Celebrating School Counselors
National School Counseling is celebrated the first Monday through Friday in the month of February every year. During this week, counselors are recognized and celebrated for their unique contributions to schools across the nation.
At E.D.White, the counseling department is comprised of three people, Gwen Duet, Tiffany Bourgeois and Maria Montet. They not only care about the academic success of our students, but for their emotional health as well.
Bourgeois is the ninth and 10th grade counselor and is also a former graduate of E.D. White. She stated she believes school counselors are a necessity, and students need to be provided with a safe place where they can talk about the problems they are facing. She also uses her past experiences to relate to the students.
“I am a graduate here, so I do oftentimes use that to say, ‘I know what you are going through, I have walked these halls.’ They need to feel comfortable and this needs to be a sanctuary place,” Bourgeois said.
Montet is the 11th and 12th grade counselor. She focuses on preparing upperclassmen for their transition out of a high school setting and into college or the workforce.
As part of the preparation for after they leave E.D. White, Montet makes sure the students learn certain skills that foster confidence and maturity. They learn how to self-advocate, how to speak up when they are hurting, and how to reach out to other people when they need help.
“It is important that they learn that now so that when things arise in the future, they are equipped with the skills to succeed,” Montet said.
Duet is the director of counseling at E.D. White and is also responsible for counseling the eighth-grade class. She said what makes their counseling department different from other schools is how faith based it is, and how much work they do behind the scenes to make sure the students know they are cared for.
“If we can get them to leave here knowing that God loves them, we love them, and that they should love themselves, I think we are doing a great job,” said Duet.
Although school counselors may not teach in front of a classroom full of students, they are still reaching and impacting the lives of students on a one-on-one basis. As a result, this influences their learning experience at school, and allows for students to strive to reach their full potential, both in and out of the classroom.
It is important to acknowledge all that counselors do for students and schools locally, statewide and across the nation. National School Counseling week allows for that opportunity and lets school communities give them the credit they deserve.
Written by: Madeleine Bauland, Communications Intern
You can learn more about & contact our counselors here.
