GULFPORT, Fla. — Pinellas County Schools now has College and Career Centers in every high school after a pilot program proved to be a huge success. The Florida College Access Network named Pinellas County Schools “Most Improved” because the district had the highest increase in FASFA applications.

What You Need To Know

  • After a successful pilot program, Pinellas County Schools added College and Career Centers to every high school

  • The Florida College Access Network named Pinellas County Schools “Most Improved” because the district had the highest increase in FASFA applications as a result of the College and Career Centers
  • One senior at Boca Ciega High School says the College and Career Center has had a big impact on her and her future

One senior at Boca Ciega High School says the College and Career Center has had a big impact on her, and her future.

“My name is Markira Greene, and I’ll be your ECG technician today, and I’ve been requested to do an ECG on you,” Markira said to her classmate as she prepared to do a practice ECG on him. 

“This is part of the medical program. In the medical program at Boca Ciega you have to complete medical classes from ninth grade to twelfth grade,” she said.

When she’s done, Markira will be ECG certified, putting her one step closer to her ultimate goal.

“I want to become a respiratory therapist because I struggle with asthma, and I know there are a lot of people who struggle with asthma and breathing.”

One thing Markira says she’s learned during her high school career is that planning for life after is key, and for her, it started in the College and Career Center. “It doesn’t start senior year, you can really start in ninth grade,” she said.

In her school’s College and Career Center is where coordinator, Heidi Anderson-Rhodes, helps students like Markira, navigate their goals, whether it’s filling out college applications, or applying for scholarships.

College and Career Center coordinators also expose students to various careers, help with SAT/ACT prep, and seek out scholarships and grants that students may not otherwise know about.

“Whenever you see a scholarship that says renewable it means you apply once and if you’ve won it, you don’t have to reapply each year as long as you meet whatever criteria they tell you,” said Anderson-Rhodes as she explained a scholarship application to Markira.

Markira had already applied to 10 colleges in November during the early action time period. Her top choice right now is Florida A&M, and she’s also already been awarded some scholarships. “If I wasn’t in avid, or attended an avid school, I probably wouldn’t have applied to any schools by now. I probably would’ve been looking for help, but I don’t need to, because it’s already here.”

Thanks to the help provided in the College and Career Center, Markira says she’s confident she’ll reach her goals after graduation. 

There were some changes to the FASFA this year. It is recommended to complete it as early as possible.