Like many of her students, Christina Fontenot was the first in her family to go to college. As a college success coach at Abramson Sci Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana, Christina works to build a culture of excitement and accomplishment to accelerate FAFSA completion among students. With parents, she works to build trust, and has helped families with several siblings complete the FAFSA year after year. Christina shared her reflections with Kresge during a recent visit to Abramson Sci Academy.

Kresge: Why is it important to increase FAFSA completion within your community at Abramson Sci Academy?

Christina: First and foremost, FAFSA completion is a graduation requirement for our students in the state of Louisiana. It helps students access more financial aid. I don’t think students are aware of the amount of financial aid they can access by completing the FAFSA. With increased access, there’s increased opportunity, and so it’ll allow my students to have increased educational opportunities.

Kresge: In working with your students, what have you found to be one of the most effective strategies for increasing FAFSA completion?

Christina: I think drumming up the excitement around FAFSA completion and making it part of our school culture are effective strategies. Outside of my office, I have a big FAFSA thermometer where we track the progress up to 100% of the class completing the FAFSA. The students get stickers that say that they completed their FAFSA. They sign their name, and they put the sticker in the Hall of Fame. Things like that make it feel special. But the fact that it’s a graduation requirement adds another sense of urgency. Then it becomes competitive. They see that another student has completed their FAFSA, but they haven’t completed, so it becomes a friendly competition. Then, we incentivize it. We have the sticker system and once we reach 100%, we do a celebration of some sort. Maybe we go have ice cream or do a pep rally. We always do something to celebrate their success when the class reaches 100% completion.

Kresge: Why is it important to increase FAFSA completion within your community at Abramson Sci Academy?

Christina: First and foremost, FAFSA completion is a graduation requirement for our students in the state of Louisiana. It helps students access more financial aid. I don’t think students are aware of the amount of financial aid they can access by completing the FAFSA. With increased access, there’s increased opportunity, and so it’ll allow my students to have increased educational opportunities.

Kresge: In working with your students, what have you found to be one of the most effective strategies for increasing FAFSA completion?

Christina: I think drumming up the excitement around FAFSA completion and making it part of our school culture are effective strategies. Outside of my office, I have a big FAFSA thermometer where we track the progress up to 100% of the class completing the FAFSA. The students get stickers that say that they completed their FAFSA. They sign their name, and they put the sticker in the Hall of Fame. Things like that make it feel special. But the fact that it’s a graduation requirement adds another sense of urgency. Then it becomes competitive. They see that another student has completed their FAFSA, but they haven’t completed, so it becomes a friendly competition. Then, we incentivize it. We have the sticker system and once we reach 100%, we do a celebration of some sort. Maybe we go have ice cream or do a pep rally. We always do something to celebrate their success when the class reaches 100% completion.

Kresge: What inspires you to do this work?

Christina: I worked in a university setting for a very long time, and in that setting, I didn’t see a lot of students who looked like me. I didn’t even have a lot of colleagues who looked like me. Having gone to a predominantly black high school, a predominantly black college, and being in those spaces, I was empowered to feel confident and comfortable in collegiate settings. But I realized a lot of the students that I encountered on recruitment trips and many students I met while discussing the university where I worked didn’t seem like they felt confident being in a competitive and academically rigorous environment. I wasn’t always 100% sure why. I want to help students understand the things that are possible with an education at a more rigorous university and with education in general. I want to empower my students so they know that they can be in a rigorous collegiate environment as well.

New Orleans is special to me because I completed my undergraduate degree here. I attended Dillard University, where I majored in elementary and special education. A lot of my training, in addition to my education, was in New Orleans Public Schools. After Hurricane Katrina, I witnessed how the school district and entire school system was continuously rebuilding. I felt that I would have a place here in helping ensure that New Orleans’ students have as much access to opportunity as any other student around the country.

Kresge: What makes Abramson Sci special?

Christina: The students, hands down. We have some of the greatest students in the city. Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Our school is predominantly African American, Vietnamese, and Hispanic. With that, there’s just a beautiful meld of cultures among our students and staff. We also have great partnerships in the community that help to push our students forward, such as College Track, Upward Bound and College Access.

Kresge: What is a challenge that you face in working to boost FAFSA completion?

Christina: Overall, I think our biggest challenge among parents is not fully understanding the FAFSA completion process. A lot of our parents want the best for their children, so they know that they’re going to complete the FAFSA because it’s something their child needs in order to graduate. However, many don’t fully understand the scope of the process so a lot of times I must explain things a bit more.

There are some similarities in my background and the experiences of some of my students. My mom didn’t go to college, nor did my father. I was one of the first people in my family to graduate from college, so in many ways, I understand their perspectives. I don’t think of this work in terms of challenges. It’s something that I welcome. I’d rather be the person explaining FAFSA completion, as opposed to having them become frustrated and walk away.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with the parents of my students because I understand exactly where they’re coming from. I come from a similar place. We speak similar languages, so I’m able to authentically explain what FAFSA completion means for their child. I explain the possibilities that will open with the Pell Grant and being able to fully pay for community college without having to take out loans or pay anything out of pocket. A lot of people don’t realize that is a possibility.

Kresge: Can you recall an experience helping a family with FAFSA completion that was particularly meaningful to you?

Christina: A few years ago, I worked with a young lady her and her mom and helped her complete her college applications and FAFSA. It was the first time her family went through this process. The student’s mother had her when she was very young so, in many ways, they were learning the process together. Her mother was so proud and excited of her daughter. She was the class valedictorian and went on to attend Xavier University, where they have a scholarship for valedictorians.

I made a special connection with that family. The following year, the mother called me when her son was graduating, and I assisted him with his college process. Then the next year, I worked with the mother and the younger sister, and she went off to college too. I found it meaningful to build that level of trust with a family. Regardless of where I am, they know can support them and am available to help. That happens more frequently than I ever thought it would.

Kresge: What advice would you give to a student who may not know how to begin the FAFSA process?

Christina: For students, I would say, ‘Google, Twitter and Instagram are your friends.’ The FAFSA can be accessed in many ways, and across many platforms. This helps makes the information accessible for students. And now there is a FAFSA app that students and parents can download. The FAFSA can even be a bit easier for students to complete on the app because the interface is more user-friendly.

[Federal Student Aid] is making strides with the FAFSA. There’s always room for improvement, but they’re making the information more accessible to students. Their YouTube channel is great. There are lots of videos that simplify the FAFSA and go through it step-by-step. There are also FAFSA completion events across the country. Even if a student doesn’t have a coach or access to a college counselor at their school, they can always use Google, or go to the nearest public library to find the FAFSA events in their community.

Kresge: What advice would you give to college access professionals who are working to boost FAFSA completion in their communities?

Christina: I’m in a unique situation with a more moderately sized caseload, as compared to a large school where counselors might have huge student caseloads. But even I feel overwhelmed sometimes working with 140 students. In those situations, I would tell my peers to leverage their partnerships. I’m fortunate to partner with local universities. Tulane University supports our FAFSA completion efforts as does my alma mater, Dillard University. It’s important to partner with local organizations, many of which will help with hosting FAFSA completion nights with parents and FAFSA events with students.

Additionally, setting small, attainable goals and not just saying “we’re going to get to 100% FAFSA completion on the first day the FAFSA opens,” is helpful. Set a goal and pace yourself. Aim for 10% or 20% every week, so you’re moving the lever continuously, but not to the point that it’s overwhelming.