Middle School Student & Family Presentations
Building Awareness. Exploring Options. Planning for the Future.
Career and college planning starts earlier than many people think. ICAN’s middle school presentations help students and families explore careers, understand education and training options, build financial aid awareness, and prepare for high school in a way that is age-appropriate, engaging, and informative. These sessions focus on early awareness and planning so students can begin making informed decisions as they move into the next phase of their education.
All ICAN middle school presentations support early career and college awareness and align with Iowa’s District Career and Academic Plan (DCAP) goals by helping students explore interests, understand education pathways, and begin planning for high school and beyond.
🧭 Career and College Planning
For 6th & 7th grade students + families | 45–60 minutes
This session introduces students and families to career and college planning and helps students begin thinking about their interests, strengths, and future goals. Students learn how the choices they make in middle school and high school can impact their future career and education opportunities. The goal of this session is to build awareness, encourage exploration, and help families understand how to support their student as they begin planning for the future.
✔️ DCAP Alignment: Career awareness, goal setting, introduction to postsecondary pathways
✔️ ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: Self-awareness, career exploration, goal-setting, future orientation
Topics:
- What is career and college planning?
- Exploring interests, strengths, and career clusters
- Different education and training pathways after high school
- How middle school and high school choices connect to future options
- The importance of grades, attendance, and involvement
- How families can support career and college planning
Audience: 6th and 7th grade students + parents
Best Time to Schedule: Fall, winter, or spring
Length: 45–60 minutes
Materials Provided: Career and College Planning materials (age-appropriate planning resources)
🎓 Freshman Transitions: A Guide to Beginning High School
For 8th & 9th grade families | 45–60 minutes
This session focuses on helping students understand high school requirements, create an intentional 4-year plan, and explore how choices now affect future options.
✔️ DCAP Alignment: Academic planning, high school course awareness (See ICAN DCAP template)
✔️ ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: Self-management, goal-setting, future orientation
Starting high school is an exciting new chapter—one that sets the stage for future opportunities. The decisions you make in your freshman year, from course selection to extracurricular involvement, play a key role in shaping your path after graduation. This session helps students and families navigate the transition, make informed choices, and start planning for life beyond high school.
Topics:
- Career Exploration & Goal Setting
- Choosing the Right Courses for Your Future
- Exploring Pathways: Apprenticeships, Military, College & More
- Understanding Education Costs & Saving for the Future
- Money Management Basics for High School Students
- A Parent's Role in Academic & Career Planning
Audience: 8th grade students + parents
Best Time to Schedule: January - May
Length: 45–60 minutes
Materials Provided:
💸 Financial Aid Awareness
For 8th grade students + families | 45–60 minutes
Many families believe they cannot afford college or additional training after high school, but financial aid, scholarships, and other funding options make education and training possible for many students. This session introduces families to the basics of financial aid early so they can begin planning ahead and making informed decisions about saving, coursework, and future education options.
This is an awareness session — not a FAFSA completion session — designed to help families understand how financial aid works and what they can do now to prepare.
✔️ DCAP Alignment: Financial literacy, postsecondary planning awareness, future cost planning
✔️ ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: Financial decision-making, postsecondary awareness, planning and
Topics:
- The difference between college cost and what families actually pay
- Types of financial aid: scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study
- What the FAFSA is and why it matters
- How grades and activities can impact scholarship opportunities
- Saving for college and planning ahead
- Where to find scholarships and financial aid resources
Audience: 8th grade students + parents
Best Time to Schedule: Winter or spring of 8th grade
Length: 45–60 minutes
Materials Provided: Financial aid awareness and planning materials
🏫 High School Transitions: What to Expect and How to Succeed
For 8th grade students | 45–60 minutes
Starting high school is one of the biggest transitions students experience during their school years. New expectations, greater independence, different schedules, and increased responsibilities can make high school exciting—but also a little intimidating.
This interactive session helps students understand what to expect when they enter high school, explore common challenges students face during the transition, and learn practical strategies for success. Students will discover the differences between middle school and high school, identify resources available to help them, and develop habits that will support their academic, personal, and future career success.
The goal of this session is to help students feel more confident, prepared, and ready to start high school successfully.
This presentation is ideal for spring of 8th grade or summer before 9th grade.
✔️ DCAP Alignment: Transition planning, academic planning, goal setting, self-awareness, career readiness
✔️ ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: Self-management, learning strategies, goal-setting, help-seeking behaviors, future readiness
Topics:
- What is different about high school?
- Common challenges students face during the transition
- Strategies for managing increased independence and responsibility
- Building successful habits for high school
- School resources and support systems
- Activities, involvement, and finding your place
- How high school success connects to future opportunities
- Creating a personal plan for a successful start
Audience: 8th grade students (classroom or assembly)
Best Time to Schedule: Fall, Winter, or Spring
Length: 45–60 minutes
Materials Provided: High school planning and transition materials
