Cincinnati, OH - March 3, 2017– Saint Ursula Academy is proud to congratulate SUA Counselor Sara Utecht on being named "Excellent School Counselor" by CareerQuest. CareerQuest presents this award to just three counselors in the area each school year.
Career Quest and SUA surprised Ms. Utecht in front of the entire school community with the award, along with a plaque and trophy. Utecht serves as a freshman and sophomore counselor, is chair of the counseling department at SUA, and works with all of the students during group counseling sessions.
"The best and most effective of today’s secondary education school counselors serve a unique and critical secondary education role,” said Melissa Harmeling from Career Quest. “Excellent school counselors help students make and understand the connection between the importance of academic success and extra-curricular involvement to their life after graduation. In as much, excellent school counselors help high school students better define and choose future educational and career paths that are best for each individual student."
Saint Ursula Principal Craig Maliborksi believes the Saint Ursula Academy Counseling Department is the finest high school counseling department in the city and Ms. Utecht is a big reason for that. “The students’ experience with Ms. Utecht is very similar to the experiences her peers have with Ms. Utecht--she is professional, caring, a great listener, someone who can provide good advice, and a good friend.”
Ms. Utecht is not only known within the walls of Saint Ursula as a great counselor; she is recognized for her work and how she does her work by those outside of Saint Ursula. Ms. Utecht serves on regional committees, is sought out by her peers in other schools for guidance and advice, and teaches students at Xavier University who are training to be high school counselors.
The following are some of the positive skills and characteristics of excellent school counselors Career Quest used in assessing the recipients of this award. Excellent school counselors are:
- Understanding of each student’s strengths and weaknesses
- Positive influencers who effectively listen and communicate
- Passionate counselors who are open-minded and understanding
- Well informed and connected to college & career information and contacts
- Well rounded, capable educators positively engaging students on a daily basis
- Ethical, competent, inclusive, resourceful & organized licensed school counselors
- Consistently motivating, believing in and affirming students to achieve their potential
- Visible within the school and readily accessible to students, parents, staff and administrators
SUA is honored that Ms. Utecht was chosen for such an award and is proud that she is a counselor at Saint Ursula Academy!
Saint Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. Saint Ursula welcomes students from more than 90 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Academy is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. 86% of the Class of 2016 earned college scholarships totaling more than $22-million.