The idea for The High School Counselor Challenge was actually born several years ago, at the NACAC conference in New Orleans. I was sitting in Subway - having a quick lunch - and found myself sitting with Lynda McGee, a counselor from the LAUSD - Downtown Magnets High School. We were talking about our journey to NACAC, and Lynda shared that she struggled to attend every year because she had to pay her own way. At the membership meeting that year, both Lynda and I took to the floor and asked NACAC to do more for public high school counselors.
Each year following our meeting, Lynda and I would meet on the floor of the general meeting and ask NACAC's board to do more.
At this year's conference, I was having yet another conversation about the issue when I ran into Lynda again. To get to Indianapolis, she'd had to create a Go Fund Me campaign, and she worried that this would be her final NACAC. After the conference, I was commiserating with another of my peers. This person has known me for almost a decade - and she directly challenged me to stop talking about the problem, and actually DO something.
So I did. Starting in mid-October, I began making phone calls to my college and university contacts. The response wasn't just positive, it was enthusiastic. I heard the following phrase, over and over again: "We're in!" We launched today, and The Chronicle picked up the story almost immediately. Schools have been coming on-board every day, and - judging from the emails I've been getting - next week is going to be a lot of fun!
I want to be really clear about something, though: Coming up with the idea for the challenge doesn't mean we are any closer to solving this issue, long term. And it doesn't mean that this project is the only answer. The High School Counselor Challenge only came to fruition because, in phone calls and emails with my college and university peers, I found people with open ears and caring hearts - VPs and Deans and Admissions staff members who recognized that we each had the power to be the change we wanted to see.
Public high school counselors from underserved communities deserve the chance to become leaders, locally and nationally. I'm happy to have started the campaign but its success now depends on you. Will you accept The High School Counselor Challenge?
Each year following our meeting, Lynda and I would meet on the floor of the general meeting and ask NACAC's board to do more.
At this year's conference, I was having yet another conversation about the issue when I ran into Lynda again. To get to Indianapolis, she'd had to create a Go Fund Me campaign, and she worried that this would be her final NACAC. After the conference, I was commiserating with another of my peers. This person has known me for almost a decade - and she directly challenged me to stop talking about the problem, and actually DO something.
So I did. Starting in mid-October, I began making phone calls to my college and university contacts. The response wasn't just positive, it was enthusiastic. I heard the following phrase, over and over again: "We're in!" We launched today, and The Chronicle picked up the story almost immediately. Schools have been coming on-board every day, and - judging from the emails I've been getting - next week is going to be a lot of fun!
I want to be really clear about something, though: Coming up with the idea for the challenge doesn't mean we are any closer to solving this issue, long term. And it doesn't mean that this project is the only answer. The High School Counselor Challenge only came to fruition because, in phone calls and emails with my college and university peers, I found people with open ears and caring hearts - VPs and Deans and Admissions staff members who recognized that we each had the power to be the change we wanted to see.
Public high school counselors from underserved communities deserve the chance to become leaders, locally and nationally. I'm happy to have started the campaign but its success now depends on you. Will you accept The High School Counselor Challenge?