Kirsten Perry, the 2018 American School Counselor of the Year, is a guest contributor for Reach Higher
As a public school counselor working in North Lawndale, located on the west side of Chicago, I have seen and heard a lot. I have listened to so many painful stories of loss, of hardship, and of misfortune that it can be overwhelming and difficult to process at times. What always amazes me about this community—my students and their families—is their amazing strength and resilience despite all of the obstacles that life has given them. I have learned so much that I can only be humble.
School counselors play an important role in school communities. By providing personal-social interventions and supports, we find ways to help youth process what they are going through at home, at school, or in their communities, while also helping them develop the academic skills they need to be successful. By helping youth develop awareness of careers and post-secondary options, we provide students and families with knowledge of opportunities that may not have seamed attainable.
It is important to know that school counselors do not work in isolation; rather, we work as leaders and team members focused on systemic change and improving student achievement. I am most proud of the collaborative work that I have done and the community partners that I have developed at Lawndale Community Academy. Through these teams and partnerships, we have seen improvements in our student attendance, the percentage of students on-track, and our standardized test scores. Through this cohort, I am proud to say that all of my students have access to personal-social instruction and individualized supports. Though we still have a long way to go, we are seeing change happen at Lawndale Community Academy.
School counselors also serve as advocates that help to uncover the root-cause of a problem or situation so that school staff can learn ways to better support each student. I often refer to my student, Kyla. She was frequently in trouble for arguing with her peers and teachers, she was failing her classes, and she was chronically absent. After working with her and uncovering the source of her anger, we provided interventions such as group counseling, increased involvement in after-school programs, and individual coaching sessions. Over time she began to improve and by the end of her eighth grade year, she was on-track for high school.
Prevention work starts from the beginning of a child’s education, as an elementary and middle school counselor, it is my mission to ensure that all of my students are prepared for success in high school and their future careers. School counselors provide direct instruction and individualized interventions to support students along the way. I have also worked to build parent engagement within the school to ensure that families are informed about community resources, feel supported and are up-to-date on all of the important milestones in their child’s education.
As the 2018 American School Counselor of the Year, I will do my best to represent the importance of the school counseling profession. I aim to highlight the profound impact that school counselors are making on student achievement throughout this country, in our most at-risk communities, and throughout a child’s PK-12 education. Many school counselors are assigned tasks and workloads that are not in alignment with what is recommended by the American School Counselor Association. This is a disservice to so many of our nation’s youth.
I take seriously the diversity of this country and the differing challenges that youth are given. I am fortunate that in my personal and professional life, I have been immersed in varying cultures enough to truly embrace and appreciate our similarities and differences. Though my work is driven by my personal beliefs and values, I do not project my beliefs on others, rather I choose to listen, learn, and understand.
I am a believer in collaborative change and follow-through. As an educator, we cannot work in silos, but rather we need to work together with other educators, community members, and investors to create real change. This work is challenging, but our nation’s youth depend on it. With a united and consistent effort, I believe we can improve our education systems, our communities, and our nation.