Other Awards

GSCA Professional Recognition Awards
Criteria for Other awards

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted electronically to http://gsca.schoolcounselorawards.org/scoy/ no later than August 1 annually unless otherwise noted on the application. Download the application here. 

Note:  The Awards portal sigon is not linked to your GSCA or ASCA user name and password; you will create a separate account on the portal if you have not logged in to it before.

Steps to Apply

  1. Visit http://gsca.schoolcounselorawards.org
  2. Click "Other Awards" to view the application
  3. Once you have completed your application and/or gathered the information requested, return to the same page to upload your finished application as ONE DOCUMENT to the website
  4. Note: You must create an account to upload and submit your application.
  • All applications judged by the State Awards Committee will be screened by the Professional Recognition Chair(s) to ensure that they meet the GSCA eligibility requirements.  The committee’s job is to select a state winner for each category, if represented.  
  • GSCA members should contact the Advocacy Chair if they wish to nominate a Legislator of the Year; the Legislator of the Year will be selected by the Advocacy Committee.   
  • GSCA members should contact the GSCA President if they wish to nominate for the Lifetime Achievement Award; the award will be selected by the Executive Committee.
  • The following point system will be used to rate specific criteria:
    • 5 – Meets criteria to an exceptional degree
    • 4 – Meets criteria to an above average degree
    • 3 – Meets criteria to an average degree
    • 2 – Meets criteria to a minimum degree
    • 1 – Does not meet criteria or no evidence present

The criteria to be rated for each award include the following:

COUNSELOR EDUCATOR oF THE YEAR
  • Maintain high moral standards in their professional conduct
  • Responsible for innovations or further development of school counseling education programs aligning with the ASCA National Model
  • Demonstrate leadership, advocacy, and collaboration in their work
  • Demonstrate consistent and reliable contributions in all areas of service, scholarship, and teaching over an exemplary career span
  • Membership in GSCA
SUPERVISOR/ADMINISTRATOR oF THE YEAR

Nominee must be an administrator, coordinator, director, or supervisor of school, district or state school counseling services.

  • Exemplary support of school counseling services aligning with the American School Counselor Association National Model
  • Outstanding promotion of school counseling services
  • Implementation of new/additional school counseling services
  • Improvement of existing school counseling services
ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

The nominee should NOT be actively employed as a school counselor or as a supervisor/administrator over school counselors or school counseling services at the school, district, or state levels. (Examples of appropriate nominations include parents, community members, school board members, etc.)

  • Exemplary support of counseling services aligning with the ASCA National Model
  • Outstanding promotion of counseling services
  • Implementation of new/additional counseling services
  • Improvement of existing counseling services
LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR

The GSCA Advocacy Committee will select the winner in this category. No packet is required.  Nominations should be made to the GSCA Advocacy Chair.

  • Responsibility for introducing or carrying bill on a state or national level congress
  • Gathering of information leading to the introduction and passage of a significant bill
  • Presentation of testimony of great influence on the introduction or amendment of a significant bill
  • Contribution of testimony or the exposing of conditions in an oversight hearing, which results in administrative changes or legislative amendments of significance to counselors or recipients of their services.
EMERGING LEADER AWARD

The nominee must be a GSCA member who has demonstrated the experience and dedication to become a dedicated leader of the counseling profession in future years. Nominees must have:

  • A Master’s degree in school counseling.
  • Held at least one office, leadership, committee or chair position at the school or local level
  • Been a member of GSCA for at least 3 years
  • Shown ability as a new leader in the school counseling profession
  • Nomination letter should describe examples of the nominee’s leadership at local, state, or national levels and explain how this leadership relates to the advancement of the counseling profession and GSCA.
WRITER oF THE YEAR
  • Published writing within the last three (3) years.
  • Currently employed full-time in or retired from the field of school counseling in the year of nomination.
  • Published writing of practical significance for school counselors
  • Published writing of the type that has direct implications for communication of the importance and significance of counseling as an integral part of the educational process
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

This award will be given by the GSCA Executive Committee. Please note: This award does not have to be given every year.  Nominator must submit the GSCA nomination form and a letter of recommendation to the GSCA President for the winner to be selected by the Executive Committee.

  • The individual has made outstanding contributions through a body of work that has made a profound impact on the school counseling profession.
  • The individual has been a partner/ally of the Georgia School Counselor Association and has supported its initiatives.
  • The individual has changed school counseling through his or her contributions to the profession, leadership in the profession, and/or mentoring of others in the profession.
  • The individual represents the values, ideals, and ethics of the profession.
  • The individual's current employment, affiliation and professional and personal activities benefit the Georgia School Counselor Association and the profession.
BUSINESS PARTNER aWARD
  • The nominee must be a business or industry
  • Exemplary support of the school counseling mission to support postsecondary/college and career  success for students
  • Outstanding promotion of the school counseling profession's efforts in the area of college and career
  • Implementation of new or additional services or supports toward college and career success in P-12 schools
  • Implementation of or improvement of existing partnerships with P-12 school counseling programs
INSPIRATION AWARD
  • This award is given to a person who has served as an inspiration to the GSCA President throughout his/her work in the school counseling profession.
  • The recipient should be a current/past member of GSCA.
  • This award is given by the current GSCA President at the Fall Conference Professional Recognition Event.
  • The award is a surprise to the winner, but family/friends are invited to attend (in confidence).

Awards Checklist

This checklist will help you to complete your application with ease and reduce the possibility of disqualification. Please check the application items and requirements carefully. Submission of materials beyond the limitation will disqualify the nomination.

  • Counselor Educator of the Year, Supervisor/Administrator of the Year, Advocate of the Year, and Emerging Leader Awards
    1. Was the nominee a member of GSCA prior to December 1? NOTE: Not required for supervisor/administrator or advocate nominees
    2. Is the nominator a member of GSCA?
    3. Does your application follow the requirements (below) and adhere to page limitations?
    4. Are the requirements saved in ONE DOCUMENT (pdf)?
    5. Application must include the following (Packet to be submitted by nominator):
      • Official GSCA nomination form and information sheet
      • Letter of nomination from the nominator containing a description of the contribution for which the individual is being nominated (maximum 2 pages).
      • Vita for the nominee (maximum 2 pages)
      • One additional letter of recommendation (maximum 2 pages)
      • Supporting Material (optional): These pages may include flyers, agendas, notes, letters, charts, graphs, items from events, photos, etc.
      • The entire application should not exceed a total of 10 pages.
  • Writer Award
    1. Were you a member of GSCA prior to December 1?
    2. Is your nominator a member of GSCA?
    3. Does your application follow the requirements (below) and adhere to page limitations?
    4. Are the requirements saved in ONE DOCUMENT (pdf)?
    5. Application must include the following:
      • Official GSCA nomination form and information sheet
      • Letter of nomination from the nominator containing a description of the contribution for which you are being nominated (maximum 2 pages).
      • Vita for the nominee (maximum 2 pages)
      • Statement (maximum 2 pages) in which you explain what inspired you to write the piece of work, provide at least one example of how the work may impact the field of school counseling, and discuss how you will further share your work (for example, presentations, book signings, etc.)
      • Supporting Material (optional): These pages may include flyers, agendas, notes, letters, charts, graphs, items from events, photos, etc.
      • Provide a sample of your piece of work (not part of the 10 page maximum).
    6. The entire application should not exceed a total of 10 pages.
  • Lifetime Achievement Award
    1. Was the nominee a member of GSCA prior to December 1?
    2. Is the nominator a member of GSCA?
    3. Does your application follow the requirements (below) and adhere to page limitations?
    4. Are the requirements saved in ONE DOCUMENT (pdf)?
    5. Application must include the following:
      • Nominator must submit the GSCA nomination form
      • Additional letter of recommendation
    6. Did you submit the document to the GSCA President via the awards submission portal for consideration by the Executive Committee no later than August 1.
  • Legislator Award
    1. Nominator must submit the GSCA nomination form (page 4 below) and a letter of recommendation to the GSCA Advocacy Chair for consideration by the Advocacy Committee no later than August 1.