A statewide partnership celebrating Washington high school seniors

Spring is a season of milestones. Across Washington, seniors are graduating, making plans, and taking important steps toward what comes next.  

One of those steps — completing the FAFSA — can play a critical role in unlocking access to financial aid. It helps students understand what support may be available and makes postsecondary pathways feel more possible and more affordable. This is especially important as most living-wage careers today require education or training beyond high school.  

Financial aid completion is not just paperwork. It is often the step that turns a student’s postsecondary plan into a real, actionable option — connecting their goals to real education and career pathways.

A statewide partnership model

This year, WSOS is proud to support the Washington Completes FAFSA Campaign, convened by the Governor’s Office and led by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). This coordinated, statewide effort brings together schools, partners, and funders to increase financial aid application completion and expand access to opportunity.

With Microsoft grant funding and in partnership with WSAC, WSOS supported senior recognition events at 10 WSAC-identified priority schools that achieved a 6% increase in FAFSA completion among students who qualify for free-and-reduced price lunch. Each school received a $2,500 grant to celebrate students and their postsecondary plans.

Across the state, partners have worked to remove barriers, increase access, and support students — especially those in underserved communities — in taking this critical step. These events are more than celebrations. They reflect a shared commitment to ensuring students not only graduate, but have the information, resources, and encouragement needed to take their next step.

When schools, partners, and funders work together, more students move from wondering what is possible to understanding what support is available — and how to move forward with confidence. This alignment matters. Many students aspire to continue their education, and a significant share of jobs in Washington require credentials or training beyond high school. Financial aid is often what bridges the gap between having a plan and being able to act on it.

Alongside the Microsoft and WSAC-supported recognition events, WSOS also raffled laptops at five schools that saw the largest increases in both FAFSA completions and WSOS Baccalaureate applications. Scholarships like WSOS help students pursue high-demand STEM, health care, and trade pathways that lead to strong careers and support Washington’s workforce needs. While distinct, these efforts are connected by a shared goal — helping students move forward with the tools they need to succeed.

From individual schools to communities across Washington, this work reflects what’s possible when partners align around a shared goal: expanding access to opportunity and preparing more students for the careers shaping Washington’s future.

Washington HS seniors are taking their next step — and partners are making it possible.