Reclaiming the Dream: A Reflection for School Counselors
Do you remember why you became a school counselor?
Think back to that moment—whether it was a calling that grew over time or a spark that hit you all at once. Do you remember the excitement, the anticipation, maybe even the nerves that came with starting your very first counseling job?
For some of us, we had a clear dream when we entered this profession—to be a safe space, to help students see their worth, to make schools places of hope. For others, that dream may have taken shape along the way, molded by the needs we saw and the stories we heard. But no matter how it began, having a dream matters.
Dreams have power. They guide our steps. They anchor us in purpose when the work feels heavy. They remind us why we do what we do.
Tererai Trent, a global humanitarian and educator, is a powerful example of what it means to hold on to a dream. Born in rural Zimbabwe, she was married at 14 and a mother of four by 18. Denied access to education for much of her early life, Trent still dreamed of something more. With encouragement from her mother, she wrote down her goals—to go to America, to earn a degree and to make a difference—and buried them in a tin can beneath a rock so she would never forget them.
Years later, Trent not only achieved those goals, including earning a Ph.D., but she returned to Zimbabwe to help build schools and invest in girls’ education. If you are not familiar with her, I invite you to watch a short clip of her story and dream.
As school counselors, we live at the intersection of dreams—our students’, our schools’ and our own. As we draw near to the end of the 2024-2025 school year, I invite you to revisit your why, reconnect with your dream, and remember that what you do matters deeply.
2025 Persistence to Graduation Summit Call for Proposals and Registration
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Division of Student Success (DSS) is hosting the 2025 Persistence to Graduation Summit at the Hilton in downtown Lexington on June 12-13. This year’s theme will be “Elevating Student Voice.”
Superintendents, district level personnel, school administrators, school counselors, educators, family resource and youth services center coordinators, school mental health and social service professionals, and community partners from across Kentucky will convene to share information and best practices to support students who may experience challenges to reaching graduation. Engaging and interactive sessions will be led by facilitators from across the state and will include:
- Student Transition and Re-engagement Strategies;
- Alternative Education Programming;
- Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities;
- Safe and Supportive Learning Environments; and
- Effective Use of Education Technology.
These sessions are designed to be more engaging than the typical “sit and get” format of most conferences and are structured to encourage dialogue and exchanges that leverage the expertise of the session participants as well as the session leaders. Facilitators will engage with participants throughout the session and help cultivate an interactive experience, mirroring the type of interactions that take place in highly engaging classrooms. Participants will have prior access to any materials submitted by facilitators.
Those interested in facilitating a session should submit a proposal in the Persistence to Graduation Call for Proposals portalby April 2. DSS strongly encourages proposals that incorporate student voice into the session. If there are multiple session facilitators for a single session, only one person needs to complete the form. If you would like to suggest multiple session topics, please access the portal link again and submit a proposal for any additional topic. Submissions will be reviewed by DSS staff and selected based on content, proposed methods for participant engagement, and event needs. Those selected will be notified by email.
Registration for the summit is available at no cost to participants through Title IV, Part A funding, but registration is limited to the first 300. For more information, contact Lalah.Brewer@education.ky.gov
Students Encouraged to Apply for 2025-2026 Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council
Public school students currently in grades 9-11 are invited to apply for positions on the 2025-2026 Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council.
In order to gain valuable feedback from Kentucky students and to engage student leaders in learning by doing, the commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) created the Commissioner's Student Advisory Council (CSAC). Council membership is open to students currently completing grades 9, 10 or 11 in a Kentucky public high school.
About the Commissioner's Student Advisory Council (CSAC)
This group meets every two months during the academic school year with the commissioner and KDE staff, both in person and virtually, to discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Kentucky. The council's members provide feedback on critical issues impacting students and schools, and work with KDE staff to develop ideas to improve and transform education.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for consideration to the 2025-2026 Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council is Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT. Virtual interviews with advancing candidates are expected to take place in April and early May 2025.
Application Guide
This CSAC application must be completed in one sitting. We strongly encourage you to prepare responses and information in a separate document and then copy/paste into the application. Refer to the application guide for required materials and additional details.
Email awards@education.ky.gov or call Rosalind Turner at (502) 564-2000, ext. 4626, with questions.
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