Text #askbenji to (602) 786-8171 to see what Benji can do for you!
Educator Toolkit
Here you can find Ask Benji and FAFSA-related resources to share with students and families, training events, ways to engage with Ask Benji, and more!
Engage staff, students, and families with Ask Benji’s Media Kit!
Download and share official Ask Benji assets from our media kit to increase awareness of Ask Benji, including:
Flyers, handouts, and posters
Social Media
Videos
Logos & more
Resources for you & your team
Send a Message to Students From Benji
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Do you have a "custom nudge" message you would like to send to your students via Benji’s chat platform relating to FAFSA events and the college-going process? Please submit your request at least two to four weeks in advance so our team can review your submission.
Questions? Email Lizette, Ask Benji's engagement coordinator, at lblancas@educationforwardarizona.org
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Want to see what messages are being sent out or Benji's travels across the state?
Learning Opportunities for Counselors & Educators
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More Lunch & Lear topics and dates coming soon! All events will happen on Wednesday once a month, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
August 13th l What Do Families Hear When We Say, “Financial Aid” and FAFSA? (08/13/25)
September 24th l Tri-University Admission Updates (What You Need to Know)🎓 (09/24/25)
October 22nd l FAFSA 2026–27 Updates with ABOR + Special Guest: Maricopa Community Foundation (10/22/25)
November 19th l Scholarships 101: Finding Funding For Every Future (11/19/25)
January 21st l Expanding Access: Dual Enrollment & Student Support (01/21/26)
February 25th l Arizona’s Community Colleges: Hidden Gems For Career & College Pathways (02/25/26)
March 25th l AZ Department of Education Updates & Special Guest (03/25/26)
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Lunch & Learns is our monthly virtual convening of high school counselors, leadership, educators, and college access professionals across AZ to exchange updates, share best practices, and collaborate.
Eating is required! 😉
Recordings
Updates from AZ Dept. Education: March 26th (3/26/25) 📺 Zoom recording | 📂 Slide Deck
AZ College Updates: Maricopa Community College and Eastern Arizona College (2/19/25) 📺 Zoom recording | 📂 Slide Deck
Pre-College 🎓and Summer Opportunities for High School Students (1/22/25) 📺 YouTube recording | 📂 Slide Deck
Innovations in Postsecondary Advising (11/20/24) 📺 Zoom recording (Passcode: d$R1g9Yb)| 📂 Slide Deck
FAFSA Completion Secrets Unlocked (9/25/24) 📺 YouTube recording | 📂 Slide Deck | 📄 FSA ID forms
Postsecondary Planning Resources and Updates (8/14/24) 📺 Zoom recording | 📂 Slide Deck
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April 2024 Spring Training is in the works! If you have any feedback on what we should include, leave us a note at the bottom of this webpage.
Let’s get ahead of the game and score a home run with our statewide college-going efforts.
Review recordings from our annual Spring Training Counselor Event, held on April 19, 2023, to learn more about:
Better FAFSA
Prop 308
CCRI
Postsecondary success for students with disabilities
and more!
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Recordings
📺 4 yr College Programs & Tribal College Updates|📂 Slide Deck (08/30/23)📺 TRI U Admission Updates | 📂 Slide Deck (09/20/23)
📺 ABOR’s AZ College Connect Updates | 📂 Slide Deck (10/25/23)
📺 Better FAFSA Update & Resources | 📂 Slide Deck (11/15/23)
📺 Better FAFSA “Best” Practices | 📂 Slide Deck (1/17/24)
📺 Summer Programs (College & University Resources) | 📂 Slide Deck (2/21/24)
📺 ECAP Overview with ADE | 📂 Slide Deck (3/27/24)
NEW FAFSA 2025-26 Training
Register now for the 2025 FAFSA & CCR Symposium!
Join us Friday, September 12, at ASU Tempe’s Memorial Union for a day of learning and connection with high school counselors, CCR specialists, and college access professionals. Breakouts and roundtables will cover key strategies for supporting Arizona students. Spots are filling up fast—secure yours today by registering now!
2026-27 FAFSA Resources
Sign up to receive updates for educators/counselors from Ask Benji by texting “Hi Benji” to (601) 786-8171
Up-to-date FAFSA resources: AzCAN FAFSA Resource Hub
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Dates and details have yet to be released.
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2025-26 FAFSA Overview for New Counselors | Oct 31, 2024 | Slide Deck
What to Expect with the 2025-26 FAFSA | Nov 7, 2024 | Recording & Slide Deck
Next Steps to Success: Guiding Students After FAFSA Submission | Nov 14, 2024 | Recording & Slide Deck
Arizona College Connect: New Features and System Enhancements | Nov 21, 2024, 10:00-11:00 AM | Registration
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Preparing for the Better FAFSA: Learn about the latest changes to the 2024-25 FAFSA and how to create an FSA ID, including the new process for parents without a social security number, in this engaging training webinar. Watch Recording Here
FAFSA 101 - Form Overview and Pell Eligibility: Gain clarity on which parent information is required, learn how to support special student populations, review the FAFSA Submission Summary and master the verification process. Watch Recording Here
FAFSA 201 - Advanced FAFSA Topics: This training will provide a demo of the 2024-25 FAFSA, details on the new SAI calculation to determine Pell Grant eligibility and additional updates and information to know about the new Better FAFSA form. Watch Recording Here
Arizona College Connect - New FAFSA Database Enhancements & Updates: Discover the powerful features of the Arizona College Connect FAFSA database and learn how to leverage your student-level FAFSA data for strategic outreach to high school seniors. Watch Recording Here
Opportunities for you, your school & student
Counselor and school opportunities
College Access Professionals (CAP) Training
AzCAN’s College Access Professional (CAP) Trainings are for professionals who help students prepare for and be successful in postsecondary education.
Earn recertification hours
Join online discussions with peers
Complete an action plan that contributes to the college-going culture of your school or organization
Register for a Fall 2025 Snack Pack Session
Join ABOR, ADE, and AzCAN staff for bite-sized professional development during the upcoming Fall 2025 semester. Tune in virtually to learn about impactful updates on the latest tools, resources, data, and more - all designed to support your CCR efforts! Register your school or district team below for the option that best works with your schedule:
Option 1: September 17, 11:30 am to 1:30 p.m.
Option 2: October 22, 11:30 am to 1:30 p.m.
Student Opportunities
2026 FAFSA Spring Training - TBA College Ready AZ will release information in December 2025.
2025 FAFSA Spring Training: For the last three years, the Arizona Cactus League and the Arizona Board of Regents have partnered to offer hundreds of AZ high school seniors four free spring training tickets for completing the FAFSA. The Spring Training ticket event ended in March 2025. When details for the 2026-27 FAFSA Spring Training are released, we will update information here.
For past info, go to collegereadyaz.com
Need something you don’t see?
Need something else to promote Benji and increase FAFSA completion? Let us know! We are always looking for innovative ways to support you.