Happy National School Counseling Week
Todd Olivier, Grace King High School Senior Class Counselor
To honor National School Counseling Week, we caught up with Grace King High School senior class counselor Todd “the GOAT” Olivier and asked him a few questions about his role as a mentor for young adults.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The interactions I have with my students. Also, being a role model and making sure they have everything they need for their high school experience.
What advice would you give to freshmen?
Take your classes seriously now. If you get off to a bad start, it will follow you. It is important to start off on the right foot and get your grades where they need to be. If not, it can impact you when you are applying to colleges.
What advice would you give to seniors?
Start applying to colleges and take being a senior seriously. Get a good idea of what you want to do when you get out of high school because that last year can go by fast.
What are some challenges you faced this year and what advice would you give other counselors?
Around 70 percent of my students are virtual so I don’t have as many in-person interactions. The pandemic places extra barriers in doing what you need to do. I would tell other counselors to not stress, take it one day at a time, and just try and get your work done.
What are some things you do to handle stress?
I try and have a healthy lifestyle. I have a goal of exercising five days a week. Sometimes it ends up being four days but that’s ok. Also, finding an activity to help myself relax like reading a book, journaling, and meditation.
We appreciate all of our counselors and celebrate the role they have in helping students plan for life and achieve success. Happy National School Counseling Week!