The American School Counselor Association recently honored Emerald Cove Middle School in Wellington as a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP).
The RAMP designation recognizes schools that are committed to delivering an exemplary school counseling program. Honorees are awarded for aligning their program with the criteria in the ASCA National Model, a framework for a data-informed school counseling program. Since the program’s inception, more than 900 schools earned the RAMP designation. Research findings indicate fully implemented school counseling programs are associated with a range of positive student educational and behavioral outcomes.
“This year’s RAMP honorees have shown their commitment to students and the school counseling profession,” said Jill Cook, ASCA executive director. “These schools used data to drive their program development and implementation so all students can achieve success. The RAMP designation distinguishes these schools and encourages school counselors nationwide to strive for excellence.”
Emerald Cove was honored at a recognition ceremony at ASCA’s annual conference in Las Vegas in July. Veteran School Counselor Janell Leatherman attended the conference and accepted the award on behalf of the school.
The Emerald Cove counseling program is known and recognized for its excellence throughout the district. Leatherman has a history of successfully attaining RAMP designation at Freedom Shores Elementary School in 2007, as well as previously attaining RAMP status at Emerald Cove in 2010, three years after the school’s opening. In 2006, after being named School Counselor of the Year by the Palm Beach County School Counselor Association and later recognized as Florida School Counselor of the Year in 2007, Leatherman was ultimately one of 10 finalists for the ASCA School Counselor of the Year award.
In 2018, fellow School Counselor Cynthia Orsenigo earned the New School Counselor of the Year Award from the PBSCA. Emerald Cove Principal Dr. Eugina Smith Feaman was also recognized by the PBSCA as the Middle School Site-Based Administrator of the Year due to her steadfast support of school counselors.
In January 2021, Emerald Cove School Counselor Shannon Caruso was named a nominee for the William T. Dwyer Award for Excellence in Education in the Student Advancement/Career Education category. Caruso was also a nominee for the New School Counselor of the Year award in 2020.
For more information on the RAMP program, visit www.schoolcounselor.org/ramp.
