High school students who have questions or concerns about their futures and college usually go to their school counselor or look to an elder for guidance. Students in AVID were recently given the opportunity to talk to young Pikesville High School alumni about their college experiences and to receive advice on how to make the best out of their time in high school through the skyping experience.

            The skyping experience is a live video chat session, and in this case Western Teach High school, Dulaney High school, Franklin High school , Perry Hall High school, and Southern Academy High school participated to discuss scholarships and future career goals. Current AVID students were also given the opportunity to ask a panel of AVID alumni who are currently in college questions they have about planning for the future. The questions ranged from: “Why do you have to have a backup plan if your main is to play sports in college?” to “What is one thing you would change differently about what you did in the past?”

            “I would take all four years of high school back,” Dominique, PHS alumni, said.  “because I wish I would have studied harder, not procrastinated, and been on time to class because high school is the framework for your future. And if you start off wrong in high school it will make the transition into college a lot harder for you.”

            While many alumni gave advice on picking the right school, taking advantage of being a part of the AVID program, and tips for seniors in high school, one student discussed her own scholarship that she has created. Regan Ferry, graduated from PHS in 2008, currently attends Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. Regan is majoring in mass communications she has been able to have dinner with Michelle Obama, given her own office on campus, and is an active member of the Student Government Association and Women’s program at Lincoln.

            “I have created a scholarship to offer determined and hard working students money towards books,” Regan said.

            The skyping experience helped students to realize that you can have a bright future as long as you are willing to work for it.

            “The most important thing you can do is push yourself if nobody else pushes you because believing in yourself is the best thing you can do,” Christopher Griffith, a 2010 PHS graduate said.