In the world of college admissions, May 1 has historically loomed large as the deadline by which students had to declare their college choice (due to institutional deadlines). Thanks to Better Make Room and Reach Higher,
May 1 has also become a day to recognize students who are making a commitment to a post-high school path.
For the second year in a row, many College Signing Day (or College Decision Day) celebrations will be held virtually, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We spoke with Broward County Public Schools in Florida about the district’s plans to celebrate
on May 1 (and beyond).
We'd like to acknowledge that while some students are in a position to commit to a college by May 1, and that's great, not everyone can finalize their postsecondary plans by that time. It's important for students to make an informed decision. COVID has
created a lot of uncertainty and disruption for students, and unanswered questions about financial aid, whether classes will be in-person or online in the fall, etc., may mean that some students need more time to make a college decision.
The idea for this Decision Day kickoff event for students in Florida was inspired by two prior collaborative events that explored Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). Both events centered on highlighting
and celebrating postsecondary options available to students.
These seven Florida school districts: Broward County, St. Lucie, Polk, Pasco, Osceola, Palm Beach, and Miami while holding school-specific events, are also collaborating on celebrating Decision Day for Florida.
The seven districts will have a multi-county kickoff ceremony today at 6:00 p.m. Students and families can expect each individual district to hold individual events preceding the kickoff and can visit their respective district’s website to learn more.
The event will be an hour and a half long, and it will take place on Microsoft Teams live. Teams live will allow the districts to host a large audience and is a platform that staff, students, and families are familiar with, given the FAFSA completion
workshops the schools have held via this platform throughout the year.
Here are some other steps the districts are taking to make this event exciting and successful:
Centering and Showcasing Students
The core of the districts' kickoff event is to show off their talented students through video submissions. To prepare, they started a call for videos early and created prompts for students to respond to. Here’s a sample of the prompt:
“My name is __________, from (High School) in (district) __________. After graduation, my plan is to (insert E- Explore, Enlist, Enroll, Employ), ___________, one day I hope to become ____________”. #FloridaDecides, #BrowardDecides, #IDecide!
A deadline was defined to give staff time to edit and compile video submissions to be ready for April 30.
Incorporating “The 4 E’s”: Enlist, Employ, Explore and Employ
The 4 E’s guide how staff talk to students about their plans after graduation and are paired with college and career virtual workshops.
Using Hashtags
The districts created their own hashtags in addition to using the nationally recognized #CollegeSigningDay hashtag. Not only does this create visibility locally and create the potential for a retweet from Michelle Obama, but it helps sustain and inspire
a college-going culture. Of course, utilize #BetterMakeRoom!
Developing a Flyer With a QR Code
On promotional materials, a QR code was developed that will take students directly to the virtual events.
Celebrating the Entire Month of May
Students' decisions may be at a halt, so this creates an opportunity for space and time to schedule a number of events that support celebrating beyond May 1.
Check out these sample materials provided to us by Broward for inspiration:
All of these were made on Canva by BRACE Cadets. BRACE Cadets are high school students who implement special projects in their schools to help their peers get ready for college, career, and to succeed in life after
high school. Fun fact: Canva has a free version!
Lastly, remember to have fun and know that celebrating College Signing Day doesn’t have to be a stressful and heavy lift. There are ample examples of what can be done virtually from NCAN members and beyond.
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