The Santa Maria High School counseling team has been recognized as an American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Model Program, a national designation that highlights schools committed to delivering high-quality, data-driven counseling services.
Counselor Victoria Lopez said the recognition is a reflection of the team’s dedication and the effort they put into the process.
“It's very exciting because it was a lot of work, a lot of hours that went into submitting,” Lopez said. “But more than anything, I just think it helped us become a better program. It just makes you feel like you're accomplishing something, so that's incredibly rewarding.”
The Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) distinction is awarded to schools that align their counseling programs with the ASCA National Model framework, demonstrating a commitment to student success and overall school improvement. To earn the designation, the Santa Maria counseling department submitted a detailed application outlining student outcome goals, data collection methods, lesson plans, collaboration efforts, and overall program effectiveness.
Assistant Principal Monica Pallan praised the counseling team’s ongoing efforts to support students.
“I think that this validates all the hard work that the Santa Maria High School counseling team puts in day in and day out,” Pallan said. “They're always willing to go above and beyond to help our students be successful and find what is their next step.”
