It’s National School Counseling Week! Every day this week, we will be highlighting counselors in our district who have gone above and beyond to help our students. Today we are highlighting SRTC Student Services Counselor Deanna Farrell.
Why did you become a school counselor?
I've always said, "You don't have to know what you want to do with the rest of your life, you just have to figure out what to do next". Ironically, I felt like I was destined to be a high school counselor from a very young age. But the career path to get here was not linear. Somehow, I went from graduating high school (with 14 other students) in a rural town in Maine to traveling the world for a large corporation and also made stops along the way for many years of college and unpaid (yes) internships. Yet my heart still longed to find a place where I could support teenagers (in what can be some of the most challenging time of their lives). I felt like I would advocate for them passionately while also considering all stakeholders in the process. I also thought it could be a job that I could do for very long time and LOVE! 20 years later doing my dream job, I feel like I am where I belong!
What do you love about being a school counselor?
I love that...
I never know what to expect in a given day; no two students are the same and their needs keep me constantly learning and on my toes; I get to positively greet every student that walks through the front door; my multi-tasking skills are utilized (challenged) on the daily; my schedule (most of the time) allows me to stop what I thought was on my task list (often preventative measures) and truly be there for someone in need with no notice; part of my job is sharing with high schools and community members about the value of Career and Technical Education; how fulfilled I feel daily; my role allows me to wear many personal as well as professional hats in balance (somewhat) including being a mom, volunteer, small business owner and school counselor!
What does a school counselor do?
I saw this meme about School Counselors and I think it fits our role.
School Counselor, Noun. "Wearer of all hats, Junk Drawer of the School, Resource Finder, Out of the Box Thinker, Multi-Tasking Unicorn and Other tasks as Assigned."