Each year, the William S. Hart Union High School District prepares thousands of seniors for their next step in life, whether it’s the workforce, the trending “gap year” of exploration or a traditional two-year or four-year college route.

KHTS AM-1220 and the Hart district’s Career and College Readiness program (formerly known as ROP, or Regional Occupational Program) teamed up to produce a video looking at the different paths to college for three students.

Jake Shick interviewed, filmed and edited the story below, gathering the story and then sharing the student perspective on paths that can be at the same time “nerve-wracking,” challenging, rewarding and some of the biggest decisions they’ll ever make.

The project made the process somewhat less intimidating, he said, because with the interviews and looking for students for the story came the realization that so many are going through the same experiences.”

“With high school wrapping up in 34 school days, many students like myself are finishing up applying for college which I found to be a somewhat nerve-wracking process,” Shick said. “Being given the opportunity to interview students who are also applying to college, I found myself not alone with the stressful process.”

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Shick interviewed a National Merit Scholar at Academy of the Canyons; a football player who set records at Saugus High and now found finds himself readying to start over again; and another Centurion who’s looking to continue working on her craft as an actress.

“Many students like Purva Parwal, Jaelin Kinney, and Katherine Williams had similar feelings, but had different needs in the application process,” he said. “Purva is a academic merit scholar who is constantly focusing on keeping her grades up; Katherine is trying to keep her grades up while also performing in theater productions; and Jaelin who is a significant football player taking college classes while in high school so he can play football next year.”

Ultimately, he recognized what many often don’t realize until it’s too late in their senior year, which is that the real determinations about the future after high school is made every day from freshman to senior year, in the decisions made, and the courses taken. Recognizing that makes the path much easier than trying to scramble during a senior year filled numerous other challenges and decisions.

Sharing these stories left him optimistic, he said, not only about his own post-high school path, which is likely to involve further pursuing his passion and projects by starting his own company JS Productions. He’s already volunteered to work with community nonprofits to promote their messaging, such as the Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley. (Shick produced a video for their recent Great Escape Gala, which can be seen here.)

“Applying is the most stressful thing about high school,” the senior said, “because all the work we have all put in will now determine where our future will go. Regardless of what colleges students like us get accepted to, I know that with determination and a passion to keep moving forward, wherever we end up going, nothing will get in the way of our passion for success.”

A special thanks to the Career and College Readiness Program, instructor Wade Williams, Saugus High; Hart district Career Development Coordinator Sue Reynolds; and the William S. Hart Union High School District. The website for more information on the  CCR program is located at Pathway to my Future.