National School Counseling Week 2023- A Focus on “Helping Students Dream Big” with Lea Putnam

West Henderson Counselor Lea Putnam

Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association, National School Counseling Week, (NSCW)  highlights the tremendous impact that school counselors have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. It is always celebrated during the first full week in February.

HCPS takes this week to honor, celebrate, and thank the 35 school counselors within our District who play pivotal and skilled roles in supporting students from kindergarten through high school.

Each day we are featuring one of our school counselors as they share a few timely and relevant topics: mental health, student attendance, crisis, and this year’s NSCW theme, “School Counselors: Helping Students Dream Big.”

“Helping Students Dream Big” with Lea Putnam, a school counselor at West Henderson High School:

How do counselors specifically help students gain insights into careers and jobs that will suit their abilities, dreams, and requirements?

“At the high school level, counselors advise students on multiple post secondary pathways by talking to them individually, and in groups, about their career goals and then we try to provide them opportunities to reach those goals.

We are fortunate in Henderson County to have many resources to connect students with to learn about career opportunities after high school. The counselors work closely with the school’s Career Development Coordinator (CDC) who organizes tours of local industry for students interested in apprenticeship programs after high school, helps seniors find internships in careers of interest, and provides opportunities for all high school students to explore careers through virtual job shadows. In addition to our CDC, we have a Blue Ridge Community College liaison at each high school who collaborates with the counselors to advise students about post secondary opportunities at the community college. Throughout the year, counselors schedule two and four year college admissions representatives to visit our school and talk to students interested in programs and majors that they offer. The counselors also work with teachers to schedule guest speakers in their classes for presentations about career opportunities and integrate career education learning in the curricula.

We are always trying to provide opportunities for all students to develop the mindsets and behaviors necessary to learn work-related skills, resilience, perseverance, an understanding of lifelong learning as a part of long-term career success, a positive attitude toward learning and a strong work ethic.”