I know that our school has access to Choices Explorer for a full year. Do you have any suggestions on how I could encourage our students to continue using the program during the summer months?

Sincerely,

Suni Daez

Dear Suni:

What a great question! It reminds me a bit of a riddle I just heard: What grows in the winter but dies in the summer?

I don't know about you, but my first thought was "student's interest in planning their future." As soon as the weather heats up, students' motivation to think about college and careers melts like ice in July. (And if you don't know the real answer to the riddle, that's a hint!)

But it doesn't have to be that way. Just a few small steps can keep career planning on your students' summer radar, thanks to Choices Explorer's easy 24/7 access. To help you get the beach ball rolling, here are some suggestions for summer usage:

• Encourage your students to make Choices Explorer part of their summer surfing routine by adding it to their favorites, or tagging www.bridges.com to their del.icio.us account.
  
  
• Provide every student with a copy of Choices Explorer's Quick Start Guide before they head out the door.
  
  
• Help students prepare for summer employment by pointing them to the Job Hunting articles.
  
  
• Increase parental awareness and support by customizing Choices Explorer's Parent Letter.
  
  
• Initiate a school-wide contest to promote summer usage. Track participant progress with the reporting tools found in the Professional section.

So, what's the real answer to the riddle? An icicle!

On that note, I am out here until August. Have fun in the sun!