Fayette’s school counselors celebrated their craft and honored their colleagues during the sixth annual Fayette School Counselors Association (FSCA) Installation of Officers and Awards Ceremony.

Each year the association seeks nominations from members, teachers and administrators for those who are always going above and beyond the call of duty to help students excel at each academic level. One counselor of the year is selected from the elementary, middle and high school level. The 2006 counselors of the year are (elementary) Phyllis Bennett, Cleveland Elementary; (middle) Susan Earwood, Whitewater Middle and (high) Lorabeth Stroup, Fayette County High.

In addition to naming counselors of the year, the organization also recognizes a non-counselor who has worked hard during the year to advance counseling programs and services at an individual school or system wide. This year’s advocate of the year award was presented to Kim Bryan, a school system social worker.

In addition to honoring colleagues, the association also installed its 2006-2007 officers: Sue McEwan (Flat Rock Middle), president; Sherry Boynton (Whitewater High), president elect; Phyllis Bennett (Cleveland Elementary), past president; Oriska Griggs (Spring Hill Elementary), elementary worksetting VP; Janice McLeroy (Rising Starr Middle), middle school worksetting VP; Kelly Floyd (Sandy Creek High), high school worksetting VP; Lynda Manwaring (J.C. Booth Middle), secretary and Evelyn McGavin (Whitewater High), treasurer.

School counselors at all levels provide valuable services to students and their families as well as faculty and staff. On a daily basis they are involved in character education, violence prevention, career planning and much more.

Counselors are professional educators who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse population. They don’t work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help students achieve school success.

Professional school counselors align with the school’s mission to support the academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the 21st century. This mission is accomplished through the design, development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive, developmental and systematic school counseling program.

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