{"id":4705,"date":"2019-02-21T12:19:17","date_gmt":"2019-02-21T20:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogschapman.wpenginepowered.com\/education\/2019\/02\/21\/attallah-school-counseling-alumni-and-faculty-receive-highest-honor-in-orange-county\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T06:36:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T06:36:47","slug":"attallah-school-counseling-alumni-and-faculty-receive-highest-honor-in-orange-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/education\/2019\/02\/21\/attallah-school-counseling-alumni-and-faculty-receive-highest-honor-in-orange-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Attallah School Counseling Alumni and Faculty Receive Highest Honor in Orange County"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the winners for this year\u2019s Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) Counselor Recognition and Counselor Advocate Awards were notified in early February, the news got better and better for the Attallah College of Educational Studies\u2019 School Counseling graduate program<\/a>. One after the other, Attallah alumni and faculty were notified they\u2019d been selected for Orange County\u2019s high honor. In the end, four of the six 2019 recipients, one in every category, were Chapman alumni or current faculty.<\/p>\n

\"Drs.
Attallah award recipients with Dr. Kelly Kennedy and Dr. Lisa Sparks (OC Board of Education 5th District Trustee) at OCDE School Counseling Awards Ceremony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThat so many of our Chapman Panthers were recognized this year with OCDE awards speaks volumes about our school counseling program,\u201d said Kelly Kennedy, Ph.D., Attallah College\u2019s Associate Dean of Graduate Programs. \u201cWe are so proud of our alumni and faculty and how dedicated they are to their schools and communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The OCDE awards are given to school counselors at the elementary, middle and high school levels in an effort to \u201ccelebrate amazing K-12 school counselors in Orange County who are working tirelessly to support the needs of our students in all three areas: academic, social\/emotional, and college and career development.\u201d The goal of the OCDE recognition program is to spotlight Orange County\u2019s top professional counselors and their contributions to positive school climates and student success.<\/p>\n

The Role of the School Counselor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although the daily routines and duties of an elementary school counselor may differ from their colleagues working in middle and high schools, their fundamental job descriptions are essentially the same: help students in all areas (academic, personal, and developmental) with an eye toward their overall well-being, now and in the future. While that certainly includes course scheduling and college\/career planning, as members of the site and district leadership team, school counselors work collaboratively with teachers, administrators, parents, and students on a day-to-day basis.<\/p>\n

At all levels, school counselors provide wrap-around support, making resources available to students, from mental health to college readiness, and helping them overcome obstacles to improve learning outcomes.<\/p>\n

\"Beau
Beau Menchaca (MA \u201902) with OC Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSchool counselors have a tremendous impact in helping students achieve school success and build a strong foundation for their future,\u201d said Christine Olmstead, OCDE\u2019s associate superintendent of Educational Services. \u201cThey are the students\u2019 advocate when they need a voice, active listener when they need nurturing, and the compass when they need direction and guidance. It is certainly not an easy task.\u201d<\/p>\n

School Counselor Advocate Awards<\/strong><\/p>\n

Attallah College alumni were honored for their work in elementary, middle, and high schools this year:<\/p>\n