WSCA Awards

Washington School Counselor Association (WSCA) Awards Program

A winner from each awards category will be selected based on the following definitions and criteria which have been adopted from the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) website at www.schoolcounselor.org: 

 

Criteria for Recognition in Every Category:

A. Nominees should maintain the highest standards of personal conduct. They strive to be model citizens of their community as well as the school counseling education community and their broader professional community. 

B. The nominee must demonstrate evidence of the implementation of the ASCA National Model®. The nominee must demonstrate leadership, advocacy and collaboration in his or her work.

C. The nominee has demonstrated consistent and reliable contributions in all the areas of service, scholarship and teaching over an exemplary career span.

 

Our 2023 Washington School Counselor of the Year:
Jorge Torres
School Counselor
Foster High School
 Tukwila School District

WSCA School Counselor of the Year Award
WSCA's School Counselor of the Year program honors the best of the best in Washington State -- school counselors who are running a top-notch, comprehensive school counseling program at either the elementary, middle or high school level. The winner of this newly structured program will be nominated by our state association for consideration in the ASCA School Counselor of the Year program.  

 

WSCA College and Career Counselor of the Year
The career counselor of the year award is given to an individual who provides strong support of the comprehensive guidance model and holds a clear vision of how career counseling should be integrated with the academic and personal/social development of students. 

 

WSCA Advocate of the Year
The WSCA Advocate of the Year award recognizes an individual’s dedication to the profession of education and the student’s of Washington state. This individual goes above and beyond the normal demands of their profession to advocate for school counselors.


 

Our 2023 Equity in Action Award Recipient:
Myrna Porter
School Counselor 
McKenna Elementary School
Yelm Community Schools

                                                                       

WSCA Equity in Action Award 
The Equity in Action Award is to recognize a school counselor who has made significant  contributions to the advancement of equity in education for students in Washington. This individual demonstrates a commitment to closing equity gaps within their comprehensive  counseling program. 

 

Our 2023 District Director/Administrator Award Recipient:
Michele Bledsoe
Director of Social Emotional Wellness 
Puyallup School District

WSCA District Director/Administrator Award
The purpose of the Counseling Director/Administrator award is to recognize a supervisor or director whose leadership and outstanding services have had a positive impact on the guidance and counseling field for counselors on a local or state level.
Eligibility for Consideration:

A. The nominee must be a director or administrator who has consistently made a significant contribution to the improvement of  school counseling services.

B. The nominee must be currently employed as an administrator, coordinator or director of district or state counseling services and have completed at least three years of service. The nominee's primary responsibility must be in working with programs at the elementary, middle/junior high, secondary or multi-level.

 

Our 2023 WSCA Rising Star Award Recipient
David Marcus
School Counselor
Discovery Middle School Vancouver Public Schools

WSCA Rising Star Award
Eligibility for Consideration:
The Rising Star Counselor recognizes individuals who have entered the school counseling  profession within the last four years. The award winner is a model for new counselors  demonstrating the highest standards of professional competence, outstanding contributions to  the school community and/or profession, and has demonstrated strong rapport with students,  parents, and school personnel, as well as shown leadership potential.
 

WSCA RAMP Recognition 
To recognize Washington School Counseling Programs that have earned RAMP Recognition as  awarded through the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The WSCA board will  track recognized programs internally through ASCA’s RAMP database and these programs will  be acknowledged at WSCA’s annual conference.