Counselor details where students can access resources, opportunities

By Gwendylan Harmon Cassville Democrat Intern

Navigating the scholarship process can feel overwhelming, especially with deadlines quickly approaching. 

To ease any anxiety, Cassville High School Counselor Kristie Preddy encourages students to take advantage of the many helpful resources available through the school.

“Students should treat filling out scholarships like working a part time job so they won’t have to treat it like a full-time job in college,” she said. 

Preddy emphasizes the importance of consistency and starting early to avoid last-minute stress. Students can begin by visiting the Cassville R-IV website. After clicking on the “Schools” tab and selecting “High School,” they should locate the “Counselor’s Corner” icon. From there, students can scroll down to find the “Scholarship Hub” link, which provides information about both local and non-local scholarships. 

The scholarship spreadsheet is updated frequently, with new opportunities added regularly, especially during the busy spring months.

Preddy said scholarship opportunities vary widely.

“There are so many different scholarship opportunities from CFO,” she said. “They range from scholarships for trade schools to four-year universities and various types of degrees.” 

Preddy noted that students planning to attend trade schools or community colleges are sometimes less likely to apply. 

“I do think our students that are heading the trade school or community college route are less likely to apply for scholarships, and those scholarships specific for them go without applicants from time to time,” she said.

For non-local scholarships, students can apply through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO). Through its online portal, students complete one universal application that can match them with multiple scholarship opportunities, rather than filling out separate forms for each one. Some scholarships may require additional essays or supplemental questions after the initial submission.

With general application and community foundation deadlines approaching in March, students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. 

Many scholarships also consider community service hours. Students can gain service experience through organizations such as BETA Club, NHS, JAG, faith-based involvement, or other unpaid volunteer activities.

Preddy said communication has also become easier in recent years, as ParentSquare has significantly improved outreach efforts. 

“ParentSquare allows me to communicate with both seniors and their parents using one platform,” she said. “It also allows parents to message me directly with questions or concerns.” 

This direct communication ensures families stay informed about deadlines and new opportunities, Preddy said.

Senior Randa Johnson, who has committed to Missouri State University and plans to major in pre-law, credits the counseling department for helping her navigate the process.

“The counselors were a huge help,” Johnson said. “There is a place located outside the counselor’s office that has a lot of scholarships on paper to pick up and tells you what you would apply for, and the online resources helped too.”

Johnson found that some applications became easier once she got started. 

“For Missouri State, there were a lot of scholarships that once I filled out a question, it was kept in the forms and applied to others, making it easier to fill out,” she said.

Still, balancing scholarships with other responsibilities can be challenging. Johnson said one difficulty she faced was setting aside time while also working. 

Her advice to underclassmen is simple — buckle down. 

“Start early as a junior,” she said. “Make a list of everything you’ve already applied for and the ones you still need to do so it’s easier to keep track.” 

Johnson also emphasized the importance of planning ahead for reference letters, because many scholarships require them.

A direct link to the “Scholarships Hub” provided by the district is: https://chs-scholarships.my.canva.site/.