Helen Ren Allina Macias Scott Morrison Megan Landeros Angelica Hernandez

Academic Performance What are some tips for earning high grades? Ask your teacher for help. NEVER procrastinate (if you do, suffer the consequences i.e. sleepless nights and stressful days) Keep a balanced life and stay motivated. Remember that even small homework assignments can add up to impact your grades. Complete every assignment and try your hardest! What is Renaissance? Renaissance is like an academic GPA-based honor roll with four levels: Platinum (4.0+), Gold ( ), Silver, ( ), and Red (.5 improvement) Renaissance provides cool events—like surprise fieldtrips to Skating Plus—as well as incentives such as Renaissance cards, candy, shirts, etc.

Academic Performance How seriously should I take my academic performance? Balance your life with the three-S triangle: sleep, social life, and studying. Don’t procrastinate! Remember that colleges look at ALL four years of your high school career. Is late homework accepted? Different teachers have different policies. Earning a Renaissance card may give you the opportunity to turn in homework late. Always talk to your teacher first.

Class Choices & Sports Should I take honors and AP classes? If you want the challenge, take them. They are great classes and have amazing learning environments. Remember they boost your GPA as well as look great on your college application! Should I take sports? Sports are an opportunity for you to commit time to your favorite sport as well as meet and interact with new people. Make sure, though, to balance sports with your academic life.

Information on College What should I do about college at this point? Try your best in school. Work for those grades. Keep up an impressive GPA and you’ll reap the benefits: Renaissance, as well as, an impressive college transcript. Think about what interests you but don’t worry too much, you have plenty of time to get a taste of the career options. Keep a cloudy plan of when you’ll need to take various standardized tests i.e. the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, PSAT, PLAN, etc. Keep in perspective that high school isn’t all about academics— although EXTREMELY important. Have fun and keep a balanced life. What can I do during the summer? Become involved in volunteer opportunities, posted in the Media Center. Take some classes at VC. Ask your counselor about how to sign up. Or simply relax. Remember, colleges will ask you how you spent your summers.

Clubs Does Foothill have any clubs? Foothill Tech HS hosts plenty of clubs to suit a variety of interests. A list of clubs are usually posted on the doors of classrooms. Listen to 3 rd period announcements and read the bulletin online for club meeting times. Go to Club Rush to get a taste of the unique clubs at FTHS. Involvement in clubs shows a lot about a well-rounded personality to admissions officers

Community Service What should I do about community service? Don’t procrastinate!! Sign up for one type of community service that interests you or try a variety. You can volunteer at places like the hospital, the zoo during summers, schools, etc. Volunteering for even 2 hours a week can add up to hundreds of hours by your senior year You MUST remain with a certain interest for at least 2 yrs.

Social Worry about your academic performance, but balance the three-S triangle: study, sleep, and social life. Learn to balance the three-S triangle and you’ll have an amazing and memorable high school experience Do not take your high school career lightly, but try to have fun. Stress can be relieved with relaxation and spending time with friends.

Where to Get Help Where can I get information about jobs, test prep, volunteer service, scholarships, etc? Utilize the Media Center! It is a great source of information Counselors, teachers, and the FTHS staff are extremely helpful and knowledgeable Don’t forget about the internet! Sites such as: Fastweb.com, collegeboard.com and others. Mrs. Kapala in the Media Center is a whiz!

Tips & Hints Do you have any tips for staying organized? Use your agenda (a good habit to get used to). Even if there are no homework assignments, write “none”. It helps to highlight or cross out the assignments that you have completed. Keep up with organizing your binder and putting everything in a logicalorder. Are there any stupid questions? No, never. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; you never know, perhaps someone else has the same question but is too afraid to ask. What are some other tips for surviving at FTHS? Make friends. Don’t be afraid to socialize. Stay on the teacher’s good side. Or experience the consequences. Set a good impression. Respect everyone! The staff and faculty, along with the FIRE Crew are here to help you, not intimidate you. Have fun! Enjoy high school!