Celebrate National School Counseling Week 2025: Advocate for the Impact of Your Program
National School Counseling Week (NSCW) is about so much more than just celebration — it’s a fantastic chance to advocate for the incredible role school counseling programs play in supporting students' academic success, emotional well-being, and postsecondary readiness. NSCW 2025 is happening from February 3-7, 2025 — the perfect time to shout from the rooftops about your school counseling program!
At Hatching Results, we’ve had the honor of working with school counselors across the country, and we’ve put together some creative and impactful ideas to help you celebrate and advocate for the profession. We’re bringing this gem back from the archives — our previous webinar, “Using National School Counseling Week as an Advocacy Opportunity,” is packed with strategies to help school counselors amplify their impact and visibility during this important week.
This blog post dives into some of those key strategies for celebrating NSCW and advocating for your school counseling program. If you want to go even deeper with expert tips, insights, and tools, be sure to check out the full webinar recording. Sign up to view the recording for free!
Why Advocacy Matters
As school counselors, so much of our work happens behind the scenes. We support students, work with teachers, collaborate with administrators, and assist families — but when was the last time we took a moment to advocate for our role and its impact? (Well, at Hatching Results, we think it’s something we should be doing regularly; check out our “Flashlight Presentations” blog post if you’re not sure where to start!)
National School Counseling Week is a great reminder that it's not just about us — it’s about the school counseling program and, most importantly, the students we serve.
This distinction matters because NSCW isn’t only about celebrating individual counselors; it’s about advocating for the school counseling services that benefit all students. The term “school counseling” captures the broader, proactive, and systematic work we do, beyond just the role of the individual “school counselor.” Want to know more about the difference between “counseling” and “counselor”? We’ve got an insightful article for you: ”Transforming Our Thinking About National School Counseling Week”.
By taking a few moments during NSCW to shine a light on your school counseling services, you’ll help others understand just how essential these services are to student success.
Tips to Celebrate NSCW and Advocate for Your Program
1. Get Creative with Food and Fun: One of the easiest and most fun ways to engage your staff and students is through food. It’s a simple but effective way to get people talking about your school counseling program.
Set Up a Snack Station: Everyone loves a snack break, right? Set up a popcorn or hot chocolate bar in the staff lounge, complete with fun school counseling posters and some info about the amazing work your team does. It’s a great way to spread the word and create some buzz!
Give Teachers a Little Love: Show your appreciation with small treats or handwritten notes. It’s a sweet, simple way to remind teachers and staff just how much their collaboration with school counselors impacts student success.
For more ideas on how to engage your school community during NSCW, sign up for the webinar and get access to our full slide deck with activities and resources!
2. Spread the Word with Announcements and Newsletters: Use your school’s communication channels to get the word out about NSCW and the vital role school counseling plays in student success.
Morning Announcements: Share a quick segment on the importance of school counseling, highlighting the services available to both students and teachers. It's an easy way to get everyone on board! Check out ASCA's 2024 sample NSCW morning announcements for ideas.
Press Releases: Write a short press release for your local newspaper or school newsletter to help shine a spotlight on NSCW and the positive impact your counseling program is making. ASCA’s 2025 sample NSCW press release can help you get started.
3. Participate in ASCA's Photo Challenge: The ASCA Photo Challenge is a fun and easy way to show off what your school counseling program is doing. Snap some photos and share them on social media to show how your school is celebrating NSCW.
Don’t forget to use the hashtag #NSCW25 to connect with other school counselors across the country. Find ASCA’s 2025 photo challenge signs here.
Monday, Feb. 3: School Counselors Help Students Thrive by...
Tuesday, Feb. 4: I Know Students are Thriving When...
Wednesday, Feb. 5: I Thrive as a School Counselor When...
Thursday, Feb. 6: I'm a School Counselor Because...
Friday, Feb. 7: Every Student Needs a School Counselor Who...
Our team participating in last year’s NSCW photo challenge!
4. Engage Students and Staff in Fun, Meaningful Activities: NSCW is the perfect time to get students and staff involved in activities that help them better understand the role of the school counselor.
Classroom Lessons: Start each lesson by explaining that NSCW is a time to learn about what school counselors do. Encourage students to chat with their families about what they’re learning from their counselor.
Interactive Activities: Host fun activities like a scavenger hunt or a “Guess how many lessons we’ve taught this year?” challenge. It’s a great way to raise awareness and get everyone excited about the role of school counselors. Click the images below for editable Canva templates to make it easy!
5. Collaborate with Educational Partners: NSCW is a great opportunity to collaborate with school leaders, teachers, and the broader community to highlight the significance of your program.
Get Leaders Involved: Invite your principal or even school board members to a school counseling meeting or event. It’s a fantastic way to give them a behind-the-scenes look at how your program helps students thrive. View our blog post “Tips for Presenting to School Boards” for more tips!
Get Social: Keep the conversation going beyond the school! Share updates on social media and engage with local organizations and stakeholders. It's an easy way to spread the word about the awesome work happening in your counseling program.
For a deeper dive into gathering and presenting school counseling data to educational partners, sign up for the full webinar and get access to our data collection templates.
Using Data to Advocate for Your Program
One of the best ways to advocate for your school counseling program is by using data. NSCW is the perfect time to share data that shows the real-world impact of your program. Data helps demonstrate how your efforts are contributing to things like improved academic performance, better attendance, and fewer behavior issues.
In the webinar, we walk through a few simple ways to incorporate data into your NSCW celebration:
Process Data (aka “Participation Data”): Share how many students you’ve seen, the types of services you’ve provided, and how much time you’re spending on each activity. It’s an easy way to show the reach of your program.
Perception Data (aka “Mindsets & Behaviors Data”): Share how students’ attitudes, skills, and behaviors have improved as a result of your school counseling program.
Outcome Data (aka “Achievement Data”): Highlight the tangible results of your work, such as improved grades, decreased disciplinary referrals, or increased college enrollment rates.
Sign up for the webinar to get access to tools for collecting and presenting data that demonstrate the effectiveness of your school counseling program.
Ideas for School Counseling Leaders
While NSCW is a great time for school counselors to advocate for their programs, school counseling leaders play a key role in supporting their teams and raising awareness across their district, county, or state. Here are a few ways you can make an impact:
Show Appreciation: Have your superintendent or district leaders record a message or take a photo to send to school counselors. Even better, ask them to speak directly to the counseling team during NSCW — it’s a great way to show support and boost morale!
Collaborate with Communications: Work with your district’s communications team to share success stories and spotlight school counselors on social media or in the district newsletter. Highlight the amazing impact your school counseling program is having on students.
Encourage Self-Care: Show your school counselors some love by organizing a little self-care activity — like inviting a local massage school to treat your counselors. It's a thoughtful way to promote well-being and help them recharge.
Take the Advocacy to the Board: School board meetings are a great opportunity to advocate for your school counseling program. Whether it’s a quick presentation or just a few words during open comments, use the time to remind the board about the value school counselors bring to student success!
Engage Principals: Send a friendly reminder to principals to acknowledge NSCW at their schools. Encourage staff to share shout-outs for school counselors — a little recognition goes a long way in raising awareness and showing appreciation.
By taking the lead during NSCW, you can help build a greater understanding and support for school counseling programs throughout your district, county, or state.
Get Ready for NSCW 2025!
National School Counseling Week 2025 is the perfect time to celebrate everything school counselors do and to advocate for continued support of the profession. By using some of these creative ideas, sharing impactful data, and getting your community involved, you can raise awareness about the value of school counseling and make a lasting impression during NSCW — and beyond!
For more strategies and practical resources to help you advocate for your program, be sure to sign up for our free webinar recording, sign up for our free webinar recording, “Using National School Counseling Week as an Advocacy Opportunity.” You’ll get expert insights and tools that will help you make the most of NSCW and maximize your impact.
How Are You Celebrating?
We’d love to see how you’re planning to celebrate NSCW 2025! Share your ideas in the comments or on social media using ASCA’s official hashtag #NSCW25 and tag us @HatchingResults!
And don’t forget to sign up for our webinar recording, “Using National School Counseling Week as an Advocacy Opportunity,” for actionable resources, expert guidance, and real-world examples that will help you advocate for your counseling program.
