We do our best to prepare our students academically for college and careers after high school. They participate in sports, yearbook, choir, NHS and so much more to fill out their resumes with experience to get into a good college or impress their future employers. But are they really prepared to leave home? Are they ready to live on their own, to navigate a college campus, to fully engage and make the most of their post-high school experience? To make the transition after graduation a little easier, the New Bremen Foundation hosted its second “The Next Chapter: Preparing for Life after High School” event.

Over the course of two days, seniors at New Bremen High School heard from a variety of speakers on topics relating to surviving life after high school. Opening with a keynote speaker for the 9-12 grade classes, Ryan Moran spoke about the importance of inclusion, getting involved, making good decisions and discovering your unique talents. Then the seniors heard from Sgt. Jake Sutton of the St. Marys Police Department on Safety & Self-Defense. Being from a small rural community where we often leave our cars and houses unlocked and go on walks by ourselves at night, Sgt. Sutton made sure to stress the importance of being aware and taking the necessary safety precautions when moving to a larger community. The students also heard from Christy Shell of Zeal Coaching on “Engagement Beyond the Classroom” and how to get involved in a meaningful way, encouraging students to join professional or service-oriented clubs, go on immersion or study abroad trips, and much more. Sue Wiseman of Joint Township District Memorial Hospital and Laura Roetgerman of the Center for Personal Wellness spoke about Nutrition, Fitness and Mental Health in a college setting. Lawrence Mathews of Bluffton College fielded financial aid questions and provided resources to the seniors regarding financing college.

A student favorite, Van Wright of Bowling Green University returned to New Bremen to discuss making the most of your post-high school experience. He urged students to leave their doors open during orientation, to meet new and different people, and to get involved in some way. The program ended with a Peer Panel discussion. Lauryn Bertke, Matt McCollum, Stephanie Burkard and Kati Ward, via Skype, spoke about their personal experiences after high school. Lauryn attended a private school in Ohio, studied in New York City and now works in development for non-profits; Matt finished his undergrad and graduate program early to begin work in accounting; Stephanie got a liberal arts degree from a small Christian school in Georgia, spending some time in Greece; and Kati took time off from school to move to Alaska and work with an environmental issues coalition. The panelists, with their vastly different experiences, were able to provide different perspectives on education, work, parties, paying for college, etc. The students were free to ask any question they felt needed answered.

New Bremen High School hopes to continue this program with the support of the New Bremen Foundation. It’s important that we fully develop our students and do our best to prepare them for life after high school. We’re continually thinking of new and innovative ways to engage our students and give them the absolute best education we can. The Next Chapter program is just a small step for these students but hopefully makes a bigger impact when they leave NBHS.