I’m a senior at PLU. Today’s high school grads need even more support than I received | Opinion
As a senior at Pacific Lutheran University, I am surrounded by people with big aspirations for their futures. I have friends in the science department who want to make major breakthroughs in health research, and others who want to go into classrooms to support young learners. I am majoring in strategic communications with a minor in psychology, and I have always wanted to start a nonprofit to support children with developmental disabilities and their families.
None of us got to where we are on our education pathways without a lot of support. At PLU I received the Act Six Leadership scholarship, among others, as well as the Washington College Grant. Combined, this financial aid — which I accessed by completing the FAFSA each year of college — has allowed me to pursue my educational goals at PLU while also providing me a trusted support system to navigate college. That’s important because I am the first in my family to attend an institution for higher education.
Many of my peers have similar stories: school counselors who helped them complete their college and financial aid applications; scholarships and grants that make it possible to attend college and meet basic needs; advisers who help make decisions about classes to take in order to graduate on time. A support structure is critical to our success.
As a soon-to-be college graduate, I am acutely aware of the job market opportunities in front of me, so it’s hopeful to know that from 2021 to 2022, employers added roughly 120,000 jobs in Washington state, many of which are filled by people who have a post-high school credential, such as a degree, apprenticeship or certificate.
Unfortunately, across Washington state and the nation, enrollment in post-high school education is declining. According to data shared with the Washington Roundtable by the state’s public post-secondary institutions, 70,000 fewer students are enrolled in post-secondary education in Washington compared to before the pandemic. That’s roughly equivalent to an entire high school graduating class from our state not pursuing a credential after high school.
The economic opportunity is in front of us, which is why the Washington Student Engagement Networks (for which I serve as the South Sound Regional Coordinator) and many other organizations have come together to pursue the goal that 70% of Washington students will complete a post-high school credential by the high school class of 2030.
The legislature changed lives with the creation of the Washington College Grant — which can be used for two- and four-year degrees, apprenticeships and certificates — including mine. Let’s build on this success and make sure students know about the grant and can get any help they need in accessing it.
Supports like career guidance, help with food and housing and tutoring can make the difference between getting to class every day and dropping out. Other ways to encourage more young people to pursue a credential include more help completing financial aid applications and cost-free classes that allow more students to earn high school and college credit at the same time, such as Running Start and College in the High School.
When classes got difficult and life became stressful for me, I knew who to turn to when I needed encouragement to continue pursuing my goals. Persevering through my education at PLU has allowed me to discover possibilities in career paths I hadn’t recognized before, and I have been able to gain the knowledge and experience that makes me confident in applying for jobs.
Every Washington student should be able to explore and get the support they need on their education-to-career pathway. Our state has taken a lot of important actions in support of students.
I encourage the legislature to continue breaking down barriers to allow more students like me to thrive in education after high school.
Kayla Hoy is a senior at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, a first-generation college student and a recipient of the Washington College Grant.