Debi Yesenko checks a college guide.
F
or many high school students,
selecting a college can be an
overwhelming task. Concern
about making the right deci-
sion can cause anxiety, ten-
sion, and many sleepless nights.
"I wasn't into discovering colleges
because I really didn't know where to
start," said Debi Yesenko, a senior at
West Bloomfield High School. To help
ease her uncertainty and relieve some
of the pressure she felt, Debi joined
the College Bound Program, a college
selection service offered by the Jewish
Vocational Service.
Lydia Gray, a vocational educa-
tion counselor at JVS, says "the pro-
gram helps juniors and seniors in
high school assess their abilities and
interests and offers a step by step
guide to career exploration."
"The goal of the program is to
help students identify preliminary
potential career goals so we can help
SUSAN WEINGARDEN
Special to The Jewish News
them select a college that will meet
all of their needs," said Barbara
Nurenberg, associate executive direc-
tor of JVS. "You have to look at poten-
tial areas of study before you select a
college."
According to Nurenberg, it is said the group approach has been us- much" and "I think I would dislike
helpful when students share their ed for about two years and offers two
very much." Included are activities
concerns about career choices and col- groups of sessions, one in the spring such as: study an earthquake fault,
lege selection. "The students in the and one in the fall.
unclog a sink, write a poem, test solu-
program express their concerns and
"I started in the spring," Debi tions with litmus paper, raise cattle,
give each other support," she said. Yesenko said. "The first class was a design a bridge, and build a doghouse.
"The program is recommended for group meeting where they described
"Then I started meeting with
students who aren't sure what they the program. Then we had a lot of Lydia Gray," Yesenko said, "to go over
want to do or where they want to go. testing. I took aptitude tests and also
the test results. She was very patient
It offers personalized assistance for interest tests to see if my interests and helpful. She explained what I
the student who feels they need more and abilities would match my possi-
need to know on a level that I can
in-depth help."
understand:'
ble career choice."
. The program operates on a sliding
"In the individual appointments,"
On the interest inventory,
fee scale based on income. While students are asked to rate their in- Gray explained, "we get to know the
private counseling has been available terest level on various activities bet-
student. We look at many factors and
at JVS for many years, Nurenberg ween "I think I would like very
get to know their needs."
F
JVS is helping high school
students to focus on
careers and college
48
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, 1987
"We talked about my test results,"
Yesenko said. "And we also discussed
my high school classes and
transcripts, my school activities, what
I like to do and how I get along in my
classes."
The next step is career explora-
tion. "Using the test results we find
high interest areas and then look at
occupations," Nurenberg said.
Students work with the counselor
in the library and independently.
JVS' main resource is the Michigan
Occupational Information System
(MOIS). The students use microfiche
on the computer to look into families
of occupations.
• "The program teaches them how
to look at a career," Nurenberg said.
"They look at general areas and iden-
tify careers that look likely. You have
to make sure a school offers areas that
you may be interested in."
"Some of the things I looked up
were advertising, physical therapy
and nursing," Yesenko said. On the
microfiche she read the job descrip-
tions of the different careers, as well
as information on specialties, tools us-
ed, educational requirements and
training, methods of entry, potential
earnings, job availability and ad-
vancement opportunities. It also pro-
vides a list of related careers.
"It is up to the student to make a
possible career selection, but we help
them evaluate all the factors,"
Nurenberg said. "We try to match in-
terests and abilities with personal
lifestyles and aspirations. You have to
match what one would like to do with
the reality of what one is capable of
doing.
"If a student wants to be a doctor
but doesn't have the ability to handle