Being an advocate is one of the most important qualities one can possess. In my current profession as a Child Life Assistant, I am able to be an advocate for the patients at the hospital. Since I have worked with children for years, I understand the value of play and see the learning and growth that takes place. As adults, that can be easy to look past since play decreases as we get older. In a hospital setting, kids still want to be kids and kids still want to play. I advocate for normalization and that includes play, whether it is at the bedside or in the playroom. 

 

To play an advocate role as a school counselor, I will strive to be culturally competent, empathetic, aware of biases, and knowledgeable of challenges students face. I hope to stand up for student's rights and lobby for fairness. I desire to teach students how to advocate for themselves.

 

Working in a children's hospital, I have a soft spot for children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. I hope to advocate for these students in a school setting. I want to teach others how to respect those who are different than them and be kind and helpful to those who have challenges. 

 

I will also advocate for the school counseling profession. As a new counselor, I will meet every teacher and introduce myself and my role. At the beginning of the year, I will present to the students, parents, and staff the appropriate and non-appropriate roles and responsibilities of a school counselor. I will attend professional development trainings and be a member of professional counseling groups to educate myself and continually learn how to improve myself in the profession.