Whether it’s a class change, a problem at home, or advice for the future, Lakewood High School counselors are there to help with any roadblocks in a student’s life. They work behind the scenes as mentors, problem-solvers, and advocates for every student in the school. They assist with both current school issues and goals, as well as future planning and preparing students for life after high school.
The counselors have a variety of responsibilities that come with their job. “So my main role as a school counselor is to help students in the areas of academic, social, emotional, and career development,” school counselor Lisa Gentry said. The role involves scheduling students’ classes and preparing them for graduation. Counselors help students by always being available as a safe space, a mentor, or a friend. Additionally, they support families as students grow and prepare for the world of college and careers.
School counselors play a crucial role in day-to-day school life. Students often have a lot to deal with—juggling homework, sports, clubs, social life, jobs, and more. Counselors are there to help ease that stress. “Students need somebody to go to when they have problems. There are a lot of students who are dealing with a lot of anxiety and stress, and so we’re a neutral place where they can come and feel supported,” counselor Nina Dechant said.
Without counselors, life can feel heavier, the future more uncertain, and questions can go unanswered. “I think school counselors play a really integral part in doing that… It’s obviously awesome to have administrators and teachers. But I think school counselors are trained and are able to specialize in really guiding students,…[those] who struggle socially, emotionally, and academically,” Gentry said. “But again, also helping all students make sure that they have a path and are set up for success after high school.”
Counselors work hard all day, every day, managing a busy schedule. “There’s lots of meetings, lots of schedule changes, [and] seeing students at this time of year, specifically for college applications and writing letters of recommendation,” Dechant said. In the summer, counselors help to create schedules and prepare for the upcoming school year. In the fall, they assist with schedule changes and getting seniors on the college track. During winter, they check in with students and make sure that they’re on the right path to get all their credits for the year. “…This time of year…[we check in with] students who might not be doing well academically, [and] meet with those students and parents to find out what we could do to get them back on track,” said Dechant. Finally, in the spring, counselors wrap up the school year and finalize everything for the seniors’ graduation.
For seniors, the college application early action deadlines recently ended, and seniors are beginning to take the first steps towards the next chapter of their lives. Counselors are a big help during this time. The first step is to “try to help students find what the best path is for them, whether that’s college or trade or just entering the workforce,” said Abigaile Drost, the facilitator of the school counseling department. From there, counselors visit senior English classes to give presentations on how to work websites such as Common App and Schoolinks.
This year, the counseling team tried something new: a college application boot camp. “Offered every Tuesday in October for students to come up…to look over their applications…Miss Sandoval, our college now advisor, [was] also up there to help with the financial side of college,” Gentry said. “And then obviously we’re here to meet with students one-on-one as well. So aside from the presentations and the boot camp, I meet with a lot of my seniors just one-on-one to help them and navigate them and their specific questions for college.”
Being a counselor is challenging, especially when each counselor has 250 to 270 students to guide. But their hard work is rewarding. Through their job, counselors have the opportunity to engage with countless students from the moment they walk through the high school doors for the first time to their last steps across the graduation stage. “I…[love the] relationships I build with the students. I just think it’s really exciting to watch students grow from ninth grade to 12th grade, and then seeing you guys grow up and get to move on to the next part of your journey,” Gentry said.
The counselor’s impact extends beyond individual students; they influence the whole school and even the broader Lakewood community. They work to foster a culture where everyone can feel understood, no matter who they are. “I would say, just helping to build a positive school culture by promoting mental health awareness and resiliency [is most rewarding for me]. I strive to ensure that every student feels seen and supported,” Drost said.
Ultimately, counselors are able to connect with students in ways that teachers, administrators, or other adults couldn’t, and their impact is felt throughout the entire school.
