Counseling

Student at graduation ceremony at Pepsi Center

Counseling, College & Career Readiness

Preparing our students for College and Career is at the heart of everything we do at North High.

North High School’s school counseling team is here to help our Viking Scholars navigate their high school experience and prepare for college and beyond. Please click button below and visit the Counseling Department Website.

North Counseling Department Staff
  • North High School’s School Counseling team is here to help our Viking Scholars navigate their high school experience and prepare for college and beyond. To make an appointment with your counselor, please send email or call.

North High’s Counseling Department also includes the following resources:

Senior Class Information – College and Career after Graduation

North’s Counseling Department is here to help you with your plans for college and career after graduation. Have you been to the North High Future Center yet? Visit today for lots of valuable information and help with college applications and scholarships!

Class of 2023 Families – please CLICK HERE for a round-up of all of the college and scholarship opportunities regularly distributed to seniors via Schoology.

North Side High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation Scholarship Awards

The North Side High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation has an endowment of over $1.7 Million and are proud to award over 40 scholarships each year to graduating seniors of North High School. Over $120,000 in scholarships was awarded to graduating seniors in 2023.

The Alumni Association has been awarding scholarships to North High graduates since 1984. The Alumni Association has awarded well over $1,000,000 in scholarships to deserving North graduates since that time. Many alumni have contributed to the Alumni Scholarship Fund over the years to assist our young Vikings in pursuing their choices for post-secondary education.

North High’s Future Center has application packets for the awards. Applications are due mid-March. View the descriptions of the available awards.

Graduation Requirements

Life beyond high school is different than what it used to be. Most jobs in Colorado now and in the future require training or education beyond high school. When students graduate from a DPS high school, their diploma must be a diploma of possibility that opens the door of opportunity for their success.

Beginning with the Class of 2021, DPS has redefined our expectations for earning a DPS diploma so that our graduates will be successful in any path they choose. Read complete information and watch a video about the new DPS graduation requirements.

The change in graduation requirements means students must demonstrate their competency (or what they know how to do) in courses that reflect Colorado academic standards and 21st century skills in order to graduate from high school. This new approach is less about the time spent in a classroom, and more about students demonstrating they are truly prepared for the world after high school. By completing these important components to earn their DPS diploma of possibility, our students will be empowered for success to make their plan for the future a reality!

Learn more about current graduation requirements and the new requirements. For more information about graduation requirements, please contact your school counselor or the DPS School Counseling Department at 720-423-6810.

Additionally, North High has additional Graduation Requirements for our Vikings Scholars.

North High School Graduation Walking Requirements:

  • Demonstrate reliability and dependability by maintaining a minimum of 93% attendance
  • Build knowledge and skill by having a full schedule of seven classes or equivalent thereof
  • Show strong work ethic by earning a passing grade in ALL senior year classes
  • Utilize Restorative Practices and strong life skills to have no major behavior incidents
  • Give back to your community and understand the needs of others by completing and documenting at least 20 hours of community service within four years of high school.
  • Have a plan for your future by applying to a minimum of two post-secondary opportunities
  • Have a plan for how you will make your future happen by applying to a minimum of three scholarships or the equivalent thereof

Future Center

Your Future Center is North’s college resource center, where students can get information about colleges, financial aid and scholarships. The Advisors at the Future Center help guide students through every step of the college application and financial aid process. The Denver Scholarship Foundation Future Center at North High is located in the Library Atrium. Below is a brief list of the services and resources available at your Future Center.

Meet your Future Center Advisors

Fall, 2023

Hello Vikings!

Happy first week of school! I would like to introduce myself and Michele Lopez to all of our new staff as well as reiterate our roles and the DSF Future Center services to all staff. 

A little bit about me, I was born and raised in Denver and I grew up in this community, the Northside. I also graduated from North and I am a new mom to my 10 month old, Zion. This is my 11th year in my role and 8th year at North.

Michele and I are the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) Future Center College Advisors. Michele works with 9th-12th grade students who are a part of the TRIO program. I am the lead college advisor and I serve all 12th grade students at North. 

About our roles:

We are here to help students navigate the college-going process. I meet with each senior at least once per semester and primarily help students learn about their post-secondary options and guide students through the college application process, scholarship applications, and financial aid process. Ms. Lopez meets with 9th-12th graders who are a part of the TRIO program. We will be implementing workshops, one-on-one meetings, and other programming to facilitate the college going process. We do all of this with the hope that students  will be prepared and informed to pursue whichever pathway they choose (2-year college, 4-year college, technical programs, apprenticeships, etc.).

The intention behind our program is to make college an option for our students. We know oftentimes college is not for everyone or students have a different plan in place, however if we teach them how to get through this challenging process they will then be able to get there on their own whenever they are ready. 

Michele and I are excited to make this a great year! We have an amazing team at North and I am so thankful to have all of you as my colleagues. Keep us in mind for any post-secondary needs such as in-class presentations and college questions. 

We appreciate your support in encouraging students to visit the Future Center .

Cheers to a new year, with love, 

Michele and Zulema

Resources
  • Guidebooks about planning and paying for college
  • College applications
  • Financial aid applications
  • Scholarship applications
  • Information about college access programs
Services
  • Help with college applications
  • Help with financial aid and scholarship applications
  • Visits from college representatives
  • Tours of college campuses
  • Workshops for students and parents
Scholarships

Visit the DSF Future Center scholarship page.

Every year the Denver Scholarship Foundation awards thousands of scholarships to qualifying DPS graduates who attend one of our eligible colleges in Colorado. DSF Scholarships are renewable for up to four years. DSF depends on donations from the community to pay for its scholarships, and award amounts can vary from year to year. Applications are due on April 1. View information on how to apply.

Eligibility

To qualify for a DSF Scholarship, students must meet these requirements:

  • Complete the DSF Application by April 1st and fulfill other required steps on time;
  • Graduate with a 2.0 Grade Point Average from a DPS high school;
  • Attend a DPS high school for all four years before graduation;
  • Be eligible to receive federal financial aid (and submit FAFSA by April 1) or confirm lawful presence in the U.S.

For more information, please visit www.denverscholarship.org

Scholarship amounts

Scholarship amounts depend on the following:

  • Your financial need. Students who are eligible for federal student aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to de-termine financial need. Financial need for students who are ineligible for federal student aid and can confirm their lawful presence in the U.S. depends on their qualification for free or reduced price lunch in high school.
  • The college you attend (see reverse for details). DSF Scholarships are higher at four-year universities than at community and technical colleges.
Eligible Colleges in Colorado

The DSF Scholarship is available to qualifying DPS graduates who enroll in any one of Colorado’s eligible technical, community or four-year colleges and universities.

Official DSF Partner Colleges are denoted below with an asterisk. These colleges provide our scholars with additional support on campus to help them be successful. The support includes such services as mentoring, tutoring and special workshops. New Scholars in 2013-14 who attend one of the official DSF Partner Colleges also receive larger scholarship awards than those who attend non-partner schools.

Visit our website at www.denverscholarship.org/colleges for details about award amounts, Campus Contacts, Student Success Requirements and required DSF Transition Workshops.

Visit the FAFSA School Code Database. You can use the Federal School Code Database to search for colleges you’re interested in to include on your FAFSA. You can also find detailed college information, like tuition and fee amounts and graduation rates, and compare information for up to 10 colleges at a time.