National College Commitment Day on May 1 was an exciting opportunity for College Possible high school seniors. Here, we’re highlighting two graduates who are preparing to take exciting next steps toward their futures with the support from their coaches who helped guide them along the way.
Juniper, a senior at Washburn High School, will attend Bates College this fall. While beginning her college search felt overwhelming at first, Juniper credits her College Possible coach with helping her discover a school that truly fit her goals. Through one-on-one meetings and personalized support, her coach helped turn uncertainty into confidence. “I was very unsure of where I wanted to go,” she says, “but my coach helped me find Bates College, a small liberal arts college in Maine.” Juniper’s coach, Chris O’Mara, writes that it has “… been a pleasure working with June these past two years. Even while working through essays, activity lists, and scholarships, June always stayed positive and found joy within the college application process. She is a confident and curious learner, and I’m sure she will thrive at Bates.”
For Emmanuel, a senior at Champlin Park High School, College Possible opened doors he had never imagined before. This fall, he will study biology with a focus on marine biology at the University of Manitoba in Canada. Emmanuel says the program helped him manage stress, understand the college process, and grow into the person he hopes to become. Most importantly, he found mentors who believed in him every step of the way. Emmanuel’s coach, Hanna Lee, writes that coaching at Champlin Park High School “… is like [being] the equivalent of a teacher; [you’re] a trusted adult specifically trained to help your students get to where they want to go. I’m looking forward to the rest of my year of service because I’m so excited to see where all of my students end up.”
Together, their stories reflect the lasting impact of coaching, encouragement, and opportunity. College Possible Minnesota’s customized coaching program leads high school juniors through the process of selecting colleges, preparing for standardized tests, and applying for financial aid, all the way through the process of coaching them through college graduation and into their careers. As a result of the dedication and persistence of coaches like Chris and Hanna, 89% of College Possible Minnesota’s high school seniors who applied to college have been accepted to one or more institutions of higher education so far this year. On average, students in the College Possible Minnesota coaching program submit five college applications. So far this year, students have submitted a total of 3,835 applications for the 2025–26 school year.
As the class of 2026 graduates and journeys into their freshmen year of college, we’d like to thank the mentors who helped them pave the way.
Are you interested in positively impacting the future leaders of Minnesota and becoming an AmeriCorps volunteer? College Possible Minnesota is currently recruiting high school coaches for next school year. Apply to become an AmeriCorps volunteer at College Possible Minnesota.
