Photo credit: Flickr CC user Wonderland
One of the great things about yearbooks is that they can spotlight people who have a lot to offer the student body, but whose services may not get fully utilized. A customized yearbook can be used to tell their stories to in an engaging way and let the students see these mentors in a whole new light. One of these people is the guidance counselor. Highlighting them in a section of the yearbook gives students access to their advice and helps them understand their services.
When I was in high school, it was a requirement that every student had to meet with their guidance counselor once a semester for an hour. My sessions usually didn’t last a full hour because my brazen sixteen-year-old self thought I had everything figured out. I had written down a list of goals when I was like thirteen detailing what I thought adulthood would look like, and I didn’t want an adult to talk me out of it.
I ended up going on to achieve some of these goals (I’m still looking for a surfer who’s also an investment banker for a boyfriend), but I had no idea how much craziness life was going to serve up. Sometimes it’s alright to ask for a little guidance.
Do you have career or guidance counselors on your campus? Are your students required to meet with them or are they on hand if someone needs a little extra help? Your customized yearbook page can offer students a look at the big picture.
Reach out to your school’s administrative staff and see if you can set up some time with the counselors for an interview. Ask them (or have your students ask them) about career trends and see if more students are going off to college or looking into other options like the military or jumping right into the job force. What are some of the most common questions kids have about their future? Have your team ask around and see what they can find out before they conduct the interview. That way, they can ask for some general advice for everyone. This will allow the guidance counselor to display his or her wisdom.
Some questions to ask:
- What are the current career trends among students? What jobs grab their interests?
- What percent of the student population is planning to go to college, enlist in the military or go straight into the workforce?
- What question do guidance counselors hear from kids over and over again?
- What role does the guidance counselor play in helping a student make crucial decisions about their future?
This section can be a way for students to see that if they don’t have their future all figured out (like I did!), they aren’t the only ones. It can help them realize that they’re not alone, and it’s not the end of the world. It may even spark some ideas for their futures.
Are students on your campus required to check in with the guidance counselor? Are they encouraged to use career services to try to figure out what they want to do with their lives or are there other services available? I would love to hear all about it in the comment box below.
