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Students Provide Counsel by Karen Evans November 21, 1975

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     Tucked between the biology and language labs is the new peer counseling room.  This room contains brightly painted walls, comfortable furniture, posters, rugs, and many other items that help give the room a relaxed atmosphere.  Most of this work was done by six students: Paul Shell, Jeff Marsh, Patrick Tracz, Vicki Havens, Joyce Parsons, and Renee Beach.  These students have been trained in peer counseling primarily by Ms. Joan Tannenbaum and Ms. Donna Fox.

     The purpose of the program is to have trained students available to aid the school guidance counselors, the middle school resource teachers, and classroom teachers by helping students feel good about themselves and those around them.

     The peer counselors will also soon be co-leading groups in the middle school.

     The counselors will have the opportunity to choose the age and sex of the group with whom they will be working.  Additionally, the counselors have the responsibility to decide the topics which the group will explore and the lesson plans they will use.  The sessions will be video taped or tape recorded so that they can be discussed with the supervisors.

     Last year the core group of students took a course in "Human Relations Skills" taught by Ms. Fox and Ms. Tannenbaum.  The students learned how to become more aware of both their feelings and the feelings of others.  The class was also instructed in problem solving, group process, and decision making.  Hopefully, sometime this year two other courses in peer counseling will be offered; "Peer Counseling and Practicum" and "Advanced Practicum in Peer Counseling."