High School Guidance Dept.
Berwick Area School District

Leadership Opportunities:

Because the cost of post-secondary education is so high, both the need and competition for scholarship monies have increased significantly. We are very anxious to help our students maximize their opportunities to receive scholarships. More and more frequently, scholarship donors and committees are interested in what students do to demonstrate leadership and to "give back to their churches, schools, and communities." With this in mind, we would like to point out several leadership programs that are available to our students.

The Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Program:

This program is open to sophomores and involves attending a spring leadership conference. The program is nationally recognized and selection as a representative is an honor. Interested sophomores must complete an application and take part in an interview with administrators and guidance counselors. The application process begins in early October.

The Pennsylvania Governor's Schools of Excellence:

These very competitive, prestigious schools are open to sophomores and juniors. The are six-week sessions held on campuses across the state. The schools to which the students may apply include: the School of Agriculture Science, the School of the Arts, the School for Global Entrepreneurship, the School for Health Care, the School for International Studies, the School for Sciences, the School for Teaching, and the School of Information Technology. In addition to providing students with the latest developments in their field of interest, the Schools provide a venue in which to meet new friends and to visit college campuses. Many colleges and universities also designate scholarships for students who have participated in the Governor's Schools. The application process begins in November. The guidance staff would like to see a much larger number of Berwick students applying to these outstanding Schools.

Make A Difference The Make a Difference Leadership Conference is open to all sophomores and juniors in the forty-five schools of the Central Pennsylvania region. Students attend a four day summer session at which they learn to create and govern organizations, to identify available resources, to set goals and plan projects, to tap the power of local government, to generate capital, and to measure progress and success. The application process begins in April.

The Times Leader Best and Brightest:

The Times Leader sponsors competition for seniors. Community service is a major factor in selecting winners. Students may choose one of several areas in which to compete; in the past, these areas have included: math, science, computers and technology, journalism, athletics, civics, business and vocational training, fine arts, language arts, and community service. Awards range from one thousand to fifteen hundred dollars. It is imperative that interested students see a counselor as early as possible in the school year to choose a category and begin work on a project.