Freshmen have a lot to learn.

At the tender age of 14, they not only have to explore the ins and outs of Lincoln High School, but also themselves too. The new College and Career Exploration class aims to support their journey. It may seem early for freshmen to start worrying about colleges and careers, but the newbees may benefit even more than upperclassmen.

Teachers and counselors agree that the road to college starts at ninth grade. It will be too late by the time the freshman class becomes the leaders of the school.

The class was added to Lincoln’s curriculum to improve how students learn about college and career options. In past years, the kids would have to willingly come into the counselor’s office, explains Meg Kilmer, Career Coordinator at Lincoln. This can be very challenging for students to get motivated until the very last minute.

“Somehow students do figure it out on their own, but it can be very stressful. It seems sensible to me that everyone has equal access to information about life planning,” Kilmer says.

Killmer realizes students will be already stressed and unsure of the process of applying to college long before their application is due senior year. Portland Public Schools is aiming to nip those feelings in the bud – or at least diminish the stress –- with CCE.

Kilmer strongly believes that career preparation prevents dropping out. Learning these lessons as freshmen can give students a reason to go to high school and a foundation for what’s ahead.

Upperclassmen should not feel like they have missed out. A college and career prep class may open for juniors and seniors who did not take it as a freshman or who would like more of a foundation, according to Kilmer.

Jessica Mallare-Best is the lead CCE teacher at Lincoln, one of four who teach the course. She describes how freshman year is the most challenging year of all. The academic standards are a challenge in themselves, but social factors also impact a high school experience.

“One goal for CCE is for our young people to find their why for high school,” Mallare-Best says. That might be different things for different people. She urges kids to get through highschool by “investing in today.”  

Freshmen can access tools that they may not have received otherwise. This class answers the question of “Why do I go to high school?” CCE helps freshmen set goals for life and a plan to achieve them.

The access to Naviance, an online tool to track college ideas and progress at Lincoln, as well as Oregon Career Information System, another tool to research colleges, will help freshmen research colleges from day one.

Sara Grace Wamsley, a freshman and student of Mallare-Best last semester, thought CCE helped her fully understand what she wants in her future. She says she already had dreams, but this class pinpointed how she could achieve them.

“I knew what I wanted to become and I knew what college I wanted to go to. That class made me look more into the cost of the school and look at how long it takes to pursue my career,” Wamsley says.

The detailed lesson plans that Mallar-Best and all CCE teachers prepare give the students entertaining and grounded experiences in the classroom.

The Lifemap project was one of the most beneficial assignments of the class, according to Mallare-Best and Wamsley. This let students take their two ideal colleges and careers and set a plan on paper. This visual presentation gave students and teachers a roadmap to achieve their goals.

The Dream Big project is another popular assignment. This is assigned early in the year to let the students dream about what they want in life. This process is designed to allow them to explore a sense of who they are and who they want to become.

Self-exploration is one of the reasons Lincoln added this class. Kilmer believes it is the start for finding what a student wants to pursue.

“High school is the stepping stone to your future. We are going to immediately engage you in learning about yourself and learning about your options,” she says.  

The school hopes to help students graduate with a dream and a plan to go with it. Learning about options is how to expand horizons.

In a quick three years, Lincoln will be able to assess the impact CCE has on the class of 2019 and many students to come.