Second year Appalachian College Advising Corps Adviser Lila Sheon is helping her students at Mountain Heritage High School achieve their dreams, one FAFSA at a time. Please read this article from the Yancey Mountain Times about why FAFSA completion is vital to students planning to attend college and how the work that Lila and other college access advisers do is so important!
FAFSA makes college dream a reality for Mountain Heritage senior Charly Fender.
The Covid-19 pandemic, job loss, virtual classes, and other challenges of the last year are forcing many high school seniors to question college after graduation.
In fact, only 45% of high school seniors in North Carolina have filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so far this year. The FAFSA is a key predictor of college enrollment and success.
Charly Fender, a senior at Mountain Heritage High School in Burnsville, is facing all the stresses of the pandemic in her junior and senior year on top of losing her father suddenly in December 2019. Fender's mother died of cancer when she was just nine years old.
"It was a lot of change all at one time. I wasn't sure how I was going to get to college any more. I wasn't sure it was possible," Fender, 17, said.
Fender turned to her support system. Her brother and his family moved in and she worked with Mountain Heritage school counselors and College Adviser Lila Sheon with Appalachian College Advising Corps.
"Her dream is to go to Appalachian State and we are going to do everything we can to make that happen," Sheon said.
Fender, who admittedly didn't know much about the FAFSA or college application process, relied on Sheon's expertise. The two filled out the financial aid and college appli cations together in the fall.
"By filling out the FAFSA before the priority deadline, Charly got entered into all of Appalachian State's scholarships. She is now a finalist for full ride scholarship, all because she filled out the FAFSA," Sheon said.
Mountain Heritage is one of 494 North Carolina high schools participating in the NC First in FAFSA School Challenge this spring, sponsored by education non-profit myFutureNC.
High Schools compete with schools of similar size and type for grant money. The goal is to encourage high schools to earn the highest FAFSA completion rate and implement innovative strategies to support FAFSA completion locally.
Sheon said they are using the rivalry with Mitchell High School as a fun, motivating way to get students to fill out the FAFSA. Mountain Heritage is currently at 54.5% FAFSA completions and Mitchell High is at 44.7%.
"I'm so excited to see the emphasis that's been put on filling out the FAFSA. Because it's true, students not filling out the FAFSA are leaving free money on the table," Sheon said. "And students don't realize that just by filling out the FAFSA, you could be eligible to get money for free. You don't have to pay it back."
In 2020, North Carolina students left an estimated $107 million in federal financial aid on the table by not filling ou the FAFSA.
"We want our North Carolina students to know that they are not alone and a community of partners and their schools are here to support them in reaching their goals. Many resources are available to help them go to college affordably," said Cecilia Holden, CEO of myFutureNC,
"We know this is a very tough time, but the world may look very different this fall and we don't want our students to miss the incredible opportunities that education after high school can offer them," Holden added.
Mountain Heritage counselors encourage students to come to them with any questions or concerns about their FAFSA applications.
Families also have the opportunity to get free one-on-one assistance at Drive-In to Your Future events with 19 locations across the state, including nearby Mayland Community College Spruce Pine Campus on April 24 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the main parking lot.
"Many people, who don't have ideal circumstances at home, might think that it's hopeless for them to go to college. But with FAFSA, there is money you can get to make college a reality," said Fender.
Fender plans to attend Appalachian State in the fall and major in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in American Sign Language.
Originally written and published in Yancey Common Times Journal on April 14, 2021.
Lila Sheon
