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Editor's Notes

1. INTERNAL PRESENTER NOTES 5-1-06 -Write your name and company name on a white board. This will help build a connection with the students. SUGGESTED SCRIPT(please use your own words, this is just a suggestion) Good morning, my name is ___________and I work as a (job description/title) at ( company) . Would you please put you things away and clear off your desks. I’m here today representing the business community. Many of us are concerned because too many students in the United States are graduating from high school without the skills they need to be successful in college or on the job. My company [or “many companies in this area” if it’s not true for your company] is having a hard time finding employees with the skills we need. I’m here because I want you to be prepared for college or careers, where ever you’re going after high school. INTERNAL PRESENTER NOTES Spend one to two minutes talking about yourself: Who you are, where you work (relate your own career to the need for taking rigorous classes) Anything else students should know about you (anything that builds trust or rapport – an obstacle you’ve overcome, a personal story about your experience going to school that reinforces the need for taking challenging classes, etc.).
2. In a few minutes I’m going to tell you about a great program called the Oklahoma Scholars. Your school has decided to be a part of program that is now in 19 school districts in Oklahoma. The goal is to encourage students to take more rigorous classes during high school. You were chosen because there are a lot of good kids here doing the right thing. We’re talking to everybody in your class, because we believe everybody can do this program. That’s why this presentation is called “Making choices in high school. Getting ready for life.” It’s about being prepared and keeping your options open. You’ll have important decisions to make about the courses you will take during high school. I’d like to share some thoughts, some of my experiences with you--give you some things to think about as you make these decisions about your future. INTERNAL PRESENTER NOTES: Include a personal story related to your role in your company or job. Describe how and where you have seen the need for better preparation of students in your professional career.
3. Before I tell you about the Oklahoma Scholars program, I’d like to know a little bit about you. What do you want to do after high school? What kinds of jobs and careers are you interested in? What do you dream of being when you grow up? INTERNAL NOTES Pause and wait for student responses or call on students to generate discussion. If students don’t volunteer, ask individuals. They don’t have to know what they want to do yet, but they might have some interests that could lead to careers. If students say they “don’t know”, tell them that’s OK, that’s what they are supposed to figure out over the next ten years. You may have some students who want to be a professional athlete. A suggested response might be: “That’s great but what happens if you blow out your knee in your first game or when you’re done playing in the NBA after five years? What will you do then? The point is you need to have a plan B.” No matter what you want to be, and most of you will have several different careers during your lifetime, there are some skills and abilities that are needed, no matter what job you have.
4. Well let’s see how that breaks down once you start paying all of your monthly bills. -After you’ve worked for a month, do you think you’re going to get a check for $2500? Wait for student responses. I don’t think so.
5. [Before showing this slide, ask students what kind of job can they get when they turn 16. Many will say fast food. Ask, “What would this pay?” (Minimum wage) Ask, “So what is the current minimum wage?” Are these good jobs? Yes, for two reasons: 1) gives you spending money and 2) gives you good job experience. “ How much would you make at a minimum wage job, working 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, without vacation?” Then show the slide. You saw how hard it is to live well on $30,000 per year. So how well would will you manage on minimum wage? [If no student speaks up, point out the fact that they could work two minimum wage jobs and reach $30,000! Tell them that there is no shame in working at minimum wage; some families work really hard to provide for their families. But wouldn’t they rather work in a job that they enjoy that pays them a higher wage?]
6. Remember, the million dollars is not accumulated. It has evaporated by monthly expenses.
7. INTERNAL NOTES Read the slide out loud. Wait for a student response to this question or call on 2-3 people to take an educated guess. Click to the next slide
8. Over a 40-year career span the difference is $904,000. That’s almost a million dollars! That’s a lot of money isn’t it? If I told you I have a lottery ticket worth a million dollars, would you take a chance on it? I’m asking you to work hard for the next four years, so you’re ready for college or a great job that will pay you close to a million dollars or more. The next four years is a critical time in your life. You are laying the academic foundation for success for the rest of your life. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? But there are a couple of problems…
9. Read the first bullet on the slide. So just graduating from high school isn’t enough. If you aren’t taking the right classes – and I’ll tell you in a minute exactly what those classes are – you won’t be ready. Read the second bullet on the slide . When you go to college you will take a placement test to find out what you know, and which classes you are ready for. If your test shows that you aren’t ready for college level work, you will be placed in “remedial classes” which are basically high school level classes. You will be taking courses you should have taken in high school, but this time you have to pay for these classes AND you won’t get college credit for them. You’re paying for something you could have gotten for free. Taking these classes also means that it will take you longer to get your college degree.
10. Test the students knowledge of world geography, with particular emphasis on the areas where stiff competition for the USA exists…for example, Europe, Japan, Korea and China (probably our biggest competitor in the future). When I say “global competition” or “global economy” what does that mean to you? INTERNAL NOTES: Wait for student responses. Yes. You’re right! It means that you are not just competing for jobs with students in your community or Oklahoma or even the United States. It means you will be competing for jobs with people from all over the world. The use of computers has made it easy for many jobs to be done anywhere is the world. So the competition for good jobs has gotten greater. INTERNAL NOTES: If you have a brief personal example from your own work experience that illustrates this point you may want to insert it here. Having a good understanding of math and science is really important today in many jobs. How do you think students in the United States compare to students in other countries in math and science abilities? (Wait for response.) In 1999 an international study was done testing students from 38 countries in math and science. How do you think United States students did? Did we come in first, second…last? (Ask kids what they think.)
11. Actually, we came in 19 th in math and 18 th in science. I was really surprised. I thought we’d be number one or two. Does this mean that kids in 18 other countries are smarter than you? NO! (Pick two individuals from the group to answer the following questions about sports and/or music.) Does anyone here play an instrument/sport? How many years have you been practicing? Are you better now than when you stated? So practice has made you better? So if these students aren’t smarter than you, why are they scoring higher on tests? (Ask students. Someone should say because they work or practice more.) Many of these countries have longer school days or more school days than we do in the United States. Basically, they “practice” math and science more. We’re not asking you to go to school for longer hours or more days. But you do need to “practice” more and you can do that by taking the tougher courses that Oklahoma Scholars recommends. Tougher classes will prepare you for college and for interesting, high wage jobs after high school.
12. So those are some of the problems. Now let’s get to the solution. Earlier some of you mentioned some of the careers you’re thinking about. Is there anyone else who’s thinking about a career that wasn’t mentioned? (Wait for student response) Those all sound like really interesting jobs. But have you ever thought about what you need to do to be a ______ or _________ (fill in some of the earlier student responses)? Most of the jobs you mentioned require a two or four-year college degree,
13. According to government projections, most of you will live to be more than 80 years of age and you will spend about 50 years in the workforce! Wouldn’t you prefer to be in a job that is interesting, one that you enjoy, one for which you will be well-compensated? To do so, you need to prepare yourself now by taking tough courses, going to class every day, participating, and learning.Therefore, the next four years are the most critical time of your life as you lay the academic foundation for success after high school. You will need a positive attitude and the willingness to work to achieve your goals.From ages 18 to 22, you will have the choice of post-secondary education or going into the workforce.And throughout your life, you will need a solid academic foundation from high school to continue to learn new skills and apply your knowledge in a continually changing economy. Here’s the hard question. I want you to think before you answer: How many of you are willing to work hard for the next four years so that you can have a good job for 50 years? Raise your hands. (If most of the kids raise their hands be really enthusiastic. If they don’t, don’t be discouraged. Just say, “Well let me see if I can get you to change your mind.” The reason I’m only asking you to work hard for only four years, is because if you work hard throughout high school, you will have taught yourself how to study, how to work hard and overcome obstacles, and you will have what it takes to be successful in college. And right now, many kids aren’t doing that.
14. Some of you may not know exactly what you want to do after high school and that’s ok. But you need to keep your options open so you’re prepared for whatever career path you decide to take. Is anyone here thinking about the military?( If no one responds, you may go on to the next slide.) I’ve had kids tell me that they don’t have to take the tougher classes, because they’re going into the military, and they will get training there. Did you know that when you go into the military, just like college, they give you a placement test? The military has to decide which of the recruits they are going to invest in. They can’t afford to train everyone on the high tech equipment, so they have to pick the people they think will do the best. So the kids that have taken tougher classes in high school will probably get selected for the advanced training, especially it they have foreign language and high level math and science. (Thing about where the military has installations. ) They will get the more interesting jobs, the jobs that pay better, and the training that will prepare them for good jobs when they leave the military. And how about the other recruits? They will get the jobs that don’t require much training, that are boring, or dangerous, and when they leave the military, they won’t have any of the skills, experience or training that employers are looking for. Whether you plan to attend a four-year university, two-year community college, go into the military, or directly to work, the Oklahoma Scholars course of study will help ensure you’re better prepared. So, I keep talking about these classes. Do you want to know what they are?
15. And here is the beginning of a plan. To earn a high school diploma in your school you must complete district and state minimum requirements. But to be an Oklahoma Scholar, and be ready for college and good jobs, you need do more than the minimum requirements. These are the classes required to be a Oklahoma Scholar: Four years of English; Three years of math including algebra 1, geometry and algebra 2; Three years of science including biology, chemistry and physics; Three and one-half years of Social Studies; and At least two years of a Foreign Language Your teachers and guidance counselors will help you map out your courses in high school, but this gives you a quick snapshot of what your schedule might look like if you took this course of study. You don’t have to take all the required courses in one year, and there’s plenty of room for electives. So does this sound doable to you? Pause for student response. Research has shown that students who take these specific classes are more likely to graduate from high school, more likely to go to college, and will get better jobs.
16. Many jobs in the economy do not require a four-year degree. The jobs in this slide all require one to two years additional training beyond high school. Classes can be taken at community colleges or at a variety of technical colleges and institutes. Several jobs listed here are related to health care and high tech industries. These will continue to be big growth areas in the future. And some of the salaries are even higher than those you see here. You can enter these professions and earn enough money to support a family. But to train for these jobs, you will need a strong high school background with math, science, and other courses.
17. Remember what we talked about the difference in income over a lifetime. This illustration shows how more education yields more income.
18. I’m not saying taking these classes will be easy. For some of you it may be, and for others it will be harder. But if the going gets tough I want you to remember: It is better to take tougher classes even if you get a C, than to get A’s in easy classes. Do you know why? You learn more. And research has shown that students that take the Scholars course of study – the list of classes I showed you before – are more likely to graduate from high school, more likely to go to college and graduate from college, and likely to earn more money If you are struggling in these tougher classes, there are people in your school who can help you. If you don’t understand something…ask your teachers for help. You can also talk to your counselor or your principal about finding a tutor or someone who can work one-on-one with you in a subject you are struggling with. If you work hard in high school, there are lots of opportunities for earning a scholarship to help pay for all or part of your college tuition. If you are thinking about college you should definitely talk to your counselor about your options. They can help point you in the right direction. But most importantly, you need to know that there are people in this school, and at your high school next year, and in your neighborhood and community that care about you. We truly want you to be successful in whatever you choose to do after high school. So challenge yourself in high school. Take the tougher classes and ask for help if you start to struggle.
19. You will face a number of challenges in the ninth grade and throughout your high school years. Remember that none of us can be great at everything, but we’re all good at something. So build on your strengths and try to improve where you’re weak. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. With effort, each and every one of you can succeed. Remember: Don’t ever give up! Thank you so much for your time and attention today. You have been great!