MAKING IT PERSONAL--Pat Bliss' second period Journalism 1 students visited the Student Success Center to learn about Naviance. Lewis catered to their writing interests and showed them how to find student journalists who speak in videos about career choices.

Applying for college is a big step in the transition from a child to an adult. Having programs and resources to help guide kids through this step can change their lives.

Riverview has a new addition to its plentiful programs that they have. The Student Success Center’s purpose is to help students get ready for college. It provides lectures, counselors, a meeting room and advice.

There are two main websites that the school wants students to know about. Naviance is a webpage where students can research wages, amount of school required and qualities of each job. “Launch Your Plan” provides a checklist for each year and what an interested student needs to do.

Rebecca Lewis, the main counselor who runs the room, said she’s probably someone who would have been the ideal candidate for the Student Success Center.

“I changed my major so many times... when I finally took a career exploration course, I thought ‘why didn’t I do this earlier?’” she said.

She also said she wanted to build a place for kids to go to get clarity on their future. The walls are covered in inspirational words and quotes, such as “achieve” and “strive.”

“These years are going to go by so fast... You need to be building skills to go to the farthest you can with the help of family and counselors,” Lewis said.

She gave some parting advice to the journalism class that was visiting the Student Success Center that day.

“You need to start thinking about what you are passionate about. You need to find what is within, but also you need to put yourself out there, make yourself uncomfortable,” she said.

On Sept. 24, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially kick off the opening of the Student Success Center. Lewis, Principal Erin del Castillo, Asst. Principal of Curriculum Kathy Wilks, teacher board of directors member BJ Ivey and student board member Michael Feltovic ‘19 were present to speak at the occasion.

This Student Success Center will not only serve as a quiet place for students to study or complete assignments, but it is also a room of opportunity that can prepare kids for their futures.