MASCA PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION Program

• School Counselor of the Year: A current MASCA member and licensed counselor serving during the current school year in an elementary, middle, or high school, who has made outstanding contributions to their school and is running a top-notch, comprehensive school counseling program.  The winner of this award will be Massachusetts' nominee for ASCA's School Counselor of the Year.  
• Administrator of the Year: An administrator who has made an outstanding and significant contribution to the counseling movement, developed and/or implemented an innovative program, or initiated unusual improvements of school counseling services in their area of responsibility.
• Rising Star Award: An individual who has entered the school counseling profession within the last five years. The award winner is a model for new counselors demonstrating the highest standards of professional competence, outstanding contributions to the school community and/or profession, and has demonstrated strong rapport with students, parents, and school personnel.
• MASCA Counselor Educator of the Year: A current MASCA member and counselor educator teaching during the current academic year in a higher education setting, who has made outstanding contributions in teaching, research, and/or service and is making significant contributions to the school counseling field.
• Leadership Award: A current MASCA member and licensed counselor serving during the current school year in an elementary, middle, or high school who demonstrates leadership in the counseling profession at the local, state, or national level.  Nominators should share the concrete impact of their nominee's leadership. 
• Graduate Student of the Year: A graduate student in either a masters or doctoral level program in school counselor or counselor education who consistently demonstrates excellence in the classroom.  This awardee enhances the learning of their peers, demonstrates a robust understanding of the role of the school counselor, including as it relates to equity, and demonstrates academic excellence.  **May be nominated by a professor or a classmate**
• Counseling Intern of the Year: Awarded to a school counseling intern currently completing their practicum in the 2021-2022 school year.   This awardee has taken leadership in their placement, connected with students and families, and is a contributing member of the counseling team. **May be nominated by anyone at their internship site, though we particularly welcome nominations from their internship site supervisor**
• MASCA Special Award: An individual who has made a contribution of unusual significance that substantially affects the counseling profession. The contribution directly affects counselors, students, or a school program and the individual is not eligible for any other MASCA awards. 

• Introducing the ESCPA -Excellence in School Counseling Program Award (NEW)
  

  The MASCA Professional Recognition Committee has introduced a new award called the MASCA Excellence in School Counseling Program Award (ESCPA). This award is meant to honor a school counseling department which has created a comprehensive school counseling program.

  Anyone from the school community can nominate a deserving program. Nominators will need to give the contact details of all team members and explain why they think this program deserves to be nominated. Nominators should describe how the program's work has had a positive, measurable impact in the three domains of the Mass Model 3.0: Academic, Personal Social, and Workplace Readiness 

  Criteria for the award include:

• • A comprehensive school counseling plan is created by a team of school counselors within a school or a district-wide counseling team, but can be done by a single counselor if there is only one counselor in the school.
  • The application must show that the program has achieved positive results in three areas: Academic, Personal/Social and Workplace Readiness
  • Documentation that the program has followed the MA Model 3.0  and used data to make informed decisions for all students
  • Evidence that the program has actively communicated and promoted their initiatives by delivering presentations, and/or involving community members
  • Identify and explain actions that typically include marginalized populations
  • At least one member of the school counseling team must be a MASCA member

Questions about the MASCA Awards may be directed to Dina Sibilia, Professional Recognition Chair. 

• Counselor of the Year
• OSCARS
• Pillars
• Tributes