Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1095286
X 16 Spring 2019 | wyoea.edu "Every day as a school counselor is a new adventure. That's what I like most about this job—no day is the same." Hearing the inspiration in her voice makes it easy to see why she was selected as Wyoming Counselor of the Year. She even shared some exciting new work she is ready to launch in Shoshoni. She wants to embark on the ambitious process of creating a recognized ASCA Model Program and wants to collaborate with her district to do it. This program will help her school counseling program become more data-driven and comprehensive. Schools including Cheyenne South High School and Greybull Middle School helped pave the way for other schools and leaders like Amy Mason across the state to create their own Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP). This program improves advocacy, demonstrates school counseling leadership, communicates the role of school counselors, targets common goals to close achievement gaps, aids in evaluation of your programs, enhances school data, and boosts collaboration with colleagues and administrators. Setting up the program is intensive requiring standards, certifi cation and cooperation with the district to believe in the program and support it. Amy explained, "RAMP helps validate our profession, advocate our profession and educate about our profession. Advisory boards create sense community involvement in the school counselling process and brings about collaboration for success." She went further to say, "This would be a culminating moment in my career to achieve RAMP certifi cation in Shoshoni." Going after a big goal like this is nothing new for Amy, though she would never toot her own horn about it. She is humble about her achievements, like most school counselors, but acknowledged that "being nominated by a peer who believed in me enough to nominate me as the school counselor of the year this spring was a powerful moment of recognition." "Being a member of WEA gives me peace of mind just knowing that the resource and support is there." Amy also gets support by being a part of the Wyoming School Counselors Association Board of Directors. "Breaking down the isolation, especially with new counselors, helps them learn and know more about the work and where to get support." In the future, she hopes to collaborate together with WEA to create more awareness about the needs of school counselors for the benefi t of Wyoming students. She went further in her eff ort to collaborate by recently submitted a grant to NEA with the help Elise Robillard, her NW Region UniServ Director for a peer mentoring program. On giving advice to anyone entering a career as a school counselor, she said, "It's a great profession. Be prepared to build relationships and to advocate for yourself and your program. Start by networking with other school counselors and be a part of your professional associations like WEA and WySCA. Look for mentors and supports from within your school, your district, and the state." WEA congratulates Amy on her successes as well as all the other school counselors who are working hard every day with the rest of their colleagues to further ensure every student has the best chance at success. The 2016-2018 Wyoming School Counselors of the Year joined 2019 recipient, Amy Mason at the annual Wyoming School Counselors Conference in Casper. Pictured here from left to right are Scharen Collingwood, Suzanne Scott, Amy Mason and Stacy Polson. Amy Mason accepting her award at a black tie event in Washington D.C. Amy Mason amongst her colleagues from around the country who were also awarded as State Counselor of the Year.