The Counselors That Change Lives Award recognizes those whose dedication to the college counseling profession reflects the CTCL ideals. By helping students frame their search beyond the ratings and rankings to find a college that provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life, these counselors change lives.
Since 2009, we have recognized the tireless work of individuals who counsel students in the college search process with this award, and we offer our sincere congratulations to this year’s recipients!
Omolade “Lade” Akande — University High School
(IN)
University
High School students find a comfortable, relaxing, and supportive environment
when they enter the college advising office, thanks in part to Lade Akande. The
“Zen” décor, the presence of Lade’s dog, Hank—the unoffical mascot of the school
and all-around support dog—and her calming presence welcome students and
admission officers alike. Lade fills several roles on campus in addition to
counseling; she teaches yoga and coaches volleyball, basketball, and track and
field. Interacting with UHS’s diverse student body in multiple capacities helps
Lade get to know the students well. When they come in to chat, Lade offers a
friendly smile, a sense of humor, and a great deal of knowledge about college
choice. The nomination states, “She listens to their hopes and dreams and
advises students on how to make those dreams a reality—while also challenging
them to reach beyond what they believe to be possible.” Encouraging every
student, regardless of their background, race, or ethnicity, to embrace the
college search by broadening their scope and trying different paths, Lade Akande
is changing lives.
Mark Chalkley — United World College Red Cross Nordic
(Norway)
“Dare
to Fail.” The tattoo on Mark Chalkley’s arm is an outward symbol of his approach
to helping UWC Red Cross Nordic students navigate their futures. Each year,
Mark’s caseload includes approximately 100 seniors who come from 80+ countries
with a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and an equally eclectic
assortment of post-secondary aspirations. He assists every one of them by
finding the best match for their skills and interests in locations all over the
world, frequently with no funding from home. More often than not, RCN students
choose an opportunity abroad, sight-unseen. However, Mark’s careful counseling
throughout the process also instills students with confidence in their abilities
to transition to another culture and succeed in college. Originally from the UK,
Mark Chalkley has been living on campus as the college counselor at Red Cross
Nordic for over a decade, and his continued dedication to students is more than
deserving of this honor.
Gail Durso — Explore Solutions (CA)
In
the mid-2000s Gail Durson and her now-colleagues began to recognize that college
admissions were becoming more competitive and, more notably, that many local
families were underinformed. Southern California students were missing out on
opportunities, and Gail was inspired to do something about it. The non-profit,
community-based organization, Explore Solutions, was created and, more than a
decade later, Gail counsels hundreds of students each year, ensuring that they
are educated about all factors in the search process, from exploring colleges
(beyond the best known ones) to understanding the steps in the application
process to the determining the potential financial reality for families. Explore
Solutions activities include individual counseling, workshops for families, and
community partnerships, all of which help students to become equipped to explore
the various career and education paths available to them in the community and
beyond. Gail Durso’s commitment to helping students change their lives is making
an impact across Southern California.
Mary Hunter Hardison — Nansemond-Suffolk Academy
(VA)
When
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy asked elementary teacher Mary Hunter Hardison to
become the director of college counseling in 2015, she was as surprised as
anyone else. Four years in, NSA students, parents, faculty, and staff have
nothing but high praise for the way in which Mary Hunter has embraced the role
with a philosophy that stresses the potential of the college search as a time
for students to grow and learn more about themselves. When counseling students
and their parents, she challenges them to be honest with their counselors, one
another, and themselves with regard to expectations and goals; to engage in
authentic self-reflection; and to take pride in and responsibility for their
talents and achievements. When admission officers visit NSA, it’s abundantly
clear that Mary Hunter knows the students extremely well and that her work is
helping students find great college options beyond the conventional choices.
Mary Hunter Hardison’s passion for students becoming lifelong learners
undoubtedly leads to changed lives.
Beth Kainic — Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep
(IL)
Beth
Kainic works tirelessly to remind students that the college search is about
them. As the nomination states, “That’s a simplistic statement, but one that is
harder to put into practice than it sounds.” Beth works with each student to
build their confidence and get them excited about college—not just about the
independence they’ll experience but also about the opportunities they’ll have to
grow intellectually by expanding upon the academic areas they love as well as
socially by making their own contributions to a college community. The result?
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep students are not fixated on name-brand
recognition or the superficial qualities of a college campus. Rather, after
careful, guided consideration, they know what they need and want from a college,
and they ask for it unabashedly. Beth Kainic’s emphasis on students’ personal
growth, becoming their own best advocates, and seeking lives of purposeful
consequence serves them well beyond high school.
Raquel Laiz — Career Learning Coordinator, College and Career
Readiness Department, Portland Public Schools (OR)
As
a longtime counselor at Benjamin Franklin High School, Raquel Laiz carried a
large caseload of seniors each year. She understood that a cookie cutter,
one-size-fits-all service could not meet the variety of needs inherit to the
large and diverse student population: some students needed help honing an
already highly advanced essay, while others needed assistance logging into the
Common Application or understanding the ORSAA. Raquel helped families understand
that access, affordability, and completion rates at small, private institutions
could equate to success for students from marginalized backgrounds. Her
personalized, energetic approach has made a palpable difference in students’
lives; even today, the positivity at Franklin distinguishes it from other
overpopulated, underfunded schools. The nomination states, “There is hope and
excitement about the future among Franklin students, and Raquel was a driving
force behind that optimism.” Today, Raquel Laiz is the changing even more lives
in a new role with the Portland Public Schools’ College and Career Readiness
Department where she will support and develop programs to better serve students
district-wide with post-secondary and career planning.
Chat Leonard — Metro Academic and Classical High School
(MO)
Chat
Leonard’s career has been devoted to counseling students, and she’s somewhat of
a legend at Metro Academic and Classical High School. Every single student and
their family meet individually with her. After she gets to know her
students—their passions, goals, and what drives them—she is able to suggest
colleges and universities that they would love and fit into well. The nomination
states, “Chat understands the college landscape, the college search, and how to
match her students based on their academic profile, personal preferences, and
any other factors they may throw at her. She avoids the hype and doesn’t just
find a college that the student will get into or might like … she takes the time
to find a school where the student will thrive.” Chat Leonard’s dedication to
students, families, and the college counseling community was recognized with the
the first College Board’s Guidance and Admission Assembly Award for the
Midwestern Region, and CTCL is proud to recognize her as well.
Sheena Reed — Metairie Park Country Day School
(LA)
Sheena
Reed has served as college counselor for two very different school
communities—an urban charter school serving a high percentage of students of
color from low socioeconomic backgrounds and a private, affluent, predominately
white school in the suburbs. While the demographics of the students and families
have been diverse, the intentionality and care Sheena puts into counseling
students has remained constant. Attentive to each student’s ambitions, needs,
and limitations, she gently nudges them beyond their comfort zones and
transforms the seemingly nebulous and—to some—exclusive-sounding admissions
process into an opportunity for students discover more of who they are and what
they need to thrive in college. The nominator wrote: “Sheena lives the mission
of a student-centered college search in the ways that she engages with and
advocates for her students on a daily basis … pushing students past perceived
barriers, many of which may seem insurmountable to high school students, and
never giving in to undermatching. Additionally, she understands and validates
the importance of inclusivity and social fit in the college search, particularly
for marginalized students.” Wherever she is, Sheena Reed is changing students’
lives.
Teng Yang — Democracy Prep (NY)
Teng
Yang serves a majority minority school with many low-income students.
Hyper-focused on finding schools that will support his students financially,
socially, and intellectually, he invests significant time learning about
colleges and what each can offer students. When he begins counseling students,
Teng focuses on helping them understand the benefits and importance of getting
into and graduating from a college that is comfortable to them. As he puts it, a
successful college match is about finding a place that can support and nourish
students—much like a home. Equally knowledgeable about the financial aid
process, Teng’s counseling extends to his students’ families. Convincing them to
send a child out of state to a college they may never have heard of isn’t easy,
but he is successful because families know how sincerely he believes in what
students can accomplish in the right environment. It’s no surprise that Teng
Yang stays in touch with his students well into their college careers; as he
sees it, changing lives doesn’t stop at graduation.