Forum 2010 Presentation: Know How To Go and College Goal Sunday Partnerships

1. Forum 2010 Presentation: Know How To Go and College Goal Sunday Partnerships Presenter: Janet Ingargiola, State Coordinator-Illinois Contact: jingarg@dacc.edu

2. Presentation Objectives • Share ideas on how to successfully build partnerships with the KH2GO programs in your state to develop early awareness (middle school children) through FAFSA Completion time (high school seniors). • Learn/Expand ideas in partnering with your State’s Student Service Based Professional organizations and State Higher Education Funding agencies and others who work at achieving early awareness of higher education and the access and funding perspectives. • Learn/Expand on how to identify and approach prospective partners (businesses, coalitions, higher education, foundations, internal partners, etc.), and how to nurture and grow those relationships over time.

3. Content Composition To provide as an example information on how Illinois has built a partnership with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the Illinois College Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA), the Illinois College Academic Counselor/Advisor professionals (IACAC), secondary school professionals and other entities for outreach activities focusing on early awareness (such as KH2GO) and FAFSA completion (such as CGS) events.

4. Perspective and Approaches What do you think the little girl is up to?

5. She is Flying a Kite Think about why you may have thought she was fishing. As you see there were other uses for this equipment and it worked out very well. Traditional approaches may be good but what are some new ways of using the same people and methods for combining tactics and strategies to better archive a goal?

6. Identify • Identify who in your state is doing what with who. • One question to ask is, “What partnerships are there already and what are other “correlations?” • What are you doing already that involves others (agencies, clubs, high schools, chamber of commerce, faith based) and can they “connect” • In Illinois we began with looking at what ISAC was already doing. We then looked for other professional originations that had “like minds” with their mission and goals.

7. Like “Missions” ISAC is key stakeholder for the KH2GO program (funded by Lumina) . Because our professional organizations, ILASFAA and IACAC, have learned through time that our “services” can not begin at the high school junior/senior level we felt a good strategy is to make early awareness part of our mission. We wanted to be a part of this “KH2GO” in our state and work to build a partnership.

8. We’re in this Together: Developing/Combining Strategies Discuss, review, understand and “chart” each entities mission and goals and see the “flow” to reach the goal. What’s the “Big Picture”

9. Combining Goals and Efforts • In Illinois we began with a “Steering Team” member from each professional organization. ISAC is the “major” player since they have “connections” throughout the state with all middle schools, high schools, professional and civic organizations as well a other governmental ties. The Steering Team Committee is College Awareness & Preparation (CAP). What is our “Big Picture”?

10. Big Picture • To increase Illinois high school graduation rates and thus increase the number of students attending post secondary education to allow better opportunities in career choices and employment security. • Related Goals: • Increase access and affordability. • Better prepare high school graduates for post secondary education • Increase the number of FAFSA Completions • Increase College Degree completion (reach educational goal) • Increase the numbers for nontraditional, underrepresented and minority groups in college admissions , FAFSA completions and college degree completion

11. Early Awareness • KH2Go is about early awareness and is a major campaign to increase the knowledge, perception ad “attitude” about post secondary education. Although a “national” initiative it’s success lies at the local level. • In Illinois the Advisory Board is made of many like minds with this same goal. The College Goal Sunday state coordinator is part of this advisory board.

12. Advisory Board-Activities • The KH2GO Advisory Board holds regular quarterly meetings to develop strategies, review activities and critique and develop new ideas to reaching the goal. • Schools that hold KH2GO grants are key stakeholders and provide formal reports as to their activities, success and future plans.

13. Sample Activities • IACAC has invited the middle school students and staff to attend their “fairs” that were normally only geared for the high school senior • ILASFAA has begun working with middle schools providing information about state and federal student aid as well as how to start building a scholarship portfolio • ISAC has the means to contact all state high school counselors and we use this “road” often when planning activities. Lots of sharing and “borrowing’ of ideas.

14. Sample Activities (con’t) • ISAC has developed a “Vertical Team” strategy that is a formal method of structuring partnerships and mentoring opportunities at middle school through college for the student. Many are involved throughout the state with this approach to early awareness. • Many “connections” are being made with the students to their adult influencers who can support their college goals (or help them make it a goal) • ISAC Corp staff are working with high schools and expanding “back to” the middle schools with activities to promote early awareness.

15. Sample Activities (con’t) • Many college’s are designing “College Day” or “College Camp” that is open to middle school children and high school freshman to “experience” college • Many college’s are providing activities and information geared toward the parent of middle school children. (DACC has a “candlelight” dinner) • Be daring when thinking of ways to reach your goal

16. One Milestone Reached This is a College Goal Sunday event, many of these students and parents were involved in outreach at the middle school level. We were very happy to see them at the FAFSA Completion milestone.

17. The Means • You may have the method and the motivation but what about the “means”? • What is needed to accomplish your goal? Can you put a price on an activity? • What is already being done and with what funding? • Who are some “partners” who may have funding? Private businesses, Foundations, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Family Ys? Don’t hesitate to ask (you may receive) these groups have like goals for improving the quality of life in their communities. Your activities can help them reach their goals ( let them strut their stuff if it helps your goal)

18. Funding • In Illinois the Chicago Chamber of Commerce is very active in promoting early awareness for the Metro area. Meetings are held that provide great opportunity to “get the word out” • The use of schools and other public institutions for activities is almost always free. Utilize these. • Don’t forget about “faith based” and their “reach” in to the community (and their facilities) • Use Public Service opportunities at local TV and radio stations, grassroot methods and local “celebrities” to promote your activities • Contact your local Y, Boys & Girls Clubs and the like for not only early awareness activities but use of facilities

19. Resources • Know How to Go campaign Web Site: KnowHow2GO.org • Illinois Student Assistant Commission (ISAC) CAP Chair contact person Sam Nelson, snelson@isac.org • Advisory Committee on Student Financial Aid web page ACSFA@ed.gov • CAP Chair IACAC (for College Camp ideas) Sharon Williams, swilliams@elginacademy.org • CAP Chair ILASFAA Janet Ingargiola, jingarg@dacc.edu

20. Really Attitude is everything Be someone who is willing to share, reap and explore ideas with others who have similar goals and vocations to accomplish the mission of opportunities and a better life for all through education.