How to help your child discover and nurture academic and extracurricular interests in preparation for college

Panelists: Jennifer Burstiner, Brad Harris, and Caroline Tucker

We all know that motivated students who are interested in what they are studying do well in school and get good grades. Similarly, students who engage in extracurricular activities deeply - whether that is in music, debate, sports, or science research - gain a sense of accomplishment and independence, practice leadership, become part of a community, and make many good friends. Truly engaging with an interest, academic or extracurricular, and pursuing it deeply, goes a long way towards making a student’s high school experience meaningful. It also has the benefit of helping students narrow down college majors, consider career choices, and be a more attractive candidate when applying to colleges.

If you have a child that says that s/he has no interest, or has no idea what they want to do, join us at our next meeting where three local educational consultants and mentors will share with us what parents can do to help our students explore and develop their interests.

• Do high schoolers need a focus?

• How do you help students find an area of interest?

• Discovery process – academic and extracurricular

• Nurturing/developing interests

  • GHS resources - huge array of classes, electives and clubs

  • Independent studies, research programs, non traditional programs

  • Outside school resources

  • Athletics & the Arts

  • Community service

• College program/major consideration

• Future career consideration

• Applying to college as a generalist/undecided vs. with a focus/major

• Social/emotional benefits

Please review the AGENDA and the MINUTES from our January General Membership Meeting.

PTA CO-Presidents

Leila Horn & Peter Bernstein

Greenwich High School PTA

10 Hillside Road 

Greenwich, CT 06830

Any questions, please contact us at ghspta@ghspta.org.