VCDA
is a Division of Virginia Counselors Association
National Career Development Association
Presentation Title & Presenter(s)
Brief Overview
School Counselors and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Career Awareness
The purpose and need of STEM education and awareness for students will be discussed. Contributions concerning the awareness of school counselors will be considered at the elementary, middle, high, and college levels. Attention is directed to why minorities may hesitate to pursue STEM careers, and how to overcome career-related barriers.
Kelley S. Doswell, Ed.D.
Classroom Presentations and Activities for High School Students – A Four Year Plan
This presentation will detail the collaboration between counselors and career specialist to present hands-on classroom lessons and one major activity every year for each grade level. Lesson plans will be made available online.
Caroline Bertrand, Career Specialist
Western Albemarle High School
The Virginia Education Wizard: Helping All Students Develop a Vision for their Future
The Wizard provides personalized information to help students select a career, determine the education or training that leads to their desired career, estimate and compare the cost of attending colleges and universities, find and apply for financial aid, identify transfer pathways from community colleges to universities, and much more.
Chris Pfautz, Director of Student Support Technologies,
Virginia’s Community Colleges;
Erika Poindexter, Coordinator of Student Support Technologies,
Virginia’s Community Colleges
Following Your Passion May Not be the Best Career Advice
Debt, stress, and no job to show for your college degree. Counselors, teachers and parents often advise young people to follow your heart and the money will follow. Following one’s passion may not be the best path toward a career that offers a great career and decent lifestyle.
Dr. Janet E. Wall, CDFI, MCDP
What Can a Career Coach/Counselor Do for You?
College & Career PlanningCareer Assessments
Resume, Interviewing & Networking Skills
Using the VA Wizard
Navigating certificate & degree programs
Volunteering/Community Resources
Non-credit classes that lead to a career: Technology certification prep, Healthcare, Industry & Construction Apprenticeship
Paying for college: FAFSA & Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
Exploring interests, skills and personal goals
Developing a plan that can expand with your academic and career successes
Michelle Beverage, Adult Career Coach,
Center for Workforce & Community Education, Germanna Community;
Marie Hawley, Career Counselor,
Germanna Community College College
Understanding The '90s As Cultural Diversity
During this presentation, participants are engaged in an interactive exploration of the 1990s as a radical turning point in American cultural history. They will examine the impacts of this cultural shift as a social paradigm which reshapes views, values and vocations while it rewrites the counseling agenda for the future.
Millus D. Bass, Author
Implementing the 2012-13 SOQ Academic & Career Plan for 7th Graders
Participants will take part in a PowerPoint presentation that has been in use for two years with 7th graders, which implements the Academic & Career Plan (ACP) VDOE initiative. Topics covered will be: Why Make a Plan?; What is happening in the Job Market and how does that relate to the career decision-making process; the Economy; High school diplomas and Career Pathways; exploring careers using VA Career VIEW and developing an Individual ACP. Participants will be sent a copy of the PowerPoint and student handouts via email after the presentation.
Nancy Keenan and Trish Woller,
School Counselors
Re-visioning the Client Career Story: Qualitative Assessments in Career Counseling
Qualitative career assessments provide boundless ideas to explore the client’s story for meanings, themes, and preferences. Using the storied approach framework, counseling explores past, present and future chapters. The session will be live demonstrations of the lifeline, career genogram, résumé analysis, ideal day, card sorts, life roles, and goal map.
Dr. Pamelia E. Brott;
Ms. Summer Harrington;
Ms. Audrey Lipps
Exploring Careers in 3D: the Change over Time (C/T) Project
C/T is an interactive project developed by VT Graduate Students for K-8 students. C/T shows how to combine art, science, and technology in career exploration. This method of career exploration encourages creative and critical thinking through inquiry, visualization, and modeling. Join us in this unique way to engage students in the career exploration process.
Emily Fielder; Project Assoicate,
Virginia Career VIEW
College and Career Readiness-A District-wide Approach to the Future
The Fairfax County Public Schools Student Learning Plan is a dynamic process which allows students to identify interests, incorporate strengths, set academic, career, and personal goals, and reflect on learning. Learn how one district is building common expectations for K-12 students through school counseling and instructional program collaboration.
Lynnette Harris, Program Manager;
Judy Hingle, College and Career Readiness Specialist;
Ellissia Price, Elementary Counseling Specialist
Upon a Time: Steps to Effective Storytelling for Career Exploration
Through time people regularly and productively created stories about their lives, histories and dreams. In this workshop, you will learn the simple steps, used by professional storytellers, to more effectively assist clients to explore and tell their career development and exploration stories, especially given today’s changing workplace needs and competencies.
Leslie S. Schaffer, MA, LPC
"Walk Your Talk"- A Guided Labyrinth Walk to Release Tension, Receive Inspiration and Envision Your Future.”
This labyrinth walk will offer a mind-body approach to releasing stress, opening ourselves to our intuition and creativity, and envisioning our future. Step by step, we will focus our attention in the present moment and balance left brain /right brain, as we seek to experience a deeper awareness of ourselves, in a community of walkers who share the space on our labyrinth journey. We will also use finger labyrinths, a labyrinth log and group sharing time to help us process this unique experience.
Learn how a vertical approach to attendance led to educational resources for Fairfax County Public Schools students in the West Potomac Pyramid. Through this collaboration, school counselors created an educational attendance video and slideshow presentation designed to stress the importance of attendance, truancy and regulations for students grades 3-12.
Venus Tindle, High School Counselor;
Kevin McMahon, School Counselor
Globalization: Strategies To Facilitate And Promote Student Interest, Learning And Respect For Diversity And Cultural Differences
The purpose of this paper is to provide students, educators and the community with specific strategies that will assist in facilitating and promoting a better understanding of “Diversity and Cultural Differences”. Today’s society is a melting pot of individuals from a host of different countries and each day it is becoming more and more evident that we must learn to respect the differences in generations, cultures and genders. It is the intent of the presentation to provide opportunities to bridge the “Gap of Intercultural Competency” by introducing some of the widely known strategies used that will be beneficial in classrooms, the workplace and within the community
Dr. Valerie Thweatt-McCoy;
Associate Professor
Central Michigan University