Carol MillerLansing Middle School Counselor Carol Miller was honored by First Lady Michelle Obama as NYS 2016 School Counselor of the Year White House Ceremony on January 28.  Miller will be the first to tell you she doesn't have all the answers, but says her "true counselor self always comes out" when students seek her guidance.

"My advice is generally always the same: 'You are braver than you think, smarter than you know, and stronger than you believe," said Miller, a veteran school counselor, who was selected by the Alexandria, Va. –Based American School Counselor Association (ASCA) as the New York State  representative for the 2016 School Counselor of the Year program.

Miller, who has been a middle school counselor for Lansing School District for 17 years and a school counselor for 22 years, will traveled to the nation's capital in January where she and other top counselors from across the country were recognized at the White House during a formal recognition a black‐tie gala at historic Union Station by First Lady Michelle Obama. She was accompanied by her close friend and colleague, Lansing Middle School Teacher Wendy Cremeens.

According to an ASCA press release, the School Counselor of the Year program honors the professionals "who devote their careers to serving as advocates for the nation's students, helping them achieve success in school and in life."


Indeed Miller's accomplishments and initiatives as a school counselor are too numerous to mention, but to name a few:

• Increased the number of participants if "Lunch Bunch," which is a student leadership and empowerment program, to 55 in the 20132014 school year from 14 the year before.
• Increased awareness of bullying behavior by clearly defining to the school community what specifically constitutes bullying. She created the "Secret Deodorants Mean Stinks" campaign for 8th graders who pledged to end bullying.
• Created "The Middle School Counselor" blog, which has been viewed by more than 600,000 visitors from more than 150 countries;
• Coordinated programs to collect clothing and toys for students need.
• Initiated successful "Book Swaps" in conjunction with the local library, students, parents and teachers.


"These programs are the embodiment of community," Miller said. "I tear up every year from seeing the generous support this program receives. I am proud to say that I started and am part of it. It is my 'baby' and it has grown into something larger than just me. From this program, I know 'that it takes a village' to support our youth. I witness it each year."

Nominations for the School Counselor of the Year awards program were submitted by the state school counselor associations. State representatives were selected based on several criteria, including: school counseling innovations, effective school counseling programs, leadership and advocacy skills and contributions to student advancement, ASCA said in the release.

In addition to her myriad school programs, Miller is a member of the Tompkins Area Counselors Association and has been its president for several years; coordinator for Central New York School Counselor Conference for the past three years; and a member of the American School Counselor Association where she presented this past summer on how to "Build Your PLN (Personal Learning Network) Using Social Media."

v12i6