Prince Georges County High School Students Learn About Financial Literacy, the College Experience at AUWCL
Dec. 17, 2019
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, American University Washington College of Law welcomed high school students from Prince Georges County Public School’s Law, Education, and Public Service Academies for Law Day.
Two-hundred students and their teachers from Potomac, Central, Bowie, Surrattsville, and Laurel high schools attended, and had the opportunity hear from AUWCL students and faculty of color. The half-day event—presented by the AUWCL Office of Admissions and organized by JD Admissions Senior Administrative Assistant Vanessa Anthony—focused on financial literacy for college-bound students and the first-generation college student experience.
Assistant Dean for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Affinity Relations Lisa Taylor, and Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs Brenda Smith welcomed the high school students to the AUWCL campus.
Smith said she hopes the visit opened students’ minds to the possibilities ahead.
“We want you to imagine yourself here, and form some questions about this place—about what lawyers do, how you could end up here, what value you can add, and what value you might get from an opportunity like this,” she said.
3L Jimmy Valenzuela led the visiting students in a Wheel-of-Fortune inspired budget game, requiring them to estimate the cost of common expenses college students may be faced with, such as rent or a new cellphone. The AUWCL student leaders asked visiting students to share their best practices for saving money. The visiting students and AUWCL students also discussed the balance of spending on necessities versus wants.
Deja Cobbs, College Success Program Coordinator for First Generation College Bound Inc., gave a presentation on how to research colleges’ tuition and costs, filling out a FASFA form, potential sources of income during college, and the differences between loans, grants, and scholarships.
The students participated in a town hall forum with first-generation college students from AUWCL, moderated by 3L Lashana Calloway, who took questions from the audience including why the law students chose to attend AUWCL, how difficult 1L year is compared to 3L year, and how to balance life inside and outside of the classroom.
“You can work and work and work, and burn yourself out,” said 2L Leon Stern. “One thing about time management is making sure you have time built in to care of yourself. Self-care is very important. It’s one of the issues that comes with being a law student. Make sure you have at least an hour of your day to yourself.”
The high school students ended their visit by having lunch with current law students and Professor Cynthia Jones, director of the law school’s Stephen S. Weinstein Trial Advocacy Program, and had the opportunity to ask further questions about the higher education experience.
The event was co-sponsored by the Law School Admissions Council.