Shivela Middle School Counselor Named State Counselor of the Year

A counselor at Shivela Middle School has been named the Outstanding School Counselor of the Year by the California Association of School Counselors.

Ginger Hawkins was presented the 2011 Donald G. Hayes Professional Recognition Award at the Nov. 5 CASC conference in Pomona. The award is only given to one school counselor in the state each year.

She was also recognized by the Murrieta Valley Unified School District Thursday during its school board meeting.

Dean Lesicko, student support coordinator for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, nominated Hawkins for the award.

“Ginger has done a remarkable job of taking the lead in developing a comprehensive school counseling program at Shivela. She recognizes the important role of counselors in helping students improve academic performance, develop career awareness and refine personal and social skills," Lesicko said in a news release Friday.

During her 18-year tenure at Hawkins has developed and implemented a number of programs to help students achieve success and to create a culture of support and safety for all students, said Karen Parris, district spokesperson.

In 1994, Hawkins designed a three-day intensive training program to teach students to become peer counselors, according to Parris.

"She has continued to provide the training over the past 17 years and hundreds of students she’s trained have gone on to become peer counselors at their high schools," Parris said.

"In addition to developing student leaders, she has actively recruited and supervised a number of school counseling fieldwork students over the years, including the former president of the California Association of School Counselors."

Hawkins oversees a counseling program at Shivela that offers a number of counseling groups from Changing Families, to Grief, Prisoners of Heart and Academic Accountability.

She also delivers guidance lessons to each grade level on important topics such as bullying, sexual harassment and study skills, according to the news release.

“One quality that makes Ginger stand head and shoulders above others is her ability to connect with students and staff. Her sincerity and expertise allows her to reach students in such a way that she fosters success," Lesicko said.

Superintendent Stan Scheer thanked Hawkins for her work.

“Ginger has had a positive impact on the lives of thousands of students, staff and parents during her tenure in our district. She is a credit to her profession and we are very fortunate to have someone of her caliber who is standing in the gap for our students," Scheer said.