Lakeside High Counselor Wins ‘Counselors That Change Lives Awards’

Lakeside High School Counselor Wins ‘Counselors That Change Lives Awards’

Lakeside High School guidance counselor Cole Conners is one of 12 recipients of the 2021 Counselors That Change Lives awards. Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL), a non-profit organization dedicated to the ideal of a student-centered college search, gives the recognition.

CTCL nominates counselors who are dedicated to students and their success, not only during the college search but also throughout their entire high school career and beyond. These counselors work with students and their families to ensure they are thoughtful about their college choices – developing a list of schools that will cultivate their strengths, help them improve in challenging areas, and offer students a transformative college experience, leading to successful personal and professional lives.

Conners was nominated by one of his colleagues, Alexsis Skeen, who is the assistant director of admission at Agnes Scott College. Skeen shared she has “never met a counselor more excited to learn about Agnes Scott’s SUMMIT curriculum! Cole has a passion for global learning and leadership development and was ecstatic to hear that all Scotties take coursework in both. Cole and I love to geek out about curriculum together!” Conners truly enjoys the lifelong learning so often attributed to liberal arts education.

Skeen also shared that “Cole is a major advocate of first generation college students. Each year, he has played a vital role in organizing Lakeside’s ‘Apply to College Day.’ During the programming, admission representatives and college counselors are available in the library to actively work with students to complete college applications and FAFSAs. Many of the students who attend ‘Apply to College Day’ would not be applying to nearly as many institutions or even applying at all without Cole.”

Conners is changing students’ and families’ lives through his advocacy, caring, and dedication. The type of work Conners is doing is truly transformational and he exemplifies the ideal of a “student-centered college search.”