School counselors are critical to helping students successfully navigate their postsecondary options. But all too often, those counselors are understaffed, under-resourced, and absent from the leadership table. The average student-to-counselor ratio is nearly 500 to 1, and in many schools, it is much higher. That’s why Reach Higher works to support and celebrate the school counseling profession.

The American School Counselor Association names the National School Counselor of the Year, an annual award that honors the nation’s top school counselors. From 2015 to 2017, Mrs. Obama and Reach Higher hosted the School Counselor of the Year ceremony at the White House. We continue to celebrate these critical educators every year.

Each year, Reach Higher and Common App partner with the College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers to present the Excellence in College Counseling award. This award recognizes a high school counseling team in the College Football Championship host city for their outstanding commitment to fostering a college-going culture in high schools that serve students from low- and middle-income families.