sss.gov or at the US Post Office. You

must legally register within a month of your 18th birthday.

Scholarship Databases

Several websites have scholarship databases that are worth registering for. NEVER pay to

have someone help you find scholarships!!! Check out the links below. A complete list of

“searchable scholarship databases” is available on the Leo HS website.

www.MeritAid.com – This website is a great source for merit scholarships (academic

scholarships) from colleges across the country. Click on and find the colleges you are

interested in. All of their merit scholarships will be listed!!!

www.fastweb.com - This is a great scholarship database you should all be registered on!!!

Take a few minutes to register and see how many scholarship opportunities await you!!!

** Please contact the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid of the university/college that

you have been accepted to find out about merit scholarships or institutional scholarships

within their program. You may qualify for direct scholarships.

OTHER WEBSITES FOR POSSIBLE SCHOLARSHIPS

www.gocollege.com www.absolutelyscholarships.com

www.brokestudent.com www.wellsfargo.com/collegesteps

www.anycollege.com www.nelnet.net/collegeplanning

www.thecollegehound.com www.srnexpress.com

www.scholarships.com www.iflurtz.com

www.collegelink.com www.usafunds.org

www.collegenet.com/mach25 www.fresch.org