With just over a week of summer vacation remaining, incoming seniors at Michigan City High School are already looking ahead to post-graduation plans.

Nearly 40 students attended a “Senior Boot Camp” event on Friday at MCHS, preparing for their final high school year. Aaron Garrett, K-12 College and Career Coordinator for MCAS, organized the event as a way to ensure that seniors are set up for success.

“This goal of our Senior Boot Camp is to help high school seniors get a jump start on their future,” Garrett said. “At Michigan City Area Schools, we focus on college and career readiness beginning at the elementary level, so our hope is that students have already determined their post-high school plans by senior year. Now we can focus on the steps necessary to make that future happen, whether that is attending college, entering the workforce, or joining the military.”

The “Boot Camp” introduced students to topics important in their post-secondary planning, including applying for college and scholarships, requesting transcripts, and completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Among guest speakers for the day were English teacher Tyler Evans, who gave students tips on writing essays for college applications, and recruitment officers for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. 

Staff Sgt. Ramona Dabney, a recruiter with the U.S. Army, described everyday life in the military, saying she enlisted because of the opportunities to travel, as well as the variety of professions she could choose. “We are a true career field,” she said, describing the multiple opportunities available in the Army. “There are over 120 jobs to choose from in the Army Reserves … and over 150 if you’re active duty. We have paralegal, medical, combat, plumbing, trades – everything you can think of.”

More information about Michigan City High School, including its various college-preparedness programs, can be found at www.EducateMC.net/MCHS.