The Influence of High School Counselors by Kristen

The Influence of High School Counselors by Kristen - June 2020 Scholarship Essay

Starting in the first grade I fell in love with school. I loved the people, the books, the idea of learning the world around me, and everything my education had to offer. For the longest time I was convinced that my education would lead me to a career in teaching, but recently I’ve seen the power of my high school administration, and the importance of the counselors that have been leading us towards a brighter future.
I have always had a futuristic view of my life, wanting to plan out my future, organize the aspects I can, and set goals that would lead me to an impactful life, and I can honestly say I think I’m good at it. If I could help even a few students find their purpose in life, and help them discover what passion drives them, then I would have a small part in changing the world in a positive way.
It is a known fact that students are the future of this world, and it’s up to us to educate, guide, and help them in any way we can, for the future of the world depends on it. I believe that if everyone was passionate about what they do in life the world would be a better place with more positive outcomes on society, and all of this starts while finding your passion in high school.
Everything that I have been stating about my interest in high school counseling sounds great, so you might be wondering “What would I possibly want to change about this career field?” although high school counselors are important in building schedules, finding future plans, and directing students towards a better future, counseling students through mental health issues is also a crucial piece of this career.
If there's anything I know about high school it’s the pressure that the students and myself are constantly under. The majority of students struggle with balancing school, clubs, sports, a job, family life, and to top it all off planning a nearing future of independence and new beginnings. Believe me, this is a lot for one person to handle, and if you let it the stress can take over your life, preventing you from being a kid for just a few more short years. This is where a counselor plays an important role. Something as simple as talking can help change a life, and organizing student's thoughts, helping them understand their actions and ideas, and just listening to their story will have an impact on their lives.
In today’s world, it's typical for a high school student to have a number of mental burdens that could include anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress, or more. These should not be a commonly standardized issue in teenagers, and with the help of counselors, the mental state of students would be much more positive not only for their lives but also for their future. High School students typically view their counselors as a person to help with tasks such as schedule changes, college applications, and future goals, but this is what I would like to change in our education system.
Counselors should be viewed as a lifeline for students, someone they can lean on and talk to about their worries, frustrations, and self inflictions. The mental help that counselors are able to provide is useful to students' lives, but it is made unaware to students that this help is even available for their disposal. Imagine what a high school would look like if the students were happy, passionate, and heard. The school would be better, a more impactful place, the students would be more driven and interested in their education, the future would be conquered by driven and passionate people.
Changing the way counselors are viewed is important to me, helping students find their future is important to me, and creating a greater future for students and therefore the world is very important to me. At whatever school I end up counseling at I plan on not only organizing schedules and helping students with their future careers, I plan on making sure that the students are heard and taken care of mentally. Creating a greater future starts with current students, and prepping those students both educationally and mentally is what I am passionate about.