New Focus In College Prep Class

by  Luckie Lovette

Finally the torch has been passed in college counseling.  Through Powerpoint presentations and more personal contact, Shelley Smith has  taken charge of Matthew Mayne’s sixth period college seminar.

Smith focuses on creating and editing personal statements and college applications.

“I start out with a foundation and every student’s objective is to plan ahead for the future so they can make  healthy choices to become a better person,” said Smith.

Recently, Matthew Mayne, who taught college seminar, left Mack after accepting a job offer at an agency focused on helping foster youth get  into colleges.

Students are starting to see more changes than a light signal.  

Some students expressed neutral feelings about Smith’s debut.  Jashawn Foreman, junior, said, ”Ever since Matthew, left  [the class] it was cool, some people disapproved of him, but as he left people was all over the place. Now Shelley is here and everyone is in place.”

The move from comfortable, cozy, cave-like College and Career room to the second floor computer lab buzzing with the sound of outdated computers forced students to focus their attention on their screen, allowing Smith to get  through the day without interuptions while  making sure that all students completed assignments.

However,  some expressed different opinions. “I don’t like that we have to move to different rooms instead of staying at the College and Career Center, it’s no point for us to share the computer lab with students that are disrupting and skipping class just to play video games,” said Sanan Omar,  junior.

Since Smith’s arrival at the beginning of January following Mayne’s departure, as many as five students tried to change their class schedule, to enroll  into 6th period college seminar only to receive  Principal Taylor”s message: “That’s not going to happen just yet, you must have two years of art credits to enter the College Seminar.”

“Mayne is more of a group worker, and Smith loves to help students on a individual level and is very friendly” says Jashawn Foreman, a junior.

“It’s not about who’s better, it’s about who could lead us to a path to success, but Smith is a very nice young woman that loves to see us come to school every day,” said Jacob Miles, junior.