High School Counselor
Upcoming Events
Course Requesting
Grades 8-11 will fill out their Course Request Sheets. These must be signed by a parent and brought back to school by Tuesday February 18th. All students will then input their selections to the online system to assist the scheduling process.
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College Credit Plus
A student and parent should have attended the February 13th required meeting to become eligible for CCP courses for the 25-26 school year. Contact Mrs. Merickel ASAP if you did not attend the meeting.
Presentation for New CCP Students
Presentation for Returning CCP Students
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Workforce Partnership Power Lunch
Friday February 21, 2025
Juniors and Seniors from Shelby County will gather at the Palazzo in Botkins for a great morning of job/employer shopping and exposure. They will have a free lunch to end the event. Registration has concluded at this time.
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ACT Test for Juniors
Tuesday February 25 @ 8:00 AM
Juniors will take the ACT on this date at HHS. This includes students who may not normally be in the Houston building (UVCC, Edison, Opportunity School). The 2025 test is optional.
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Saturday ACT Testing
The ACT is being offered to any high school student who would like to take/re-take the test. Ensure you are meeting your college’s deadline to submit scores. Register online at act.org. If you need a fee waiver for the ACT, you can get one by stopping by the office.
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ACT Prep Workshops
A pair of Ft. Loramie teachers who have been offering this class for many years. They have workshops available at various times throughout the year. Consult their website here for more information
Graduation Requirements
Please find graduation requirements here.
The classes of 2023 and on will utilize the Graduation Audit and Career Planning Sheet to track all graduation requirements. Part of that is earning two graduation seals. Electronic versions of each document are below.
Graduation Audit and Career Planning Sheet
Houston High School Graduation Seals
You can find more information on at the Ohio Department of Education’s website on Grad Requirements here.
Scholarships Available Now
Local scholarship applications, of which the office is made aware, are posted here. Students are encouraged to check this information periodically through the Winter and Spring months to find updates and new applications.
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Midmark Scholarship
Deadline February 7, 2025
This scholarship is for a student entering the fields of either Engineering or IT. Please find the application here.
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Shelby County Community Foundation
Application opens on December 12.
Regular Deadline February 13, 2025
Skills Deadline March 13, 2025
Their website offers a number of scholarships by filling out one online application. There are multiple scholarships available for Houston students only.
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Ohio State University Alumni Scholarships
Deadline February 15, 2025
Utilize ScholarshipUniverse to apply.
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ACME Baseball Scholarship
Deadline February 15, 2025
Must have played at least one year of Varsity ACME baseball. Application available here.
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Pioneer Electric Scholarship
Deadline February 23, 2025
Seniors who live in a home powered by Pioneer Electric may apply. Minimum GPA is 3.5. Application available here.
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Ginn Agricultural Scholarship
Deadline February 28, 2025
This scholarship is specifically for students planning to pursue a college degree in a farming or ag-related field. Application packet available here.
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Edison State Community College Scholarship Application
Deadline March 1, 2025
Complete this one application to be considered for 40+ scholarships that Edison offers.
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Masonic Scholarship
Deadline March 1, 2025
Application available here, or you can email Mrs. Merickel for a fillable PDF.
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Houston Area Scholarship Packet
Deadline March 7, 2025
Apply for multiple scholarships with one application. These are only open to HHS Seniors.
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Houston Athletic Award
Deadline March 7, 20205
Any Houston Varsity athlete may apply. You do not need to be going to college, as this is not a scholarship, but an award. Find the application here.
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Knouff Memorial Scholarships
Deadline March 7, 2025
There are two different scholarships, and these are open only to Houston seniors. For both, the student must have a 3.0 GPA and must not be ranked 1st or 2nd in the class. These are applied for through the Troy Foundation, and the link is here. A description of the requirements for each scholarship can be found here.
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Rotary Club Scholarships
Deadline March 12, 2025
Please find the scholarship application and information here.
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YMCA Scholarships
Deadline March 13, 2025
Jim Lantz Scholarship Information and Application
Lee E. Schauer Scholarship Information and Application
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Bruns Construction Scholarship
Deadline March 14, 2025
Scholarships for Seniors planning to attend a construction trade school, college, or university in the areas of construction, construction engineering, or construction management. Find the flyer with application information here.
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Nidec Minster Scholarship for Electrical Engineering
Deadline March 21, 2025
This application is open to a Senior planning to pursue Electrical Engineering at a 4-year college. Please see details on the flyer.
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Shelby County Coin Club Scholarship
Deadline March 28, 2025
Open to any graduating senior. Information available here.
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Barnes Trust Student Loan
Deadline March 31, 2025
This is a loan, not a scholarship, but it has a low interest rate and provides a locally-run alternative or supplement to the loans students can get from the federal government. Application is available for download here, or you can pick up a hard copy from Mrs. Merickel. Find more information about the Barnes Trust on their website.
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WCOMP Scholarship
Deadline March 31, 2025
These scholarships are awarded to students planning to pursue continuing education in the following fields: manufacturing, electronics, engineering, maintenance, robotics, or automation. Please find the application here.
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Win on the Wabash Scholarships
Deadline March 31, 2025
Twenty scholarships will be given to area grads who excel in the area of community service. Information and links to the application form are available here.
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Shelby County Farm Bureau Scholarship
Deadline March 31, 2025
Seniors who have a parent who is a member of the Shelby County Farm Bureau may apply. Information and application available here.
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Alpha Delta Kappa Scholarship
Deadline April 1, 2025
This scholarship is for graduating seniors who are going into the field of Education. Application available here.
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Houston Community Association Scholarship
Deadline May 7, 2025
You must have volunteer hours with HCA to qualify. These opportunities include the Houston Food Booth at the Shelby County Fair, Lake Loramie Fall Festival, and the HCA’s Pizza Nights and other dinners.
This application is included in the Houston Scholarship Packet (available above), and is also on the HCA’s website.
College and Occupation Search
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing is typically one of the most important things a student can do to help them decide what path to pursue after high school.
9th through 12th grade students at Houston High School are encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and shadow someone who works in a job or profession of interest. Any student who wishes to take part in a Job Shadow experience may do so by talking with Mrs. Merickel. There is a brief application form, but the process is easy and fun!
Current Employment Opportunities
Hometown Opportunity website – local job postings and resources
Honda – Anna Engine Plant is hiring. They hire through Kelly Services. Must be 18. See flyer.
Bachelor’s Degree Seekers (4 years):
Detailed information on Ohio’s Public Colleges and Universities
List of Ohio’s Private Colleges and Universities
***Click on “Ohio’s Private Colleges,” then click on “View Ohio’s Private Colleges.” This will allow you to look at a great fact sheet on any chosen college, as well as take you directly to the school’s website.
Nearby Branch colleges:
The Ohio State University, Lima Campus
Wright State University, Lake Campus Celina
Certificate/Associate’s Degree (2 years or less):
Associate Degree and Certificate Programs at Edison Community College, Piqua
Associate Degree and Certificate Programs at Rhodes State College, Lima
Associate Degree and Certificate Programs at the University of Northwestern Ohio, Lima
Associate Degree and Certificate Programs at Sinclair Community College, Dayton
Certificate Programs in the Adult Division of the UVCC
ACT/SAT links