Community support at a complicated point
Hartford high school seniors received hands-on help with college applications and financial-aid forms during the second annual Raising the Bar: Volunteer Day, an effort that brought community members into three city schools. The event took place at Bulkeley, Weaver and Hartford Public High Schools, giving students access to adults who could help them work through forms, essays and decisions about what comes after graduation.
For students, the assistance addressed a process that can quickly become difficult to manage. Bulkeley High School senior Alaisha Bankey said she was working on both college applications and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FAFSA. She is interested in culinary arts and hopes to earn an associate degree. The volunteer support gave her a setting to keep moving through the required steps and stay focused on completing them.
“Having a caring adult sitting with them alongside the process helps ensure that they complete the process,” said Jinelle Hooker, executive director of the district’s Office of Strategic Partnerships.
A district deadline for planning
Hooker described the application process as more than a matter of entering basic information. Students may also encounter questions that require them to consider details they had not previously addressed. Having someone nearby to explain the process or provide encouragement can help reduce frustration and keep an application from being left unfinished.
The volunteer event also fits within a newer Hartford Public Schools policy requiring every senior to have a plan for life after high school by December of their senior year. That plan may involve college, career preparation or another path, but the policy establishes a point by which students are expected to identify their next step. The application assistance offered during the event provided direct support for students pursuing higher education while also reinforcing the district’s broader goal of helping seniors prepare for the transition beyond high school.
| Event detail | What the source reports |
|---|---|
| Participating schools | Bulkeley, Weaver and Hartford Public High Schools |
| Student support | College applications, essays and FAFSA forms |
| District planning requirement | Every senior must have a post-high-school plan by December |
Students weigh their next steps
Students arrived with different goals. Bankey said she was ready to pursue culinary arts, while fellow Bulkeley senior Monique Broomfield said she wants to become a doctor. Broomfield also discussed nursing as a possible direction and expressed uncertainty about how her grades might affect her choices. Her comments reflect the kind of decisions seniors are making as they consider programs, credentials and careers after graduation.
The event relied on volunteers from the city, businesses and community organizations. Dayshani Comeaux, who volunteered with Bankey, said her church is based in Hartford and that its members wanted to support young people in the community. She also said she did not have the same opportunity for assistance when she was in high school, making the work personal as well as civic.
“Even if I help one student, that’s a million in my book,” Comeaux said.
An invitation to remain involved
For the district, the day was both a focused service event and a way to connect students with adults willing to help them navigate a consequential set of forms. Hooker said the effort was making progress, while Comeaux emphasized that completing even one student’s application was meaningful. The district continues to seek additional volunteers, and people interested in participating are directed to HartfordPublicSchools.org for information.
The immediate outcome is practical: students leave with more of their applications completed and a clearer understanding of the tasks ahead. The longer-term value is tied to whether seniors can turn those applications and plans into their next steps after graduation. By bringing volunteers into the schools, Hartford is placing that transition in a community setting and giving students another source of guidance as deadlines approach.
