Every Lexington High School student has had—or will have—a counselor seminar. Sitting in a classroom for an entire block, just to listen to the counselors talk about the same information, doesn’t sound very exciting. But what is the purpose behind these seminars? Are they helpful, or just another block in student schedules?

Although they may seem unnecessary, counselor seminars at LHS are important for a student’s path both during and after high school. The seminars are meant to help students build relationships with their counselors, navigate their high school journey, and prepare for the future. 

“I think in a counselor seminar, they want to teach you more about planning for the future. Last year, we talked a lot about starting the college path and also what classes to set up for,” Lyla So, a junior, said. 

The college path can be complex and overwhelming, but seminars have eased some of the confusion by helping students make more informed decisions. These sessions often focus on college planning for upperclassmen, while serving as an opportunity for freshmen and sophomores to get to know their classmates and counselors.

There are currently over 2000 students at LHS, and without counselor seminars, not all students find communication with their counselors to be an easy task. The seminars bridge that gap and allow students to establish connections with their counselor so that they feel more comfortable when reaching out. 

“I think the purpose of counselor seminars is for counselors to get to know their students better,” Caroline Booma, a sophomore, said. Without these seminars, counselors would find it more difficult to meet students and develop a relationship with them. 

Counselor seminars also give students the opportunity to establish relationships with one another and initiate a stronger sense of collectiveness.

“I do think it improves community, because for a counselor seminar, it’s usually a smaller group of people, and you genuinely bond better when there’s a small group of people rather than a big one,” So said.
Booma believes that the seminars engage students with activities, allowing them to collaborate while also informing them about school. This was essential for her, especially when she was a freshman at LHS. 

“We had an activity where we made blankets with the class, and it was fun. [The seminars] were also informational because the counselors had presentations about school,” Booma said. 

Counselor seminars are useful for students, but the sessions can be improved to better address student needs. Booma suggested making them more frequent, since they typically don’t happen often enough for students to make consistent connections. 

Another concern is that the sessions are held with larger groups that do not allow counselors to engage with students on a more regular basis at a personal level. 

“I think a counselor seminar should be more of a one-on-one thing where you can talk with your counselor, and they can give you direct advice on your personal situation rather than having a whole group and just telling us generalized information that we already know,” So said. 

Even with these drawbacks, the seminars still promote student collaboration, communication, and a stronger sense of community at LHS. Students leave counselor seminars with memories and a clearer direction for the future.