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)
💸 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
For 8th grade students + families | 45–60 minutes
Starting high school is an important transition, and the decisions students make early in high school can impact their future opportunities. This session helps students and families understand graduation requirements, course planning, activities, and how to start high school with a plan for career and college readiness.
This presentation is ideal for spring of 8th grade or summer before 9th grade.
✔️ DCAP Alignment: Academic planning, four-year planning, transition planning, career and postsecondary planning
✔️ ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: Goal-setting, academic planning, self-management, future planning
Topics:
- High school graduation requirements
- Creating a 4-year high school plan
- Choosing courses that support future goals
- Activities, involvement, and building a resume
- Career exploration and postsecondary options
- How families can support a successful transition to high school
Audience: 8th grade students + parents
Best Time to Schedule: Spring of 8th grade
Length: 45–60 minutes
Materials Provided: High school planning and transition materials
