St. Cloud Times – On a typical day, Rick Larson’s job duties can run the gamut from career counselor to bully buster to cheerleader to therapist.
Larson, a counselor at St. Cloud’s Apollo High School, is never sure what to expect.
“It depends on the hour,” he said. “I could be helping a student apply to Stanford one minute, and then the next minute be doing a child abuse report.”
The role of the school counselor has evolved dramatically over the years. Decades ago, they were primarily responsible for helping students choose a college and apply for scholarships. Now counselors are charged with supporting students with a wide range of needs, from forging academic and career paths to social and personal development.
“A lot of people don’t realize all the other issues we’re helping students with, because it happens behind closed doors and it’s confidential,” said Bill Lepkowski, an associate professor at St. Cloud State University and coordinator of the university’s school counseling program.
