ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 31, 1996 TAG: 9612310079
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: class notes
SOURCE: HALE SHEIKERZ
The new year brings a new set of priorities for graduating seniors and undergraduates who are looking to attend college. Some seniors have already made a binding commitment to attend their first-choice school by being accepted through early decision programs. Others have been accepted through rolling admission programs. The majority of seniors, however, are still applying and trying to make application deadlines.
Once accepted, the next concern for students and parents is how to get financial aid, scholarships or grants. This year, to better assist students and their parents, a financial aid hot line has been organized by the Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Access the Answers will be available in January by phone or e-mail from 7 to 9 p.m. The dates are Jan. 14-16 and 21-23. During these times, financial aid administrators from public and private institutions, career schools, community colleges, two- and four-year colleges and universities will be available to answer questions. Information will be provided on scholarships, grants, work-study and loan programs. The hot line phone number is (800) 552-3006.
Questions can also be sent by e-mail at http://www.finaid.org/ finaid/ask-faa.html. When using e-mail, choose the Virginia option from the selection list. Financial aid professionals will respond to the questions.
The VASFAA is a statewide volunteer organization of financial aid administrators and counselors at higher education institutions and representatives from other groups. As an incentive, a $250 scholarship will be awarded to the high school that has the greatest number of students and/or parents calling the hot line. The winning school will then select a graduating senior as recipient of the scholarship. Please include your high school's name when calling or sending e-mail.
Several high schools will offer financial aid workshops for college-bound students and their parents. The events will provide information from how to complete financial aid forms to where to look for scholarships and grants.
* A combined financial aid workshop will held for parents and students attending Christiansburg, Auburn and Shawsville high schools Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. The workshop will be in the auditorium at Christiansburg High School. Buddy Johnston, financial aid director at Radford University and Julia Sina of Virginia Tech will speak. Information will be provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
* Blacksburg High School will have a financial workshop Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the school's auditorium. Donna Taylor of Virginia Tech will be the guest speaker. Snow date will be Jan. 8 at the same time.
* * *
Five Christiansburg High School students attended the annual meeting of the Coalition for a Smoke Free Virginia in Richmond. Chad Danner, Garret Bonnema, Bethany Brumfield, Cory Danner and Amanda Vanhoozier represented the school's Teens Need Teens peer counseling group. The Christiansburg TNT group was nominated and received the award for Outstanding Priority Population Project for Youth. The project involved the group's work with elementary children and teen-agers.
Rick Montgomery, health educator with the New River Valley Health District, and Kathy Kenley, New River Valley Breathin' Easy Coalition chair, accompanied the students to the meeting.
EVENTS, MEETINGS & HAPPENINGS
Prom season is only a few months away. Committees already are in the process of planning the event. Following are some dates:
* Auburn High School after prom party committee will meet Monday at 7 p.m. at the high school. For information, call 382-1131.
* Blacksburg High School after prom celebration committee will meet Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Blacksburg Baptist Church. For information, call 951-5706 or 552-7881.
* Christiansburg High School after prom celebration committee will meet Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. in the girls' health room. For information, call 382-4895.
LENGTH: Medium: 75 linesby CNB