Webinars

How the pandemic is hurting college and career readiness

Perhaps one of the most significant impacts this pandemic is having on our education system is the disruption of how we are preparing our students for post-secondary and career readiness. 

In a normal year we see a lot of young people feel that they are not college material or that college is not attainable for them.  Many young people do not enroll in college because they think that they cannot afford it.   Now add this COVID year to the equation and these challenges are magnified and will likely be far reaching in their impact!  Many high school students have not been able to explore college and career options in the same ways that they could prior to the pandemic. Most college campuses have not allowed visits.  We have not seen the usual work-based learning and internships being extended and offered by employers this year. In many instances, dual enrollment courses have been cancelled, and college and career speakers/recruiters have not been allowed into the high schools.

Where the biggest impact is felt

Sadly, many of our most vulnerable and underserved students are the ones that have been most impacted by the pandemic when these opportunities have been taken away.  

Panelists

Dr. Laura Owen PhD Dr. Laura Owen is the Executive Director of the Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment at San Diego State University.  Dr. Owen served as the Inaugural Director of the Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success (CPRS) at American University. A prior urban school counselor and district counseling supervisor, her research focuses on bridging K-12 and higher ed and more specifically evaluating the impact of interventions and programs designed to address the persistent equity and access issues that too many students across the country face. Dr. Owen co-led the SDSU White House Convening (2014) focused on Strengthening School Counseling and College Advising and also assisted with the American University White House Convening (2016) that addressed culturally appropriate career counseling and college advising resources and practices that must be available to students. The Convenings called for renewed attention and evaluation of practices and interventions that create postsecondary pathways for all students, especially students living in poverty and first in their family to attend college.

Dr. Erik Hines PhD Dr. Hines is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems at the Florida State University as well as the coordinator of the Counselor Education Program and School Counseling Track. Dr. Hines prepares graduate students to be professional school counselors. Dr. Hines’s research agenda centers around: college and career readiness for African American males; parental involvement and its impact on academic achievement for students of color; and improving and increasing postsecondary opportunities for first generation, low-income, and students of color (particularly African American males).  Additionally, his research interests include career exploration in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for students of color. Dr. Hines has secured research funding to study the college readiness and persistence of African American males to improve their academic and career outcomes. Further, Dr. Hines has worked on several grants aimed at increasing awareness of STEM careers for students of color and rural students.

Duane Gregg Duane works for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and currently serves as the Project Director for GEAR UP Tennessee. Prior to being the project director, he spent 6 years as the East Tennessee Regional Coordinator for GEAR UP TN, and he has additional experience as an Upward Bound Director, Educational Talent Search Counselor and Coordinator, college professor, academic advisor, juvenile justice counselor, and small group facilitator. Duane holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Tennessee, and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Memphis.

Jason Johnson EdS Jason is a licensed school psychologist and has published research on resilience and student performance.  Jason is a passionate advocate for disadvantaged students and currently consults and trains educators across the nation as the director of training and research for the WhyTry organization. Jason is a thought leader on resilience education and has spoken at hundreds of conferences around the country. He has led successful implementations of all WhyTry programs and has pioneered trainings for clients in healthcare, corporate, and the US Military.

How to make education a life-long process

In honor of black history month, we discuss with civil rights luminary Rev. Dr. Owen C. Cardwell Jr. about his experiences as one of the first two students to be desegregated in Lynchburg VA. public schools.  Dr. Cardwell will shares what it was like as a high school student that had the opportunity to meet Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how that meeting changed the trajectory of his life, to one of education, service and leadership.   

Dr. Cardwell also discusses with us his work and research along with some of the things that he has learned to best support students amidst today’s challenges. In particular he shares his vision on how we can help ALL students to make education a life-long process rather than just a destination. 

Panelists

Rev Dr Owen C Cardwell Jr PhD Dr. Cardwell has a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in creative and ethical leadership from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He also has a master’s degree in theology from Boston University and a master’s degree in adult education from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His scholarship on the work of Martin Luther King Jr. is respected around the country. A native of Lynchburg, Dr. Cardwell was one of the first African-American students to integrate E.C. Glass High School. He is the founder and executive director of the Heroes and Dreams Academy in Richmond, a service-learning based mentoring program for at-risk youth. He was also the co-founder of the Family Restoration Network in Ashland, Virginia, an organization designed to restore fractured families and reconnect incarcerated fathers with their children.

Jason Johnson EdS Jason is a licensed school psychologist and has published research on resilience and student performance.  Jason is a passionate advocate for disadvantaged students and currently consults and trains educators across the nation as the director of training and research for the WhyTry organization. Jason is a thought leader on resilience education and has spoken at hundreds of conferences around the country. He has led successful implementations of all WhyTry programs and has pioneered trainings for clients in healthcare, corporate, and the US Military.

Supporting parent involvement 

During this pandemic many parents have been necessarily thrust into playing a role in their children’s education typically occupied by teachers, counselors, academic coaches and trackers.  Often they have felt overwhelmed as they have tried to balance the challenges of COVID, socio-economic stress, anxiety and their own emotional wellness with the added responsibility of their new role as overseeing and facilitating the education of their children. 

Now that we have passed the mid point of this school year, we are seeing signs of hope.  With the promise of vaccines slowing the spread of the virus, many schools are transitioning back to blended and in person school.  Also, some of the challenges we have been through have pushed us to grow!  Many parents are finding ways to adapt and tap into the resources schools are providing.  Others have learned the value of being flexible, and adapting to new situations has become a skill for them. We are hearing reports of parents that have become more engaged with schools, and many have gained a new appreciation for the work that we as educators do for their kids and their families! 

Partnering with parents to build resilience in the home

In this webinar we talk about what we can do to better support parents involvement in their children’s education.  How can we build on the progress that we have made during the challenges of this pandemic? What can we do to help those parents that continue to struggle with balancing work and finding time to support their children’s remote education?  How can we form a better partnership with parents moving forward and work together to increase resilience in their children and in the home?  

Robin Mackey Robin serves as Outreach Director and a Senior Trainer for Parent Project. A licensed social worker, she has over 25 years of experience working with children, youth and families. She has extensive experience in program development, program implementation and fund development for non-profits, including the Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers.  She and her husband, Eric, reside in Pike Road, Alabama. They have three boys, the youngest of whom is 17. She is grateful she had the tools of Parent Project to help her raise her 3 teenagers!

Christian Moore Christian Moore is a licensed clinical social worker and an internationally-renowned speaker, and passionate advocate for youth. He is the author of “The Resilience Breakthrough” and founder of the WhyTry Program, one of the top social emotional learning programs, used in over 30,000 schools across the United States.

Jason Johnson Jason is a licensed school psychologist and has published research on resilience and student performance.  Jason is a passionate advocate for disadvantaged students and currently consults and trains educators across the nation as the director of training and research for the WhyTry organization. Jason is a thought leader on resilience education and has spoken at hundreds of conferences around the country. He has led successful implementations of all WhyTry programs and has pioneered trainings for clients in healthcare, corporate, and the US Military.

Helping students to see the “why” of learning

In a normal year school year educators often feel the pressure to help students prepare for testing and meeting state standards.  This leads us to focus the bulk of our time on helping them learn “what” they need to know about a subject and often we fail to effectively teach “why” this knowledge is important.   If students can’t see the “why” of learning the probably won’t see the relevance of school and how to connect school and future opportunities.  Focusing or relevance is the key to make learning meaningful!  

Now add the challenges of this pandemic, remote learning in virtual and blended classrooms, stress, anxiety and tension felt everywhere and students are struggling to meet state standards like never before.   Now more than ever we need to find that balance of combining the “what” with the “why” so meaningful learning can take place, even remotely!   The need for practical tools to connect, find relevance and engage students has never been higher!

Bruce Bushnell Bruce Bushnell has centered his career around promoting youth success. He is an award winning school counselor. Bruce was named the counselor of the year for the state of Utah and was also honored at the White House, receiving national recognition for his counseling interventions. Bruce has been a member of the Executive High School Relations Board, senior vice president of the Alpine Counseling Association, and vice president of the Utah Counselor Association. Bruce now helps youth succeed by presenting passionate WhyTry keynotes and trainings across the country. As an advocate of the program from its earliest days, Bruce has also been a key contributor in developing many of the WhyTry learning activities, which are proven to help youth develop the social and emotional skills necessary to reach their goals.

Cory Anderson Cory has spent nearly two decades as an educator, beginning as a teacher and then as an administrator. He has been an assistant principal at a middle school and has served as a principal of two different elementary schools. Cory pioneered and started one of two public STEM programs in the state of Utah and helped consult with the state office of education on creating STEM standards for schools that would eventually be adopted by the STEM action center. Also during his tenure as an elementary school as principal, Cory oversaw behavioral units and lead his school in implementing social and emotional programs and STEM activities. In 2019, Cory joined the WhyTry team as a trainer and director of curriculum development, after using its social and emotional tools for close to ten years in his administrative duties.

Jason Johnson Jason is a licensed school psychologist and has published research on resilience and student performance.  Jason is a passionate advocate for disadvantaged students and currently consults and trains educators across the nation as the director of training and research for the WhyTry organization. Jason is a thought leader on resilience education and has spoken at hundreds of conferences around the country. He has led successful implementations of all WhyTry programs and has pioneered trainings for clients in healthcare, corporate, and the US Military.