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

All Levels

Middle

Laugh & learn. School Counselors are constantly operating and decision-making in "grey" areas. How do we navigate those decisions legally and ethically, within the parameters of our school districts and by ASCA standards? In this presentation hear and share some of those real life stories and learn how to seemlessly navigate those difficult waters. We will also take some time to learn and reflect on how this decision fatigue affects our personal lives and relationships.

Middle/High School

School Administrator

Middle/High School

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

School counsleors frequently address behavior, peer conflict, and emotional dysregulation without a structured framework for teaching decision-making skills. This session introduces a practical, repeatable approch that helps students build emotional awareness, set boundaries, and make intentional choices. Participants will experience model activities and leave with ready-to-use strategies that can be implemented in classroom lessons, small grouos, and individual student support.

New Counselor/Graduate Student

All Levels

Graduate programs prepare school counselors with theory, but the realities of the profession require additional skills. This session explores critical gaps between training and practice, including managing emotional demands, responding to crises, and navigating complex school dynamics. Participants will gain practical, real-world strategies to strengthen their effectiveness in supporting students’ social-emotional and mental health needs. Attendees will also reflect on their purpose and leave equipped to make a lasting impact on student lives.

All Levels

All Levels

Across the country, counselors are seeing the effects of social media on student attention, behavior, and mental health long before the first bell rings. Yet common responses—phone bans and monitoring software—fail to address the root cause: engagement technologies designed to capture attention. This session explores how these systems shape student behavior and how counselors can support by focusing on prevention and behavior change, building student agency to develop healthier habits from within.

All Levels

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Participants will apply 4 of the 7 Leader in Me Habits to strengthen advocacy and leadership. Before the end of training, school counselors will identify proactive practices, prioritize high-impact counseling work, and use win-win communication strategies to support student success and professional boundaries.

All Levels

All Levels

Students today face increasing academic, social, and emotional pressures—and often look to school counselors to solve problems for them. This session reframes that role through the Let Them Theory, helping counselors balance support with student independence. Learn how to foster resilience, strengthen decision-making skills, and build authentic connections by knowing when to step in and when to step back. Walk away with practical, student-centered strategies that empower growth while reducing counselor burnout.

Middle/High School

Elementary

Move beyond "one-size-fits-all" packages to create interventions that truly resonate. This session introduces a diverse resource matrix designed to deepen impact by anchoring support in a student’s unique values and sources of meaning. Participants will learn to leverage internal strengths and explicit belief systems to design personalized strategies. Join us to explore how shifting from prescribed protocols to meaning-based design can leave a permanent, positive imprint on every student’s educational journey.

All Levels

All Levels

In this session, presenters share real one-page results reports from school counseling interventions that demonstrate how increased direct service to students improves outcomes. Participants will learn how to create flashlight reports, analyze results, and use data as an advocacy tool with administrators. The presentation highlights how sharing data in concise ways can support role clarity, expand student access to counseling services, and reduce non-counseling duties.

High School

All Levels

This session will highlight how rising 9th-grade tours create meaningful early "imprints" on students by fostering active engagement, reducing transition anxiety, and supporting developmental needs. With a focus on experiential learning and responsive environments, this session will demonstrate how intentional matriculation activities help students build confidence, connection, and readiness for high school, ultimately shaping stronger pathways for future generations.

Elementary

School Administrator

This interactive workshop equips elementary school counselors with a practical, step-by-step framework for designing, coordinating, and delivering a meaningful Career Day experience. Participants leave with ready-to-use tools, templates, and a phased planning roadmap they can implement immediately at their schools.

All Levels

All Levels

Are your students equipped with tools to thrive inside and outside the classroom? Explore how school counselors can shape resilient, emotionally healthy students through intentional SEL and mental health practices. This session highlights practical, evidence-based interventions that promote emotional regulation, coping skills, and overall well-being across K–12 settings. Participants will gain ready-to-use strategies, culturally responsive approaches, and tools to strengthen school-wide SEL efforts, improve student outcomes, and make a lasting impact on future generations.

All Levels

All Levels

Middle

New Counselor/Graduate Student

Middle school is a critical time for building self-awareness, communication, and self-advocacy skills that support future academic and career success. This session will provide school counselors with practical strategies and engaging activities, including role-play, communication prompts, digital portfolios, and student-led goal setting, to help students recognize strengths, express needs, and seek support. Participants will leave with ready-to-use tools that increase confidence, engagement, and informed career pathway exploration before high school.

High School

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

With 25 colleges and universities across the state, the University System of Georgia (USG) provides a wide range of opportunities for students to participate in dual enrollment while in high school and to continue their education after high school graduation. Join this session to learn more about the USG, our resources that can help empower students and their families to make informed decisions about theirpostsecondary education in Georgia, and what's new in 2026.