Trade School Pathways for High School Students with Counselor Coral Prendergast

Host Tiffiny Webster welcomes Sage Oak High School counselor Coral Prendergast to discuss growing student interest in trade school pathway. Coral highlights common trade careers such as electrician, welder, construction, cosmetology, firefighter, and EMT, often available affordably through community colleges. She walks through a Trade School Resource Hub she and a team created, including a recorded parent webinar, community-college program search tools by career or by school, and industry-sector tabs with descriptions, certifications students can pursue in high school, and county-based listings of community colleges and private trade programs with cost, length, and links. They emphasize dual enrollment, early exploration starting in 9th grade, and how families can access the resources and schedule counseling support.

00:00 Welcome and Topic
00:50 Meet Counselor Coral
01:34 Why Trades Now
02:38 Popular Trade Careers
03:21 Choosing a Path
04:14 Trade Resource Hub
04:54 Community College Search
07:47 Industry Sectors and Costs
10:18 Where to Access Links
11:27 Start Exploring Early
13:07 Family Feedback and Impact
14:11 Wrap Up and Next Steps

For more information on High School enrollment visit our website www.sageoak.education

Trade School Resources from Coal Prendergast cprendergast@sageoak.education

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IITnOtBM6JGFE7cfx4Vz1uWpJGP6ciHArPMW-q-280c/edit?tab=t.lncsc5lxygwq#heading=h.rafbmwg9wtcx

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vmoS1NLdPkWJgRgrGfafreLH19AAzlA2sMuGsynDgYY/edit?slide=id.p1#slide=id.p1

Thank you for listening to the Sage Studio podcast presented by Sage Oak Charter Schools and hosted by Tiffiny Webster, M.A.Ed. We invite you to follow the show and leave your review below. Sage Oak Charter Schools is an independent study nonclassroom based TK-12 personalized learning public charter school serving students in Southern California. Visit sageoak.education for more information.

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College Prep and Application Essays: Timing, Strategy, and a Junior Summer Bootcamp with Jen Pham

Host Tiffiny Webster welcomes Jen Pham, Sage Oak’s new college counselor, to discuss strategic college preparation and essay writing. Jen explains her specialized role in admissions support, from major and college selection to applications, essays, and scholarships. She emphasizes that planning can start as early as seventh grade due to course pathways, while reassuring families it’s never too late to pivot. They cover when to build a college list (finalized by mid-October of senior year), the value of campus tours and “demonstrated interest,” and key application timelines, including August 1 openings and early deadlines. She introduces a live junior summer essay bootcamp (about 12 hours) to draft a strong personal statement, highlighting how essays differentiate students and can support scholarship applications. Details for enrolling in the summer bootcamp in the show notes.

00:00 College Prep Kickoff
00:33 Meet The College Counselor
01:29 Why Seventh Grade Matters
02:52 Choosing Majors Without Pressure
04:02 Building A College List
05:06 Campus Tours And Interest
07:01 Application Timeline And Deadlines
08:18 Early Action Vs Decision
10:48 Junior Essay Bootcamp
12:40 Writing Essays That Stand Out
15:51 Helping Every Student Find A Story
18:27 Scholarships And Next Steps
19:40 Wrap Up And Farewell

For more information on High School enrollment visit our website www.sageoak.education

Thank you for listening to the Sage Studio podcast presented by Sage Oak Charter Schools and hosted by Tiffiny Webster, M.A.Ed. We invite you to follow the show and leave your review below. Sage Oak Charter Schools is an independent study nonclassroom based TK-12 personalized learning public charter school serving students in Southern California. Visit sageoak.education for more information.

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Finding a Path to Graduation at Sage Oak: Lydia Winslow’s Story

Host Tiffiny Webster interviews Sage Oak parent Lydia Winslow about her son Malachi’s journey after transferring to Sage Oak High School in his junior year to recover credits and get back on track for graduation. Lydia shares how he initially struggled to adjust to the workload and routine, how she helped him get organized with a daily schedule, and how he gradually became more independent managing Canvas, Zoom classes, and his time. She highlights the role of Sage Oak education advisors in planning his course pathway, choosing electives he would enjoy, monitoring progress, and making quick adjustments when a class wasn’t the right fit, along with tutoring and other resources. Now weeks from graduation, Lydia describes the relief and pride of seeing him reach this milestone and encourages other parents to consider the program and attend enrollment webinars.

00:00 Graduation Isn’t Linear
00:37 IEPs and Independence
02:18 Meet Lydia Winslow
03:07 Why They Transferred
04:28 Finding a New Routine
06:46 Advisor Support and Credits
08:14 IEP Services That Work
10:46 Graduation Day Emotions
12:53 Advice for Other Parents
13:58 Webinars and Wrap Up

For more information on High School enrollment visit our website www.sageoak.education

Thank you for listening to the Sage Studio podcast presented by Sage Oak Charter Schools and hosted by Tiffiny Webster, M.A.Ed. We invite you to follow the show and leave your review below. Sage Oak Charter Schools is an independent study nonclassroom based TK-12 personalized learning public charter school serving students in Southern California. Visit sageoak.education for more information.

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