Next Steps Idaho High School
Planning
Planning for life after graduation is key. It's your life, define your own next steps. Chart your own course, and take the path or paths that make the most sense to you. The Next Steps website is a resource for you to use to help inform and support you. Look into a four-year traditional college, a two-year associate's degree, certificates, and certifications. Think about your goal or a career you want to pursue and back schedule from the end result. Find out what training is needed, or what educational opportunities exist to help you on your path. Look into scholarship opportunities, student aid, or career paths. Guide your journey to graduation with high school learning plans. Prepare for tomorrow, today.
9th Grade-New adventures
Congratulations, you’re officially a high school student. 9th grade is the year when you will start to learn more about yourself and what the hype about GPA is all about.
Now is the time to buckle down and get to work. This is the time to explore your options and develop strategies to move you toward your future goals. Maybe your interests have completely changed from 8th grade. That’s great! Communicate those changes and plans with a counselor, a college and career advisor, or a trusted teacher. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and not know the answers to all the questions you have about your future.
10th Grade-Zero in on your studies
You are halfway through your High School Learning Plan. Your plan includes a list of the classes you have taken in the past, those you are currently taking, and those that you plan to take. The combination of all your high school courses as well as all of the career exploration activities you already completed make up the plan that you most likely started back in 8th grade.
10th grade is the year when you will start exploring more than just your interests, strengths, and general career options and take a deeper dive into the world of work. By the end of this year, you will have the tools you need to start making informed decisions about your future.
If you have not completed any of the previous years’ plans, now is the time to catch up. Maybe things have changed – you can step back and explore your options again and re-think how you’ll move forward. Maybe your interests have completely changed. Talk to your family, friends, and counselor about those changes, and your new plans. Don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way.
11th Grade-Kick it into gear
This year is all about preparing for college and a career. You will explore potential careers and make plans to get you started on making your goals a reality.
You will notice that your activities for this grade level include some you may have completed in previous grades. Your life has changed so much since then that it’s a good idea to review the activities. You can use them to confirm what you already know or you might learn something new about yourself. Either way, updating your plan will make your decision-making much easier next year.
Think about the activities you have completed in past years. As you think about your plans after high school.
12th Grade-The big year
You have made it to your last year of high school. Congratulations! You’ve used this roadmap, your High School Learning Plan, to get you where you are: on track to graduate. Before you leave high school to pursue a career, a certificate program, or college, there are a few things you should start wrapping up in order to be successful after graduation. Take a few minutes to reflect on the plans and goals you’ve had in the past.