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Did winning Counselor of the Year aid you in your profession?
The sudden recognition from within our school district, the broader education community nationally and both the print and air media was overwhelming. Suddenly everyone wanted my opinion on many subjects and my opinion actually seemed important. That’s not always something that school-based counselors are privileged to see.
I have been able to be part of discussions and planning related to the roles and responsibilities of school counseling and I’ve been able to promote the importance of career counseling as a key K-12 plus developmental process leading to successful transitions into educational experiences after high school.
It also provided a number of career change opportunities. While I turned down several offers, I did accept the position of Director of Counseling Services and College Prep for the Memphis City Schools system. I miss the direct day-to-day contact with my students but I now have a chance to impact counseling services for 209 schools and 110,000 students.
The American School Counselor Association School Counselor of the Year selection process is challenging, the ceremony is well-done, the platform created by the honor is respected and the doors it opened for me are beyond anything I could have imagined.
