photo from the NACAC website: NACAC President Jeff Fuller presents the Rising Star Award to members of the Professional Development Committee Robyn Lady (chair) and Rebekah LaPlante, and Rosemary Martin.
Not only was a PCACAC individual a recipient of a Rising Star Award this year, we also received an award for our professional development efforts with Public School Counselors!
We had a chance to chat with Robyn Lady, chair of the Professional Development committee.
The rising star award honors individuals and programs that exemplify excellence and dedication to serving the needs of students in the transition from high school to college. How do you feel being offered this opportunity by your peers and colleagues?
I was delighted to learn that Kelly Farmer, immediate Past-President of PCACAC, wanted to submit a Rising Star nomination for the Professional Development (PD) work that we have been doing for public school counselors in our region. Being selected by NACAC for the award was absolutely wonderful. There is nothing better than be recognized by peers in a profession full of passionate people who are all doing fabulous work.
Can you briefly describe the Public School Counselor Trainings that won the award?
I have been working in public schools throughout my entire career. As a former counselor and now as the Director of Student Services at Chantilly High School, where I supervise 12 counselors, I am well aware of the need to provide College Admission Counseling training to counselors who work in this setting. All public school counselors have a Masters Degree in school counseling; however, most of them never had a class in college admissions counseling. Public school counselors are provided little to no funding for PD outside of the actual school system. To that end, with the support from the PCACAC Board, I set out to provide free trainings throughout our region. Most of these trainings take place during a “teacher work day”, when there are no students in the building, enabling counselors to access the training more easily. The PD committee reached out to several public school systems in VA and MD and provided full day trainings for several of them. The largest two took place in VA. Last March we trained 120+ Middle and High School counselors in Prince William County and this past August we trained 130+ from Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover Counties in VA. It is our hope that this award will result in more public school systems in VA, WV, MD, DE, and DC to contact us to develop and deliver quality PD to even more counselors throughout our affiliate.
Our profession needs good people to be stewards of access and education. What issue are you most passionate about concerning college counseling and admissions?
It is hard to pick one issue. I think the best answer is “I am passionate about the transformative power of a college education” and in turn steadfastly committed to doing everything I can to help more students and families, not only get admitted to college, to stay the course and graduate, and with as little debt possible.
What’s next on the PD committee horizon? What issues do you want to tackle in 2016?
The PD Committee is busy planning upcoming events. We hope to get called upon to plan more public school events for January, March/April and perhaps June. We also presented at the Virginia School Counselors Association conference. We plan to reach out to colleges that have a Masters Degree in School Counseling degree and hope to train the students in the program. We welcome the opportunity to develop a training or workshop to meet any other PD needs in our region.
What advice to you have to share for others looking to pursue their passions and make a mark in the admissions world?
I challenge everyone to continue to push their own limits. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes all of us to keep the college dream alive for all students. Think creatively, work hard and embrace the opportunity to serve. Continue to use your talents for good in this profession, celebrate your successes and know that you all make a difference every day.
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