November 17-18, 2025
Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center
Kalamazoo, MI
We look forward to having you join us at the Michigan School Counselor Association Conference!
We hope to see you next year!
Lead Presenter: Casey Jones
Generative AI (GAI) is transforming our digital world—bringing exciting possibilities but also new safety challenges for kids and teens. How should internet safety evolve for today’s youth and their families? At the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, we’re seeing complex cases involving youth-created content and AI-generated child imagery. This interactive workshop will spark critical conversations on updating prevention messaging using a developmental and trauma-informed lens. You’ll leave with fresh insights, practical strategies for engaging youth, and free, ready-to-use resources to empower your school or community in navigating this emerging landscape.
Lead Presenter: Barbara Arens
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan put together an overview of career opportunities in the world of civil engineering. Our organization’s goal is to educate future generations about the vast career opportunities in civil engineering, which offers careers in transportation, buildings, water supply, wastewater, geotechnical, construction, and surveying. The industry is looking at retiring more of the work force than students are backfilling out of college. Our goal is to communicate and work with guidance counselors and school districts to understand and communicate to students the opportunities in civil engineering. It is a career that is needed locally and nationally; it provides opportunities in small, medium, and large communities. Our goal is to work to provide opportunities for students to consider as a career.
Lead Presenter: Robyn Emde
As a first generation college student herself, Dr. Robyn J. Emde presents ways to help students and parents become aware of college possibilities. This presentation will be a practical, evidence-based experience for attendees.
In this session, the following will be addressed:
1) Importance of a college-going culture.
2) Creating a vision within each student of going to college along with creating a mission statement for your school.
3) What aspects of creating a college culture can an elementary school counselor foster?
4) What goals are established that help to move students closer to a college-going culture?
In addition to experiencing clarity on the above areas, participants will be given an opportunity to ask questions.
Lead Presenter: Phillip Pittman
For too many students, stress and anxiety have become normal parts of their lives. Would you like to learn how to help students learn how to best manage the most common forms of stress and pressure, including school, sports, friends, family, relationships, work, and social media? During this interactive workshop, we will focus on how students can distinguish healthy and unhealthy stressors, determine their triggers, recognize symptoms, prevent anxiety attacks, and develop productive ways to manage their stress and anxiety. As part of this session, you will gain insight into mindfulness techniques, organization and prioritization skills, and the value of connectedness.
Lead Presenter: Heidie Ciesielski
School counselors are uniquely suited to join the K-12 administrative ranks, as they field a host of complex tasks, like building master schedules and testing administration all while ensuring the welfare of the students in their buildings. This presentation will help show how counselors can take the leap into K-12 administration, and/or how counselors are uniquely suited to be parts of administrative teams and decision making.
Lead Presenter: Neil Feser
All high school students sit up when they hear how much more graduates earn in lifetime earnings than dropouts do. When the difference is converted into dollars paid for every hour spent in high school classes, they really sit up. Dropouts do not earn a bonus. You will appreciate how the impact is visually enhanced when coupled with a successful suicide prevention presentation in which individual students representing a year of life stand shoulder to shoulder to represent a full life. They then represent $8,000/year in higher high school graduate earnings. Additional mini presentations address student focus and how AI use or lack of use influences student career decisions, success, and attitudes toward productivity.
Lead Presenter: Matthew Berry
Are you curious about the potential of using artificial intelligence in school counseling? Attend this workshop where we delve into the innovative realm of “Using AI in School Counseling.” As education and technology converge, AI offers exciting possibilities to enhance student support, streamline tasks, and provide personalized interventions.
Lead Presenter: Jon Humiston
Supporting transgender and nonbinary students goes beyond inclusive language—it’s about cultivating physical and emotional safety, challenging assumptions, and understanding intersecting identities. This interactive workshop uses student narratives, real scenarios, and practical tools to equip school counselors with knowledge and strategies to better support trans and nonbinary youth. Participants will learn how to adapt advising conversations, advocate for inclusive policies and resources, and respond to mistakes with care and accountability. Together, we’ll reflect on how school climate, facilities, and support systems shape a student’s sense of belonging and persistence.
Lead Presenter: Christopher Kasper
Interested in saving money on college? Interested in trying out college, with fewer risks? What about being taught by actual professors in smaller class sizes? Or, remaining closer to home (and support networks)? Want to pass on standardized tests? Interested in credential-stacking? If ‘yes’ was the response to any of those questions, then community college may be the answer! Come learn more about America’s oft-overlooked bastion of American Educational Democracy. Presented by a proud First Generation college graduate and community college graduate.
Lead Presenter: Jane Kim
Device use is a challenge across generations, yet most children grow up without guardrails or formal education. Today’s students are digital natives, with experiences shaped more by algorithms than by choice. Unrestricted access from a young age has left many distracted, dysregulated, disengaged, and dependent on tech. Counselors support student mindsets and behaviors, a task made harder as devices, social media, and AI impact emotional regulation, focus, and relationships. This session explores why teaching healthy digital habits and critical thinking is overdue and offers strategies to address root causes. Every part of the ASCA student standards is affected by how students use technology. Counselors will leave with tools that center student voice and choice to create lasting change in students’ lives and school culture.
Lead Presenter: Diana Virgil
In this session, Diana Virgil, 2024 School Counselor of the Year, highlights the barriers she experienced in her school counseling career and how she opened doors through collaboration, authenticity and vulnerability. Diana shares how honesty, openness and transparency enable her personal growth and ensure she shows up for her students. Diana’s personal journey offers lessons in identifying and overcoming obstacles and having the courage to be vulnerable.
Lead Presenter: Emily Hurtado-Arboleda
Join us for an engaging discussion about the State financial aid programs, including the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and its various pathways (Community College Guarantee, Public and Private University, and career training). Learn about innovative services and support available through the MiLEAP Office of Higher Education outreach team and gain a better understanding of student data available in our online data management system, MiSSG. Attendees will hear effective outreach strategies and ways they can incorporate MI Student Aid programs and outreach services into their work with students. Additionally, participants will walk away with resources they can use to help students explore pathways to post-secondary education.
Lead Presenter: Ann-Marie Mapes
In this session, participants will hear from the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and the Michigan Department of Education about how the agencies partnered to meet the requirements of a new state law. This law charged the MDE to provide students and families with an informational packet of post-graduation opportunities. Join us to learn how the team has enhanced Pathfinder resources to share additional information about the following: earning early college credit in high school, getting a job, serving one’s community, accessing college, and available financial resources to support post-secondary learning. Participants will also be asked to share ideas on how to get the word out about these helpful, freely available resources.
Lead Presenter: Glinda Rawls
Last year, Western Michigan University received a Section 27h Mentoring and Induction Grant from the Michigan Department of Education to develop statewide mentoring and induction standards for school counselors, administrators, and teachers. In this session, you will learn about the interrelated challenges new school professionals face and how these issues shaped the development of the mentoring and induction standards. You will also learn about the multidisciplinary team approach faculty used and the various ways we engaged stakeholders while developing the standards. Additionally, you will learn how the faculty team developed common standards and those specific to disciplines in counselor education, educational leadership and teacher education. Lastly, you will learn about the current status of the mentoring and induction grant project.
Lead Presenter: Aline Keledjian
Description: Coming Soon
Lead Presenter: Genvieve Stephenson
This session highlights the pivotal role school counselors play in fostering college and career readiness from the earliest years of education. Based on the Forbes’ top 10 character traits and soft skills essential for future success—such as adaptability, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and leadership—this presentation offers a framework for how counselors can intentionally nurture these competencies in elementary students. Attendees will explore practical, developmentally appropriate strategies and activities to embed these skills into counseling programs, classroom guidance lessons, and schoolwide initiatives.
Lead Presenter: Tina Queary
This session provides school counselors with practical tools to help educators create structured, supportive classrooms. Participants will learn strategies for setting clear, inclusive expectations, using proactive behavior management, and guiding students through effective conflict resolution. Emphasis will be placed on relationship-building, restorative practices, and de-escalation techniques that foster emotional safety and student accountability. Grounded in social/emotional learning and positive psychology, this session will help counselors lead efforts to reduce disruptions, improve classroom climate, and promote long-term behavior change.
Lead Presenter: John Waldo
In this session, participants will learn key things to consider when advising Dual Enrollment (DE) or Early/Middle College (EMC) students on what courses to select if they are considering a future STEM career. Too often, students select basic general education or other courses that may not eventually transfer to a four-year institution or toward a student’s desired STEM program. We will explore how to utilize the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) and associate degrees for future STEM students.
Lead Presenter: Lauren Kazee
Thanks to public and private funding, TRAILS is currently supporting over 1500 schools in Michigan. This session provides an overview of the TRAILS program and how it equips school leaders and staff with training and resources to deliver evidence-based mental health programming to students across a multi-tiered support framework. Learn how our tiered supports are improving student well-being which impacts their success in school and life. Join us for a fun, informative, and engaging session.
Lead Presenter: Beatrice Harrison
This presentation provides information on credentials that should be attained/renewed by school counselors. It is important to be appropriately certified in order to provide the best service as school counselors to the K-12 population. The School Counselor Professional Development Law has specific requirements mandated for renewing a school counselor credential that will be highlighted in this workshop. Administrators and school counselors need to be aware of hiring and compliance issues which will also be discussed during this workshop session.
Lead Presenter: Catherine Livingston
Did you know that disordered eating behaviors can begin at the age of 6? With nearly 1 in 5 children and adolescents worldwide showing signs, the need for early awareness and proactive support has become more urgent. As students navigate the complex pressures of growing up, social media, peer comparisons and academic stress, educators find themselves on the front lines of a silent crisis. This session will empower school professionals to recognize early warning signs and respond with confidence and compassion. Attendees will gain an understanding of eating disorder terminology, learn to identify symptoms in students, and explore eating disorder risks and protective factors. Practical school-appropriate intervention strategies, the importance of preventative programs and healthy coping skills will be discussed.
Lead Presenter: Emily Sicilia
It’s true… those little bricks have the potential to unlock powerful conversations. Unsure? Join us as we use Legos to facilitate a session that allows you to both experience as a participant AND plan how to utilize these game-changers during your own meetings. We will share our processes, questions, and playlist to allow you to bring these powerful tools (that you likely have in your own home or school) into conversations in a meaningful and impactful way. Get ready to get your brick on!
Lead Presenter: Nicole Stoner
Early career exploration helps young children develop self-awareness, understand community, and begin connecting school to the world of work. This session is sure to ignite your curiosity in fun elementary career activities. Learn about play-based Career Zone Bins, creating a Career Cafe, hosting a Vehicle Day, and more! Attendees will leave with hands-on elementary career activities to implement immediately in your school counseling program.
Lead Presenter: Carin McEvoy
When students express a passion for music, teachers and counselors often default to careers in performance or classroom teaching, but music-related careers extend far beyond the stage or school setting. This session will introduce a wide range of opportunities in the music field that blend creativity, education, leadership, and innovation. Participants will learn how core musical skills translate into diverse and meaningful occupations. We’ll explore how different pathways within music can align with students’ unique strengths, interests, and goals. Counselors will leave with tools to expand career conversations, challenge common myths, and help students see music as a dynamic field with many possibilities for impact and fulfillment.
Lead Presenter: Henry White
This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of the admissions process for the United States Military Academy at West Point. Attendees will gain insight into the academy’s mission to develop leaders of character for the U.S. Army, understand the academic, physical, and leadership requirements, and learn about the application timeline, nomination process, and key selection criteria. Whether you’re a prospective applicant, parent, counselor, or educator, this session will equip you with the essential information and resources to navigate the competitive admissions process successfully.
Lead Presenter: Jennifer Foster
Preparing PK-12 students in post-secondary readiness is critical given the large-scale achievement and opportunity gaps that exist across schools in the U.S., which have left many high school graduates unprepared for post-secondary success (Bottoms, 2022). This presentation will bolster attendees’ understanding of multiculturally-grounded post-secondary strategies to increase access. We focus on three key areas: (1) access to school counselors, (2) access to college/career knowledge, and (3) access to culturally responsive practices. Attendees will explore the topic through a case study and will be provided with practical, up-to-date examples of career exploration and planning platforms, college application processes, financial aid and scholarship applications, and skills for post-secondary success in college and the workplace.
Lead Presenter: Betsy Kanagawa
During this presentation, participants will evaluate their counseling program and develop systems to improve based on the ASCA National Model for School Counseling. If your program is already comprehensive, this presentation will also give tips for preparing your program to be RAMP ready!
Lead Presenter: Sarah Dickman
This sharing session offers an opportunity to connect with fellow high school counselors from across the state. Designed as an unstructured session, it encourages networking, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas. Participants are invited to share questions, insights, and best practices in a relaxed and supportive environment. Many attendees leave with a fresh perspective and practical ideas to implement in their own schools.
Lead Presenter: Zach Rich
This session is for educators, guidance counselors, and student advisors in grades 5-12 to explore new venues to expand Career & Technical Education (CTE) opportunities for their students with the enhancement of the core academic skills (reading, writing, and mathematic) and social/emotional learning. Participants will also learn about Schools to Tools programs and how they are closely aligned with Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan (Goal 4: expanding secondary learning opportunities for all students utilizing a CTE track). Our FREE Mobile Field Trip has been to over 200 stops and engaged over 28,000 students in the past 2 years. We have also trained over 800 educators through our SCECH program.
Lead Presenter: Timothy Folmar
School Counselors are trained mental health professionals. We all know this fact to be true, yet our professional identity can get caught up in our limited scope of practice, and we often settle for putting out the daily fires or completing the administrative tasks that are never ending. This session is designed to reconnect school counselors with the knowledge we have in our tool chests and empower us to apply our full arsenal when supporting students, families, and communities. By integrating various theories and techniques, school counselors can best meet the wide variety of emotional and mental health needs presented to us each day. You will walk away feeling motivated to ethically apply this training to your daily work, consider your professional identity, and with specific techniques and strategies to implement with your students.
National Center for Youth Issues
ATTN: MI-SCA
P.O. Box 22185
Chattanooga, TN 37422-2185
