published: Friday, September 14, 2012

College Night offers 35 options for students

By SAMANTHA GHOLAR

sgholar@newssun.com

SEBRING - Highlands County students and parents are invited to a helpful event Monday that will likely benefit students who have plans to continue their education after high school.

The College Night event will be held Monday at the Sebring High School Smith Center from 6-8 p.m. Highlands County School District's secretary to Student Services coordinator Lisa Pimentel has worked hard to provide an informative, helpful event for hundreds of local students.

"This is only our second year doing this. Normally how these work is we bring in schools and they set up booths where they basically recruit students to apply and enroll in their schools," Pimentel said.

Last year's first run of the College Night event did not go as Student Services department had hoped.

"We had a lot of bumps in the road with our first year. We did not have a good turnout. So this year we re-vamped everything. We got new invitations out, better communication to the schools and all that," Pimentel said.

Pimentel and the Student Services coordinator, Marcia Davis, have worked together to bring a new feel to College Night in Highlands County.

A total of 35 schools will be visiting the event to provide insight to campus and college life to eager young learners.

"We had some schools from out of state respond and we thought 'Wow'. These events help students choose where they want to go after high school. My own daughter came to one when she was a junior and it helped her decide," Pimentel said.

With a much wider college and university participation and calls made to every middle and high school student in the county, Pimentel and Davis are sure that the event will be a huge success in its second year.

Pimentel is expecting close to 500 students to attend College Night this year and hopes parents will join in on the experience as their young learners decide their futures.

Refreshments will be available for attendees along with raffles and door prizes for students. For more information, contact Student Services at 471-5748.

Representativies from the following colleges/universities will be present during College Night:

Adventist University of Health Sciences, Alabama State University, Baptist College of Florida, Berry College, Campbell University, Charleston Southern University, Clearwater Christian College, Edison State College, Embry Riddle Aero University, Florida Atlantic University - Wilkes Honors College, Flagler College, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, Florida International University, Florida School of the Arts, Florida State University, Full Sail Real World Ed, Georgia Southern University, High Point University, Hodges University, Hofstra University, Keiser University Center of Culinary Arts, Lenoir Rhym College, Lynn University, Maryville College, National Aviation Academy, Naval Academy, Northwood University, Oglethorpe University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Saint Leo University, Sanford University, South Florida Southern College, Southeastern University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Miami, University of North Florida, University of Tampa, U.S. Army, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Warner University, Webber International University, Wesleyan College, Western New England College, William Woods University, and University of South Florida St. Petersburg.