Graduating Burbank High students create ‘Next Steps’ guide for future graduates
A pair of Burbank High school students who graduated last week recently delivered a free guide to current students with details about how to pursue 75 scholarships, internships or other opportunities before they head off to college.
Sam Gorman and Alvin Kim worked with a team of students to create the 25-page “Next Steps” guide they’ve posted to Burbank High’s website in hopes it can be accessed by students across Los Angeles and beyond.
They delivered hard copies to about 350 Burbank High students last month.
Gorman plans to attend Stanford University this fall, and Kim intends to join the U.S. Army.
Not too long ago, when Gorman was a sophomore at Burbank High, he recalled Googling, “How to go to Europe for free.”
“I come from a solidly middle-class background, and that translated into the mistaken notion for me that these sort of opportunities were simply financially out of reach,” Gorman said in an email. “As I kept researching, I saw that this couldn’t be further from the truth.”
He’s hopeful the guide, which highlights several study-abroad programs, will show students that many scholarships and other opportunities are accessible.
The guide also offers important tips, including a note that deadlines for many national scholarships are in October or November.
“Apply, and you can’t go wrong,” the guide states.
There are also several summer programs listed regarding academic programs hosted on college campuses or online.
One section provides contact information for local elected officials, from Rep. Adam Schiff to Burbank City Clerk Zizette Mullins, so students can inquire about securing internships with them.
“There’s a difference between the conventional education system laid out for you and the global impact you have the ability to make through your own drive,” Kim said in the email. “Take every advantage of this. There’s a whole world of opportunities waiting for you.”
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
