"Get involved."
That piece of advice has likely been thrown at you hundreds of times during your high school career. It's usually a great way to meet people and learn time management. Plus, it's one of the traditional scholarship tips 
. Involvement boosts your high school resume .
Back in the day, I was eager to get involved. And at a smaller school (we're talking fewer than 500 in kindergarten through 12th grade) it was easy. It was also easy to take on leadership roles in organizations.
Student newspaper editor, dance team captain, drum major—all of those were amazing experiences. Notice the operative word in that last sentence, "were." This brings me to the one leadership role I wish I would have turned down: senior class vice president.
This job didn't end when I cut my graduation cake. In fact, my responsibilities are just starting. A 2002 graduation means that 2007 is the five-year class reunion (try to hide your amazement at my math skills). The countdown: T minus three months. And I'm in charge of planning it . Aren't there a president and a secretary/treasurer, you ask? Why yes, there are—unfortunately, they are kind of apathetic (I'm attempting to taunt them into action here).
Granted, it's not a difficult job. At five years, most of my classmates are still in contact with each other. Through email I've managed to get contact information for most of my class. And since it's only our five-year reunion, no extravagant planning is needed. But I keep thinking to reunions further down the road—to 10 and 20 and 30 years. Yikes. Clearly, I need to resort to one of the skills I learned through leadership roles: delegation!
So here's my advice to high-schoolers: Get involved! (Just steer clear of senior class offices.) And BTW, if you've planned a class reunion before or are in the same situation as me, any advice or support would be fabulous!
HELLO WHAT IS UP. YOUR HAIR IS REALLY SHORT.HOW DID YOU COME ON THIS WEBSITE? I THINK THIS SITE IS BORING. THE ONLY THING I LIKE ABOUT THIS SITE IS RIGHTING TO PEOPLE.
By when can I start applying for scholarships. And, what is the difference between a scholarship and a grand?
Hey Anonymous – Thanks for your comment. My hair does look pretty funky in the picture – I blame it on the early 90s bang which I couldn't let go of in high school (Now I know better). Let us know if there is something you think would make the site more interesting. We'd love to hear new ideas from our readers – after all, the site is for you! :)
dodgers – Scholarships and grants are both financial aid that doesn’t need to be repaid (as opposed to loans which do). The difference is that a grant is free money from the government. To receive these, you have to fill out your FAFSA. Many scholarships don’t require you to fill out your FAFSA in order to be eligible. Scholarship deadlines vary depending on the type you're applying for (whether it’s from an organization, your college department, etc.) – it’s best to start looking early and keep looking.