Post High School Success

Cradle to Career's Post High School Success (PHSS) project was created to address the gaps in college and career advising programs in the Aspen-to-Parachute region to ensure that all students had the guidance and support needed to graduate from high school academically and financially prepared to earn some form of a postsecondary degree or credential.

In partnership with Colorado Mountain College, all four school districts, and local nonprofit organizations, the project set out to provide college counseling, career and scholarship advising, concurrent enrollment opportunities, and financial aid advice for students at all nine of our regional high schools.

Over six academic years, beginning with 2015-2016, nearly $1.5 million will be invested by Aspen Community Foundation to support college and career counselor positions, provide professional development for these counselors, and to coordinate scholarships to more effectively distribute dollars. Philanthropic funding has decreased over the term of the project so that by 2021, counselors will be supported by the school districts.

Strategies:
1. Place dedicated college and career counselors in the regional public high schools that did not have one. These counselors will:
-Help students, especially those from low-income families, develop formal postsecondary plans; and
-Offer guidance and support to help students and families explore postsecondary options and ensure that all requisite paperwork is completed on time.

2. Train new and existing counselors to help develop a “best practice” postsecondary prep curriculum relevant to each high school, including:
-College/Career Counseling – one-on-one advising, ideally starting freshman year; and dedicated classes to teach multiple students about financial aid, scholarship and college applications as well as expand a student’s understanding of career pathways, connect with community resources and leverage volunteers for additional support.
-Technology –utilizing technology platforms to assist students and their planning throughout high school and beyond.  

Post High School Success Donors

Founders
Aspen Skiing Company
Debbie and Richard Jelinek
Ali and Lew Sanders

Tina and Simon Beriro
Terri and Tony Caine
Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation
Tracy and Robert Eggleston
Embrey Family Foundation
Erika and David Frankfort
Gitlitz Family Foundation
Glenwood Springs Sunset Rotary
Barbara Gold
Andrea and Jim Gordon
Annie and Jerry Hosier
Soledad and Robert Hurst
Jameen and Jon Jacoby
Ruth Owens
Jayne and Bill Poss
Amy and John Phelan
Clare Evert-Shane and Steven Shane
Diane and Joseph Sloves
Anne and William Tobey

Businesses
Alpine Bank - Aspen
ANB Bank
Argento, Inc.
Aspen Associates Realty Group
Aspen Homeowners' Association/Aspen
     Mountain Lodge
Aspen Meadows Resort
Aspen Reprographics
Aspen Snowmass Sotheby's
     International Realty
Aspen Square Condominium Hotel
Aspen WaterWise
Bethel Party Rentals
Cache Cache
Casa Tua
CCY Architects
Connect One Design
Connected Concierge
Cornerstone Property Management
Cuc Construction
David Johnston Architects
Defiance Strength and Conditioning
Destination Residences Snowmass
DG Construction
Eshelman Construction
First Western Trust
Forum Phi Architects
Gallegos Corporation
The Gant
Grand River Construction
Harriman Construction
Harry Teague Architects
HayMax Hotels
Jeffrey Berkus Architects



Jimmy's Restaurant
KORU Limited
Land + Shelter
Landscape Workshop
Lipkin Warner Design and Planning
Maya Construction
Meat & Cheese Restaurant and Farm Shop
Mountain Temp Services
Outwest Drywall Supply
OZ Architecture
Pacific Sheet Metal
Poss Architecture + Planning
R & A Enterprises
R.A. Nelson
Rudd Construction
Savage Excavation
Schlumberger Scherer Construction Co.
Shaw Construction
Silich Construction
St. Moritz Lodge
St. Regis Aspen
Structural Associates
Stutsman-Gerbaz Earthmoving
Swedish Painting Company
TE Builders
Timberline Bank
Umbrella Roofing
US Bank
Vectra Bank
Western Colorado Excavating
Western Slope Materials/Casey Concrete
William H. Baker Construction
Young Services