Adrienne C. Nelson
High School
Career and College Support
Explore your Future...
Vainu Rao
Aspire Coordinator
Career Advisor, Individual Mentoring (for Students & Families), Math Tutor
Email: raov@nclack.k12.or.us Phone: 503-353-5750 X 38721
Learn more about ASPIRE.
Did you know: Many Apprenticeship programs have long wait times, you can strategize to improve your chances.
Meet your Aspire Mentors
Vainu Rao
I have been an Aspire Mentor since 2015. I have been retired for a while and enjoy giving back to the community by helping the next generation reach their potential. As a parent of 2 children in College, I am well aware of the challenges and opportunities facing our families and students. I am also available for Math Tutoring, as needed. I have a MS Computer Engineering, BS in Mechanical Engineering, BS Electronics. Worked in the private sector for 20+ years in Engineering, and Management positions.
Lauri DeLaczay
My hope is to demystify the career exploration and college application processes for students. My own children applied to 20+ colleges and universities across the US and Europe including ones requiring art portfolios or drama audition tapes. I’ve experienced firsthand the diversity in applications and the unique expectations of many colleges. I’ve also walked or formally toured 35+ campuses domestically and abroad.
I have been an Aspire mentor since Fall 2022 working at both Clackamas High School and Adrienne C. Nelson High School. I’ve been in the community for 30+ years having graduated from Clackamas Community College, Oregon State University, and Pacific University with a Bachelor in Psychology and Master in Education. My first 10 years after college were spent teaching at Oregon Trail Elementary which I loved, then the following 18 years were spent running a startup designing, sourcing, and importing travel and business gear for women. In addition, I’ve been part of the National Charity League Sunnyside chapter since 2016.
Blair Wardwell
I’ve been an ASPIRE mentor at Clackamas High School since 2022 because I want to make life after graduation feel less overwhelming. Whether your next step is college, trade school, work, or something else entirely, I want to help you build a solid plan. My own path wasn’t straightforward, and looking back, I wish I’d had someone to help me figure things out.
Helping my two kids explore gap years and navigate college applications showed me just how complicated and frustrating the process can be. My goal is to break it down into manageable steps, offer support, and remind you (as many times as you need): You’ve got this!
I have a bachelor’s in anthropology from the University of Oregon and a master’s in archaeology from the University of Cincinnati. My career has taken me all over the country, excavating sites, analyzing artifacts, and writing research reports. Now, I work as a records and information manager for an international biotech company.
Current News
- Career Talks & Summer Options
- Seniors
- All Students (including Seniors)
- Scholarships and Grants - Seniors only
- Scholarships and Grants - All Students (including Seniors)
- College Visits & Fairs
- Help Anytime
Career Talks & Summer Options
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April 16 & 30 - Learn about Electrical Apprenticeships - Presentation in the Hawk Career Center both lunches. If you have time you can stay longer for QA/tips from an Electrician.
- Oregon Anesthesiology Group at Legacy Emanuel - April 18
- CCC Healthcare Sciences Open House - April 23
- Kaiser Permanente Career Day - April 29
- Opsis Architecture Career Day - April 29
- Environmental Health Career Day - May 1
- PCC Auto Collision Repair and Car Show - May 9
- PCC & Intel - STEM Hermanas - May 16
Summer:
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April 15 (Apply by) - Oregon State University Summer Veterinary Experience. Full scholarships available.
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Happy Valley Library - paid summer internship, apply by April 16
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Clackamas Community College Free Summer Camps -Info session May 14, 6:00-7:30 (Medical assisting, Intro to green building, Intro to cnc machining, Renewable energy, Music & film, Horticulture – gardening & farming, Makerspace)
- Temporary Election workers for Clackamas County - paid opportunity for students 16+
- Summer Internships at OHSU
- Registration is now open for University of Oregon Free Summer Program - SAIL
- Registration now open for Summer Experience in Science & Engineering for Youth (SESEY) at OSU, Free
- Registration is now open for Oregon Business Week at Oregon State University.
- Lewis and Clark Summer Programs
Data Science: Data in Action: Sustainability, Science, and Storytelling
Entrepreneurship & Sustainability: Circular Innovation Challenge
Health Care: Future Health Leaders: Care Begins Here
Theatre: Immersive Summer Theatre Program - NW Cyber Camp - Register now - July 28-Aug 1, PCC Sylvania
Seniors
- Enter to win $250 Raffle drawing for FAFSA/ORSAA Submission
ANHS Career Center will be giving away Three, $250 scholarships for FAFSA/ORSAA Submission with a raffle drawing. To enter, please send an email (raov@nclack.k12.or.us) with Subject 'FAFSA/ORSAA Submitted'. You must have submitted your FAFSA/ORSAA. If the parent is sending the email, please include the students' full name. One entry per senior student. Drawing and all winners will be announced on May 6.
Support for filling these forms is available in Hawk Career Center!
FAFSA Support - 1-800-433-3243 - There is support for Spanish speakers. For more details click here.
- April 16 - Learn about Electrical Apprenticeships - Presentation in the Hawk Career Center both lunches. If you have time you can stay longer for QA/tips from an Electrician.
- April 26 - iUrban High Tech STEM Summit, Free. Hosted at Clackamas Community College. Exciting day of innovation, learning, and networking! This event will feature hands-on activities, engaging presentations, and the opportunity to meet industry professionals from various STEM fields.
- April 29, 6:00 pm - Register for this virtual event hosted by ECMC to learn about College Application process and Paying for College.
- Seniors make sure the "Colleges I'm Applying to" section in Naviance is current - this will help ANHS know to send your final transcripts and recommendation letters to colleges.
- Heading into an Apprenticeship program - many have long wait times, stop by to start strategizing the process early.
- Sign up to receive free support during the summer.
- Stop by the Career center for any help/questions/just to chat for College Applications/Financial Aid/Career direction/Apprenticeships…
- Preview days at University/College of interest - These are great opportunities to learn about various Majors.
- Heading into an Apprenticeship program - many have long wait times, stop by to start strategizing the process early.
All Students (including Seniors)
- April 16 - Learn about Electrical Apprenticeships - Presentation in the Hawk Career Center both lunches. If you have time you can stay longer for QA/tips from an Electrician.
- April 26 - iUrban High Tech STEM Summit, Free. Hosted at Clackamas Community College. Exciting day of innovation, learning, and networking! This event will feature hands-on activities, engaging presentations, and the opportunity to meet industry professionals from various STEM fields.
- April 29, 6:00 pm - Register for this virtual event hosted by ECMC to learn about College Application process and Paying for College.
- Heading into an Apprenticeship program - many have long wait times, stop by to start strategizing the process early.
- FSA ID - start the process ASAP, so any issues can be resolved, before it impacts your financial aid!.
- You will get your ID, then invite a contributor (parent/guardian). Parents: only create a FSA ID if you don't already have one.
- FAFSA is now open!. Use the Form 2025-2026
- Make sure you use full school name "Adrienne C. Nelson High School" with CEEB code 380062.
- Additional details in 'Paying for College' section below.
- FAFSA Estimator - estimates costs ahead of the FAFSA opening date.
-Oregon Bottle Drop for your 529 Oregon College Savings Plan
- Juniors - This is a great time to start thinking of Career/College/Trades after high school. Please stop by for any help or just a conversation. Sign up for free Summer support.
- Sophomores & Freshman - We can help you make the most out of high school class offerings. Stop by to learn about forecasting to explore your Career choices or save money in College.- Check for
-Preview days at University/College of interest - These are great opportunities to learn about various Majors.
- Heading into an Apprenticeship program - many have long wait times, stop by to start strategizing the process early.
Scholarships and Grants - Seniors only
Do not apply for any scholarship that requests any payment, personal information like bank information or Social Security number, or guarantees any award.
When in doubt, contact your Counselor or Aspire Mentor.
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Check Naviance for local scholarships.
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April 22, Clackamas Community College (CCC) Foundation Scholarships now open.
- April 30 (Apply by) for Clackamas Emergency Services Foundation for students pursuing careers related to emergency services professions.
- May 1 (Apply by) - Electrician Apprenticeship Scholarship.
- May 1 (Apply by) Teacher Education - for careers in teaching in Oregon.
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May 1-15 only - PCC Foundation Scholarships, check for virtual options on how to apply
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May 30 (Apply by) - College or Trade school bound, Clackamas resident, check details.
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Oregon Promise - Apply for Community College or Dual Enrollment tuition grant .
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North Clackamas Education Foundation - search here for district scholarships.
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Oregon Grants, There are several really great grants including for barbers and hair dressers.
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Chaffee Grant - for students who've been in the foster care system, need based
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Oregon Tribal Student Grant - full ride, last dollar check details
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Many scholarships including Full Ride Scholarships are available after submitting your application to a college. Often the deadlines for the high value scholarships are within days of early application deadline.
Scholarships and Grants - All Students (including Seniors)
Do not apply for any scholarship that requests any payment, personal information like bank information or Social Security number, or guarantees any award.
When in doubt, contact your Counselor or Aspire Mentor.
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Check Naviance for local scholarships.
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Niche $50,000 no essay scholarship entry.
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April 15 (Apply by) for Oregon Nurseries for students heading to next generation of green industries.
- April 15 (Apply by) Gloria Baron Prize ($10,000) for young heroes. National Level for ages (8-18).
- JLV Counseling Scholarship Search - provides thousands of scholarships listed by deadline or categories (including for all grades). Subscribe to get weekly email updates and are not required to enter any personal information.
- Big Future – College Board Scholarship Search: Find matches from more than 6,000 programs totaling over $4 billion scholarship dollars yearly.
- Other worthy scholarship search sites:
- Scholarships.com - including scholarships for all grades
- Oregon Goes to College
- Fastweb
- Going Merry
- Cappex
- Bold.org
- Unigo
College Visits & Fairs
May 6, 11:35 am Washington University at St. Louis
- April 27 - Spring College Fair Portland
- May 16 -17 - Oregon Trades Fair
Please sign up in Naviance for attending the college visit (ask how in the Hawk Career Center/Counseling) You are welcome to bring lunch to the Hawk Center for this meeting.
Help Anytime
- Stop by the Hawk Career Center for help about Careers and Colleges including applications, trades and apprenticeships, financial aid, career paths, etc.
- Help with understanding Apprenticeships - many have long wait times, stop by to start strategizing the process early.
- 1:1 support is available to you in:
- Figuring out your Major
- College or Trades route
- Finding Financial Aid or Scholarships
- Filling Applications, FAFSA, Essays, SAT or No SAT
- Stop by for just a chat!
- Parents or Guardians are welcome to make appointments as well
Information Related To:
- Career and College Exploration
- Applying to College
- Paying For College
- Community College
- Apprenticeships and Trades
- Military
- Recommended Reading List
- Opt Out of Aspire
Career and College Exploration
- Reliable College Information - US Department of Education. You can search by school or field of study in the top bar.
- Sabin Schellenberg - great way to explore 17 Career fields for free, many students leave with valuable certificates.
- Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) - students are offered greatly discounted tuition to over 160 universities in 15 nearby states. Check qualifying degrees and deadlines.
- Health Care Pathways - see menu on left for length of study. (Check Community Colleges also)
- Careers in Nursing, Education expected, and Salaries.
- Niche - free login to get suggestions for colleges that meet your needs.
- Transfer Credits - to see how your credits will transfer to colleges.
- Aspire - great resources for career exploration and college search.
- Oregon Occupations in Demand 2024
- Oregon Careers Magazine - Jump to page 42. (Spanish Version)
- Oregon Career Explorer - Oregon salaries, job openings, and future growth.
- Occupational Outlook - national current salaries, job openings, and future growth
Applying to College
- Application Deadlines
- EA or Early Action - non binding, typically apply early (Oct./Nov.) to multiple colleges and receive admission decision in Dec. - Jan. Recommended option for most students.
- ED or Early Decision - binding agreement if accepted. You can only apply to one college. Most students are at a financial disadvantage in this route.
- RD or Regular Decision - apply based on regular application deadlines and receive decisions by April 1.
- Common App - for applying to many Colleges (Bachelors Programs) with one application.
- Common App Line by Line Help - search Contents on the left for help on each section. Helpful to have this site and your application open at the same time.
- College Essay Workshop - an NCSD workshop and accompanying guide.
- How to Write a College Essay - Oregon Goes to College page.
- If you are considering a Gap Year, it is best to apply to college and then delay the starting date.
Paying For College
- Dual Credit and AP Courses - great way to save college money by earning college credits for free while in high school. These transfer credits could help you graduate a semester early.
- Sabin Schellenberg - great way to explore 17 Career fields for free, many students leave with valuable certificates.
- Estimate your cost for College.
FAFSA
Filling out the FAFSA does not give you financial aid, it might make you eligible for financial aid from Oregon State, the college you are applying to and many scholarships.
Note: A Parent/Contributor will need to create their own FSA Id to sign your FAFSA. Parent and Student phone numbers and Email ids need to be unique and different from each other.
Parents: only create a FSA ID if you don't already have one.
Make sure you use full school name "Adrienne C. Nelson High School" with CEEB code 380062
Start the FAFSA process ASAP, so any issues (e.g. Identity Theft) can be resolved, before it impacts your financial aid!.
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No Social Security number? - how to get your FSA ID with no SSN.
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Forgot your login? regain access to your FSA ID. Parents, only create a FSA ID if you don't already have one.
- FAFSA en Español - Cómo presentar el formulario FAFSA® 2024-25
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Work Study - explanation regarding federal work study.
- FAFSA Issues and workarounds
- Mistakes and Corrections - how do I correct my FAFSA
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FSAOutreach - Detailed support on YouTube channel, hosted by U.S. Department of Education.
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FAFSA Customer Support - 1-800-4-FED-AID with support for multiple languages.
ORSAA
Typically for undocumented or DACA students.
Do I fill out ORSAA? - to see if you should fill the FAFSA or the ORSAA.
ORSAA guide (English) (Español).
** Student needs to complete ORSAA Application and THEN invite parent to complete their ORSAA application.
Community College
- Portland Community College:
- Transfer Majors - majors including in Engineering, Biology and Health Sciences areas.
- HealthCare - degrees and certificates, 6 mos to 2 years
- Clackamas Community College:
- Transfer Majors - majors for Liberal Arts, Business, Computer Science, Engineering and Horticulture.
- Healthcare - degrees and certificates, 6 mos to 2 years
- Mount Hood Community College:
- Transfer Programs - Everything you are looking for will likely be here.
- Healthcare - navigate to Healthcare, Medical, Fitness
- Dual Enrollment or Co-Admission programs. - Public universities in Oregon have partnerships with community colleges where students can choose to be enrolled in both colleges. Students are required to apply to both colleges and/or complete a separate application to be dual enrolled. Search “Dual Enrollment” on the website of the university/college you would like to attend for specifics about each school’s process.
- Community Colleges have great options for Apprenticeship Programs.
Apprenticeships and Trades
Apprenticeship Overview - short video by Oregon Employment Department.
Pre-Apprenticeship programs - accessing programs with little or no experience.
Union Apprenticeships - for details on all the union apprenticeship programs.
Registered Apprenticeship Programs - details available at this link.
Apprenticeship USA - programs in Oregon
Aspire resources - information on apprenticeship programs
Community colleges offer great options for apprenticeship programs and certificates.
Speciality trades - many careers including barber schools...
Military
Military Resources
- All Topics and Services - US Government
- Army ROTC
- Air Force/Space Force ROTC
- Navy ROTC
- Oregon National Guard
- OSU's Army ROTC program.
* ROTC programs often require SAT/ACT scores. Khan Academy can help you prepare for free.
Recommended Reading List
Great books to help you understand the background about Colleges. These are all available in the school library for students to check out.
- Colleges that Change Lives - Loren Pope
- Paying for College - Princeton Review
- Who gets in and Why - Jeffery Sellingo
- The Price You Pay for College - Rob Lieber
Opt Out of Aspire
Aspire often gets confused with AVID. Aspire is not a class.
Aspire is part of the Career Center support at ANHS. I meet with students/parents/guardians 1:1 to provide support for all things career/college related.
Career Center provides help with:
- Selecting a Major
- Technical School, Community College, 4 Yr. College
- College list or details on a specific college
- Applications
- FAFSA/ORSAA, Financial Aid, Scholarships
- Comparing Admissions
- Forecasting Classes in high school to support or explore Career Goals
- Using Naviance
There are additional subject matter experts who mentor from the community as well.
Aspire Program Opt-Out
In the North Clackamas School District we are determined to create a strong career & college going culture in our high schools. Adrienne C. Nelson High School has embraced the State of Oregon’s ASPIRE program that offers education, support, and mentoring opportunities for all students. ASPIRE student supports include 1:1 mentoring, group mentoring, and activities or events that focus on career exploration, career and college research, admissions applications, scholarships, and financial aid. If students choose to participate in the mentor program, it is important to know that all ASPIRE staff and community mentors go through a background check and that confidentiality is required as mentors will have access to student academic records. Mentoring will take place in person or in a combination of virtual, electronic communication following North Clackamas School District guidelines. If you do NOT want your child to participate in the ASPIRE program, please contact your Adrienne C. Nelson High School College Coordinator to opt out of the ASPIRE program.Are you a college, military, trade or union rep? We would love for you to set up an in-person or virtual visit for our students. Please use RepVisits and search for Adrienne C. Nelson High School to sign up!