School Counselors Making an Imprint on Future Generations (GSCA 2026 Annual Conference)

New Counselor/Graduate Student

Nearing Retirement/Retired

Due to the nature and complexity of school counseling work in P-12, professional school counselors will often find themselves working alone. Even when surrounded by other professional, caring educational staff, the professional school counselor may feel isolated. Building off solitude and aloneness research, this session explores differences between unhealthy isolation and healthy solitude as experienced by professional school counselors. The session will explore indicators and strategies for finding and maintaining a healthy balance.

Middle/High School

All Levels

This interactive session equips school counselors with practical strategies to support middle and high school students in postsecondary exposure, awareness, and planning through a more student-centered lens. Moving beyond GPA and test scores, participants will explore the concept of student imprint—each student’s unique strengths, experiences, leadership, and readiness. Counselors will gain actionable tools such as digital portfolios, reflective storytelling, and community-connected experiences to help students build confidence and prepare for success beyond high school.

All Levels

All Levels

Kids today face a cortisol crisis—stress hormones hijacking their brains, from playground meltdowns to TikTok spirals. In this engaging workshop, Steph Jensen, author of Brainwashed, unpacks cortisol’s role in child development and equips attendees with five practical SEL keys—Capable, Confident, Construct, Connect, and Contribute—to transform stress into resilience. Drawing from real stories and accessible brain science, we’ll explore how cortisol drives fight-flight-freeze reactions and how chronic stress impacts learning, behavior, and identity.

High School

Middle/High School

All Levels

All Levels

School counselors are uniquely positioned to implement interventions that can deliver positive outcomes for students. They can serve as agents of advocacy, equity and change when they intentionally design their counseling curriculum to address social-emotional skill development. Such advocacy can reduce negative student consequences like repeated disciplinary referrals, introduction to the school-to-prison pipeline, or dropping out of school. Participants will explore advocacy-centered counseling practices that promote student voice, belonging, and opportunity through intentional curriculum planning.

All Levels

All Levels

Educators can create inclusive cultures where leadership is a skill developed in everyone, rather than a reward for the few by de-centering the "model student." Traditional student leadership models often reward high-achieving students or the "top 20%”. This session challenges that notion by focusing on the "other 80%." This session will explore strategies to empower educators to see their students untapped potential.

Elementary/Middle

Middle

Participants will receive information from start to finish for a two day classroom lesson for upper elementary / middle levels on managing emotions and coping skills. Materials will be provided so the lesson could easily be implemented in particpant's schools. Presenters will share how they used these lessons when successfully applying for RAMP.

High School

Middle

Chronic absenteeism continues to impact student academic success, school engagement, and long-term outcomes. School counselors play a critical role in developing proactive and creative strategies that encourage students to attend school consistently. This presentation will highlight several attendance initiatives implemented in rural high school settings to increase student motivation, build school culture, and reduce tardiness and absenteeism.

All Levels

All Levels

This session, led by an art educator/school counselor, blends creative expression with mindful reflection to support counselor self‑care. Through hands‑on art‑based activities, participants will explore accessible ways to reduce stress, restore emotional balance, and reconnect with their creative skills. The session highlights how engaging with creativity fosters grounding, clarity, resilience, and renewal. Counselors will leave with meaningful practices that sustain well‑being and strengthen their capacity to support students with compassion and empathy.

Elementary

Elementary/Middle

Looking for fresh ideas to make a big impact? School-wide events have the power to make a lasting imprint on all students. From Kindness Week to College and Career Week, after-school clubs to playful recess interventions, this session will share creative ways to engage and inspire students in your school. Attendees will walk away with ready-to-use plans that will empower students as leaders, promote a sense of belonging, and make an imprint on future generations.

All Levels

Middle

In our role, counselors are aware of the darkness faced by students and school communities. We often serve as a powerful yet limited lightsource that leaves a positive imprint on our interactions. We risk burnout when we fail to acknowledge that imprinting is reciprocal. We increase our odds of sparking hope and systemic change with healthy boundaries that empower us to inspire, relate, and leverage comprehensive school counseling programs that increase life-readiness by closing gaps.

All Levels

All Levels

Join us as we introduce you to what motivational interviewing is, why it might be beneficial to use in your own practice, and different ways to utilize it. Whether this is the first you are hearing of it, or you have began to dabble in it on your own, join us as we explore its impact in all education settings.

High School

All Levels

Newcomer students face unique challenges in the pursuit of graduation. The presenters include a high school counselor and the Community Outreach Coordinator of U-Lead Athens. This session will discuss a group intervention provided to 10th and 11th grade recently arrived students who have exited the district newcomer academy. We will discuss resources for immigrant students and examine the efficacy of the intervention. Presenters and participants will discuss ways to adapt the intervention for their schools.

All Levels

School Administrator

This presentation focuses on different types of grief and loss. It will identify ways to support students for both death and non-death losses. Additionally, it will provide interventions and resources across K-12 for school counselors to utilize with students and their families.

All Levels

All Levels

What if the most lasting imprint we leave on students isn’t what we teach but how we connect? In this session, discover how hope becomes the bridge between connection and change. Learn how to intentionally shape student mindsets, build resilience, and spark motivation through strategies that stick. This isn’t just about inspiring students it’s about creating experiences that leave a lasting imprint on who they believe they are and who they can become.

Elementary

Middle

Children who grow up in high-conflict homes often carry invisible emotional burdens into school. This session uses the original children’s book What They Don’t See to explore how child-centered storytelling can help students express fear, confusion, divided loyalty, and hidden stress. School counselors will learn trauma-sensitive language, bibliotherapy techniques, and practical strategies to help students feel seen, safe, and supported.