SUFFOLK, Va. — What’s next after high school? It’s a big question for a lot of teens.
For those who choose to go to college, there are steps they need to take: like applying to schools and securing financial aid.
On Saturday morning, high schoolers got a chance to take part in a workshop focused on preparing them for college life.
This workshop in particular is specifically designed for special education students with IEPs, physical challenges, and learning disabilities.
The Suffolk Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is behind the free event at Nansemond River High School.
“We are geared towards helping students with disabilities, telling them about the transition from high school to college,” the chapter’s president Belinda Pitts said. “This demographic is a group of students who are underserved and overlooked. We wanted to do something special for those students, as well as their parents, letting them know that students with disabilities can have a great opportunity in the college atmosphere.”
Pitts said the initiative is divided into three days. Two weeks ago, the sorority hosted a college and career fair. Then on Saturday, students heard from support services representatives, learning more about what steps they need to take if they choose to go to college. Next month, students will learn about financial aid and get help filling out FAFSA forms.
“We open it up to all schools, not just Suffolk, but Portsmouth, on Peninsula, this side, everywhere,” Pitts said.
She said it’s about raising awareness and letting parents and students know what their options are.
“They don’t know that they have these services,” she said. “Most colleges have a department and that’s what their purpose is to help these students get through a college education and have a future, just like any student without a disability.”
There will be another workshop on March 16 at 10 a.m. at Lakeland High School focused on how students can secure financial aid for college.