Elmhurst’s Churchville Middle School counselor recognized in Washington D.C.
Mary Wilson, 2022 Illinois Middle School Counselor of the Year and a school counselor at Churchville Middle School — Elmhurst District 205, was honored and celebrated in Washington D.C. through a weekend of events hosted by the American School Counselor Association. The event took place the weekend prior to National School Counselor Week (Feb. 5-9) and brought together school counselors leaders from across the nation to honor excellence in the field.
Wilson represented Illinois along with the other state winners who were honored alongside the 2024 National School Counselor of the Year, Dr. Diana Virgil of Daleville, Alabama.
The ASCA event commenced with a meet-and-greet reception on Jan. 31, where Wilson had the opportunity to connect with School Counselors of the Year from all 50 states, as well as Guam.
On Feb. 1, ASCA hosted a breakfast followed by a visit to the Department of Education, where Wilson and peers engaged in roundtable discussions with various offices within the department. Notably, she participated in discussions focused on civil rights, special education, college and career pathways, and higher education, providing valuable insights and feedback.
Reflecting on her experience, Mary expressed, “It was an inspirational celebration of our profession! I was humbled to hear the stories of new initiatives, learn about barrier-breaking programs, and witness impactful advocates.” She added, “The ASCA events allowed me to appreciate the National educational system, learn from a diverse group of school counselors, and strive for student-centered programming.”
The culmination of the event was the National School Counselor of the Year awards gala, held at the Historic Union Station.
The gala featured remarks from NPR Correspondent Deepa Shivaram, and a remote speech by former first lady Michelle Obama.
Wilson, along with her fellow honorees, walked across the stage to receive their awards from ASCA Executive Director Jill Cook & the ASCA board of directors chair, Lisa Fulton.
In attendance at the celebration were Wilson’s principal, Dr. Gina Pogue Reeder, and fellow school counselor, Denise Floreani.
Wilson expressed gratitude for their support stating, “It was remarkable to share this celebration with them because it was an opportunity to showcase our district’s school counseling program and meet and learn from leaders in the school counseling profession.”
To learn more information about the ASCA School of the Year: www.schoolcounselor.org/Recognition/School-Counselor-of-the-Year.