Most students at Liberty would say that they have used the counseling office in some way during their years at Liberty. Whether that’s scheduling changes, emotional support, or college preparation, Liberty’s school counselors have many tasks they are trusted with. 

School counseling has undergone some major changes in the last few decades. With the teacher shortage, counselors have been forced to do tasks that were traditionally teacher roles. For example, it’s common for counselors to substitute for a teacher or do lunch duty. It’s estimated that counselors spend about 60% of their time doing tasks beyond original counseling tasks (teachforamerica.org). 

Along with these extra duties, counselors also have to tackle the growing issues surrounding students and mental health. 37% of students in the United States experience feelings of sadness or hopelessness. 9% of these students have attempted suicide (CDC).

The need for school counselors grows every day, and yet there is a significant shortage of school counselors in the United States. One in five students in the United States do not have access to a school counselor, which adds up to about eight million students. 

While some of the Liberty counselors have been here since the opening of the school, others are new to the 2022-2023 school year. All four have been striving to make Liberty a better and safer place. 

Troy Bergmann, a school counselor at Liberty said, “I love being part of these truly seminal moments in students’ lives. Being accepted into college, getting a scholarship or financial aid that makes a school possible, getting their first job, [and] even prom and homecoming. I also love seeing students that are struggling make progress towards improvement.” 

Kate Pruess, one of the counselors at Liberty, loves being able to watch students grow as individuals. 

“I wanted to be a school counselor because I love working with students and helping them realize their full potential and supporting them as they work to reach it.”

This sentiment is echoed by the other counselors, as they share similar reasons for wanting to become school counselors. 

“My favorite part of being a school counselor is making connections with the coolest students, watching them succeed, helping them when they feel lost, and doing everything I can to show them that I am here for them,” said Shelby Bryce, a counselor at Liberty. 

This week, Feb. 5- Feb. 11, is National School Counselors week. Make sure to thank the counselors at Liberty for everything they do for our school by writing a card or a thank you note to them. 

School counseling is a critical part of the education system, helping students through emotional needs, and creating a future for all high school students. The counselors at Liberty continuously strive to make students feel seen and heard at school.