An elementary school counseling department used data-informed practices in an effort to provide more effective school counseling services. This article provides a summary and evaluation of a girls' relational aggression small group in an elementary setting. Results indicated that integrating friendship, conflict resolution, and self-affirmation…

Adolescent Asian American males frequently encounter prejudice, discrimination, and emasculation, which result from and are exacerbated by the myth of the "model minority" group. This article provides school counselors with a group intervention, based on a collectivism and resiliency framework, for working with Asian American adolescent…

School counselors promote student social and emotional learning (SEL), which is fundamental to a school's academic mission. However, while recognizing the importance of SEL, many school stakeholders view it as secondary and/or important for only some students. To ensure delivery of SEL to all students, school counselors must embrace a service…

This article describes efforts undertaken to design, deliver, and evaluate a college and career readiness (CCR) unit for fifth-grade students. Preliminary findings from the school counselor-developed and -delivered intervention, Operation Occupation, supported interdisciplinary efforts between counselors and classroom teachers. Pre- and…

A review of the literature reveals that African-American males do not achieve at the same academic levels as their White counterparts. This article reports the effectiveness of a school-based male mentoring program established by a professional school counselor in an urban high school that formed a relationship of support for male students…

School counseling programs must provide counselors-in-training with effective and multifaceted leadership skill-building opportunities (Brott, 2006; DeVoss & Andrews, 2006; Dollarhide, Gibson, & Saginak, 2008; Kaffenberger & Murphy, 2007). The Girls' Leadership Experience Camp (GLEC) was created by the authors to enhance the leadership abilities…

The American School Counselor Association has developed the ASCA National Model[R] in order to provide school counselors with a structure for effective practice. The ASCA National Model can help school counselors think proactively about how they can best serve the students in their schools, and it contains ideas and tools for developing…

School counselors need multiple resources to assist today's students in developing to their fullest potential. This development might often be measured outwardly by academic success; however, psychological and emotional well-being of students is a large part of this success. The construct of hope is defined as a bidimensional characteristic…

Counseling concerns of highly able students may reflect characteristics associated with giftedness. Yet school counselor training programs give scant attention to this phenomenon and to the social and emotional development of these students. School counselors therefore may be unaware of and unequipped to respond to these concerns. Referencing…

Traditionally, Latino and African-American students have been underrepresented in Advanced Placement courses. However, professional school counselors work to remove barriers to "all" students' success. This article (a) identifies challenges that Latino and African-American students encounter in accessing Advanced Placement courses, (b) reviews the…

In the swirling dynamics of life, it is easy to think that the only constant is change. School counselors witness the multitude of changes as students move from childhood through puberty, as they develop a growing understanding of themselves, and as they make academic, personal, and interpersonal choices. While it is true that change is one…

This study was designed to identify and gain a detailed description of the work activities currently being performed by school counselors and to provide empirical information about the role of school counselors. In addition, this study sought to determine if the work activities of school counselors are promoting student development in the three…

Religion and spirituality are deeply rooted in traditional African American culture. Data suggest that African American adolescents maintain higher baseline rates of religious activities and beliefs than their peers (Bachman, Johnston, & O'Malley, 2005; Smith, Faris, Denton, & Regnerus, 2003). Recognizing these data, this article examines…

This article discusses individual, structural, and cultural factors that shape the educational and vocational transitions of graduating high school Black and Latino students. Implications of such factors for school counselors who wish to facilitate these adolescents' career development also are presented.

Spirituality is an important force during a period when institutional religion seems to be losing its hold on adolescents. To enhance the spiritual development of adolescent girls in the school setting, the group experience described addresses authentic identity, relationships and boundaries, managing pain experienced in life, and discovering and…