College planning for students
When it comes to preparing high school students for college applications, scholarships, and life after high school students need to be educated and up to date on their options. To help students Deerfield Beach High School has the Broward Advisor for Continuing Education program also known as BRACE.
BRACE allows kids to broaden their horizons and explore their options for life after graduation. The program works with colleges/universities and companies to aid students in making their next steps. One of the best examples of BRACE in action is their college and job fairs. Schools come to DBHS and speak about their programs allowing students to learn more about the colleges and majors out there. Different companies come out and advertise job opportunities for students and help them get interviews.
The program also brings guest speakers from colleges all across the state to the school to speak one-on-one to students and not only explain what the college has to offer but their application process and answer any questions students have about the specific college.
The guest speakers are not the only ones that help answer application questions. BRACE advisor Denise Cruz always keeps the BRACE door open, room 152, for students. Anyone of any grade can come in and
use one of the many computers in the room to work on their application and receive guidance from her to make sure they are submitting the best application possible.
Being in touch with BRACE can help teens investigate colleges, universities, technical schools, gap years, military service, and careers. The program is all about catering to every path a student can take and how to help them achieve and succeed on their journey.
The is no deadline to research colleges and careers, search for scholarships, and create plans for the future with BRACE. In addition to using the computers for applications, students can come in to use them for any college-related work. Ms. Cruz holds workshops for different college requirements, such as their FASFA Fridays, which provides FASFA application assistance. There are also workshops for the Bright Futures scholarship teens can attend in the BRACE room.
It is highly encouraged by Ms. Cruz that seniors start working on the process now.
“Seniors should also be working on their SSAR and any other requirements that some colleges may need admission consideration,” says Denise.
BRACE is there for everyone, no matter what. There are a lot of undocumented students that think going to college is unattainable but that is not true. The program has helped five young ladies earn the dreamer scholarship, with the highest one being $37,000 to go to college for four years.
Students who stop by the room can receive advice from not only Ms. Cruz but from BRACE ambassadors. Ambassadors are students who help other students with anything they need. Their main job is to get information to their peers about scholarships, college requirements, and Naviance tasks.
Ms. Cruz has set up the BRACE place canvas pages for every grade and posts new information every day on there. Every grade also has its own remind chats run by the BRACE advisor. Students can join their grade’s remind with a specific code and use the app to communicate with Ms. Cruz.
Students can text their class code to this number: 81010 or hit the “join a class” button on the remind app and add the code. Class code includes class of 2023: @GoBucks23b, class of 2024: @GoBucks24, class of 2025: @GoBucks25, class of 2026: @Gobucks26
If students have more questions about BRACE, it’s always encouraged they stop by the office in room 152 and start planning for the future. BRACE is a resource offered to a limited number of schools, and DBHS is lucky enough to be included on this list. All students should take advantage of it and make sure they are aware of all their options for what comes ahead.
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