The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) holds around 43,000 members, who are school counseling professionals. This association sponsors “National School Counseling Week” every year to shed light and show appreciation towards what school counselors do every day.
This year, National Counseling Week is from February 5 to 9. It always falls on the first full week of February. This is a time to show gratitude to counselors and recognize the impact they have on students and their futures.
School counselors help students socially, emotionally, academically, and with college and career preparation. This is done through helping students, parents, and teachers. Counselors advise, support, and talk with students. They also collaborate and coordinate with parents and teachers to ensure the success of students.
The counselors at Foran are Mrs. Jennifer Close, Ms. Aubry Dove, Ms. Lauren Giustino, Ms. Kelianna O’Brien, and Mr. Jakob Rosengrant. O’Brien has been a school counselor for five years.
O’Brien says, “I love seeing the success of each of my students. Building a connection and relationship with a student in their ninth grade year and then seeing all that they have achieved as they walk across the stage at graduation is overwhelmingly amazing”
Sophomore Thao Pham goes to Giustino, her school counselor, to talk or get advice whenever she feels overwhelmed.
Pham says, “My counselor has helped me in several ways from helping me adjust to high school to making me feel like I always have someone to trust in the school. I can always count on her to listen to me and validate my feelings. I know that no matter what, there is someone who will support me and help me with my problems.”
Giustino interned at Norwalk High School and Fairfield Prep before finding a home here at Foran.
“I was an English teacher first, and found that a lot of students were confiding to me in their writing. It made me think maybe I was better suited to be a counselor,” Giustino states.
National Counseling Week began in 2006. The week was established by an act of Congress. Since that point, the week has focused on showing the public everything school counselors do. The ASCA promotes the week with press releases, announcements, certificates, and merchandise like posters, stickers, bookmarks, and door hangers.
Every day, counselors do their best to evaluate students’ troubles and to help their students.
“Seeing students sad can be hard sometimes, but I feel good knowing that I am there for them to support,” Giustino says.
Hearing students’ accomplishments and progress is very rewarding.
“I’m appreciative of my counselor for being an understanding and empathetic person. She understands when I’m having a hard time and is someone I can rely on. I appreciate how she reaches out to me when I’m struggling. She always finds a way to figure out a plan with me,” states Pham.
The goal for National Counseling Week is to show our counselors how much they mean to Foran and show appreciation for them. Although this week especially sheds a light on counselors, it is important to show gratitude towards them throughout the whole year.
