Valdosta State University recently welcomed 45 school counselors and 10 school counseling interns from the Valdosta City School System and Lowndes County School System to the 2016 Winnersville Classic Counselor Collaborative Spring Conference.
 
The 2016 Winnersville Classic Counselor Collaborative Spring Conference was a professional development opportunity for school counselors and school counseling interns interested in learning more about working with students affected by autism spectrum disorders and about legal issues in school counselor supervision. It was presented by Dr. Lynn Adams, an associate professor in VSU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; Dr. Teddi Cunningham, an associate professor in VSU’s Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy; and Dr. Lee Grimes, an assistant professor in VSU’s Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy.  
 
Mayor John Gayle shared a few encouraging words with the school counselors and issued a proclamation declaring Feb. 1-5 National School Counseling Week in Valdosta. This annual celebration recognizes school counselors for being actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests, and talents; working in partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today's world; focusing on positive ways to enhance students' social/personal, educational, and career development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic, and optimistic aspirations for themselves.
 
Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association, National School Counseling Week helps to focus public attention on the unique contributions of professional school counselors — particularly the impact they have on a student’s ability to achieve immediate and future success.
 
VSU’s School Counseling Program is committed to educating professionals who will be leaders in the school environment and who accept responsibility for removing barriers and offering equal access to services for all students. Operated by the Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy, it is open to students who hold a bachelor’s degree — in any major — from an accredited institution of higher education and who meet admission requirements.

Successful School Counseling Program graduates earn a Master of Education degree and leave VSU ready to develop and implement comprehensive developmental school counseling programs that will assess and meet the academic, career, and psychosocial needs of all students; develop community partnerships that provide support to their school counseling program; facilitate communication between students, family, school professionals, and the community through teaming and collaboration; serve as leaders and role models for students as a means of promoting positive student contributions to the school and community; and work with teachers and other school personnel to create a learning environment that will provide students with the skills necessary for academic, career, and personal success in a rapidly changing and diverse society.