This training is a powerful seminar that gives you practical techniques, tools, and strategies for understanding and using non-verbal communication for the highest impact and effectiveness. Become a highly respected, highly influential, and highly successful communicator! Whether you are a new or veteran school counselor professional, the degree of career success you enjoy is virtually dictated by your skills in communicating with others on the job.
Gila Ridge High School has been in the process of assisting students who are most in need of help by caring adults. Using the guideline of, "All behavior is communication," our wrap around team has created a framework to help students, teachers, and families who are in need of support. With key focus areas of attendance, behavioral, basic needs, social emotional, and academic concerns, the team meets weekly to discuss services, opportunities, and resources for students, as well as strategies and interventions that have been used, what has worked, and what has not. As educators, we support the whole child. This can include supporting students through times of crisis. Even with education and annual trainings, supporting a student who has thoughts of suicide or self-harm can be overwhelming. To better equip staff, Gila Ridge educators created a guide designed to support counselors, social workers, and administrators when engaging the crisis response team. This guide ensures that both the student and their parent/guardian receive compassionate, coordinated care during the call and in the crucial follow-up period.
As Arizona high school seniors navigate the critical transition from high school to college, clear guidance, timely information, and consistent communication are essential. This session, presented collaboratively by the Tri-University partnership (ASU, NAU, and UA), provides counselors with an up-to-date, streamlined overview of the next steps seniors should take as they move through admission decisions, financial aid, and enrollment processes. Counselors will gain practical tools, shared timelines, and expert insights to help students stay on track, reduce barriers, and access the support they need to confidently transition to any of Arizona’s public universities.
The messaging and display company YouUplift introduces its FREE ""School Kindness eWalls,"" a tech‑inspired way to foster a new kind of social media that is always positive. With the eWall, students post positive quotes, photos, videos, and gifs through a central link. Schools then add these messages to rotating displays on monitors, share them on social media, or embed them on their websites. A faculty member reviews and approves every message before posting, ensuring the eWall stays kind and students uphold their core values.
YouUplift demonstrates how a technology company empowers students to use their mics for good and leverage tech for positive purposes. With the Kindness eWall, students reflect on the positive impact of peers, faculty, and staff in their schools and share these stories with others. This tool’s success and positive reception show how quickly kindness spreads: studies show that just one happy post can inspire 1.75 more happy posts. By equipping students with the tools and motivation to use their online and offline platforms for good, educators can spark a domino effect of kindness among their students.
School counselors wear all the hats—mentor, teacher, organizer, event planner, cheerleader (and sometimes magician:)—and sticky notes tend to take over your desk (and your brain). This session introduces the Counseling Hub, a simple, easy-to-use system that brings all your tasks, lessons, surveys, and resources together in one organized place. Walk away with templates, practical examples, and ideas to make your counseling program run smoother—without losing your mind:)
This interactive breakout session builds on the keynote by guiding participants through the Eight Habits of the Heart™ – Nurturing Attitude, Responsibility, Dependability, Friendship, Brotherhood/Sisterhood, High Expectations, Courage, and Hope – and exploring how these timeless principles are used alongside the R.A.I. Framework® (Respect, Affirmation, Inclusion) to create emotionally safe, student responsive, and resilient school communities.
Participants will engage in reflective exercises, small group discussions, and hands-on strategies centered on the habit of Nurturing Attitude, then explore how to introduce all eight habits across school counseling programs, classroom lessons, leadership practices, and school climate initiatives. Whether you’re supporting students one-on-one or influencing systems schoolwide, this session offers heart-centered practices that make the work sustainable – and impactful.
Provide actionable steps for school counselors to implement in order to create a school practice geared towards prevention and improved student well-being.
This session will share findings from a mixed-methods dissertation exploring the mental health implications of twice-exceptional (2e) students identified as gifted and diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Drawing from both teacher survey data and parent interviews, the study highlights the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and social struggles among 2e learners, as well as the impact of rigid school structures and inadequate accommodations. Themes such as masking, identity formation, and the critical role of interest-based learning and flexibility will be discussed. Educators will leave with research-based insights into how mental health challenges intersect with giftedness and disability, along with practical implications for supporting 2e students in the classroom.
High school students often know they’re interested in healthcare, but they may struggle to see the wide range of career possibilities or connect their strengths to specific roles. In this session, counselors will experience a hands-on lesson where students use ChatGPT as a tool for healthcare career exploration. By guiding students through tailored prompts and interactive activities, ChatGPT helps them identify interests, research pathways, and reflect on their personal fit for different healthcare careers—all in a way that feels engaging and student-driven.
Participants will leave with a ready-to-implement lesson plan, practical prompt examples, and ideas for how to adapt this approach across other career clusters.
This session highlights how AI can enhance—not replace—the counselor’s role in guiding students toward meaningful career exploration.
Helping students discover their passions and connect them to future careers is at the heart of effective counseling. In this interactive session, we’ll explore practical strategies and tools to guide students in identifying their interests, strengths, and values—and translating those into meaningful career pathways. Learn how to integrate career development into your counseling program, utilize resources like career assessments and labor market data, and create engaging activities that inspire students to dream big and plan smart. Whether you’re looking to enhance your current approach or build a comprehensive career readiness framework, this session will provide actionable ideas to empower students to take ownership of their future.
With exploitation evolving at an unprecedented pace most trafficking prevention models are outdated - and students are paying the price. In this session, Red Light Rebellion unpacks how sex trafficking and exploitation is unfolding for youth today, with a focus on grooming, emerging digital risks, and early intervention methods. This workshop will connect survivor insights with real-world patterns to sharpen awareness, recognize early warning signs, and strengthen prevention responses before exploitation escalates. The focus is prevention that works before crisis intervention is needed.
When motivation seems to be missing, what students often need most isn’t a push — it’s a H.A.N.D.
In this session, participants will explore the H.A.N.D. philosophy and how it can be used to foster genuine student motivation and resilience. Drawing from a 5-session “Why Try?” intervention for 10th graders who failed multiple classes, this session highlights how intentional connection, reflective journaling, and strengths-based counseling can reignite a sense of purpose.
Participants will experience hands-on activities that help students identify barriers, practice advocacy, and connect their effort to personal goals, all while aligning with ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors and PBIS core values.
This session will equip counselors with research based strategies to establish a positive classroom climate, prevent disruptions, and engage all students. Emphasis will be placed on trauma-informed practices that help counselors respond with empathy while maintaining structure and consistency. Participants will leave with practical tools they can immediately implement to create safe, inclusive, and well-managed classroom environments that support student growth and learning.
Sleep deprivation among K–12 students is a growing concern with far-reaching consequences for academic performance, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Chronic lack of sleep can impair memory, concentration, and decision-making, often mimicking symptoms of ADHD and other behavioral disorders—leading to potential misdiagnoses and inappropriate interventions. As students juggle academic demands, extracurricular activities, and screen time, their sleep hygiene suffers, creating a cycle of fatigue and underperformance. Fortunately, evidence-based interventions—such as later school start times, sleep education programs, and family-centered routines—can help restore healthy sleep patterns and improve student outcomes. This presentation explores the causes, consequences, and solutions to this silent epidemic in our schools.
Students thrive when they feel seen, heard, and supported. In this interactive session, you’ll explore effective ways to teach self-regulation strategies—before challenges arise. Discover proactive approaches, along with both verbal and non-verbal techniques, to help students manage emotions, stay focused, and navigate stress. Walk away with practical tools you can use immediately to foster independence, emotional awareness, and a more positive learning environment.
The benefits of Motivational Interviewing (MI) is consistently being uncovered, and its use continues to grow in school counseling. While AzSCA regularly highlights MI with breakout sessions, these have focused on introducing this counseling style. With more school counselors aligning with MI and using techniques from it, now is the time to learn more advanced and potent MI techniques.
This session is for anyone who has been exposed to MI and has begun to use it in their practice. Whether you have been using MI for 15 years or 15 minutes, this breakout session will help you take your skills to the next level!
Most adolescents today don't like their bodies. Body dissatisfaction can lead to poor health outcomes like disordered eating and almost all eating disorders, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and reduced healthcare behaviors. In Arizona, the number of teens engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors is rising, and those with weight-related motivations, experiencing ACES, poor mental health, and suicidal thoughts are at an increased risk. Together, through language, curriculum selection, and policies, we can create more body-confident schools that protect and improve teens' physical and mental health.
Grief can profoundly impact a student’s emotional well-being, academic performance, and social interactions. As school counselors, we play a critical role in providing compassionate support during these difficult times. This session will equip you with practical tools and evidence-based strategies to help students navigate loss—whether due to death, divorce, or other life changes. We’ll discuss how to recognize signs of grief, create a safe and supportive environment, collaborate with families and mental health professionals, and implement interventions that promote healing and resilience. Participants will leave with free resources and confidence to support grieving students while maintaining their own professional boundaries and self-care.
This session will update Arizona’s school counselors on what’s new, what’s true and what’s next with College Board’s AP course offerings and SAT Suite of Assessments, as well as sharing College Board tools and resources to support students along their high school journey and beyond. Attendees will learn about how College Board is combating common myths about barriers to AP coursework and the SAT Suite, gain insights into how the organization is re-thinking and re-shaping the high school experience for students in order to encourage greater access and opportunity for students to engage in their own futures.
In a profession built on compassion and care, school counselors often find themselves carrying the emotional weight of an entire campus. This session is designed for counselors at every level (elementary, junior high, and high school, as well as administrators and other educational stakeholders). Inviting participants to pause, reflect, and reconnect with their own well-being while exploring the systemic realities that shape our work.
We’ll begin by naming the reality, examining what Arizona counselors are experiencing right now, from role overload and constant crisis response, to the invisible pressures that erode our sense of balance. From there, we’ll understand the impact by unpacking the emotional and organizational toll of burnout and exploring how “organizational trauma” quietly shows up in schools and affects entire systems.
The session then shifts toward healing in practice, offering tangible tools for personal and professional renewal. Participants will learn counselor-centered strategies for advocacy and boundary setting. Participants will focus on small, intentional actions that help protect energy, sustain well-being, and restore a sense of purpose in their work.
Finally, we’ll focus on moving forward by cultivating collective resilience and planting small seeds of change within our school communities. After engaging in reflective dialogue and shared insights, participants will leave with renewed clarity, practical self-care tools, and a deeper sense of empowerment. The goal is for the team to lead from a place of wholeness, supporting the well-being of both educators and students together.
Join us for a strategy session focused on planning and organizing the Arizona CCR Fair Circuits. Collaborate and learn with successful partners from across Arizona and neighboring states.
You will also gain valuable tips and strategies to enhance local community investment and engagement in your regional college and career events!
Under the Desert Sun, School Counselors guide everyone — and leadership starts with you! Join four veteran counseling professionals as they share how they’ve turned their passion for helping students into meaningful leadership roles across schools, communities, regions, and national organizations. Each panelist brings unique experience in affiliate and national leadership, school district initiatives, national committees, and college advisory boards.
Discover their personal journeys and the inspiration that drove them to lead. Learn actionable tips, strategies, and behind-the-scenes insights to help you become an impactful leader — whether you’re just starting out or ready to expand your influence. Come ready to soak up the wisdom, share your own sunshine, and leave empowered to guide others under the desert sun.
At-risk student athletes often live at the crossroads of ambition and adversity. They juggle school, sports, and personal struggles while navigating environments that may not always support their success. For the educators and coaches who guide them, the challenge is profound: how do we move beyond survival mode and help these students thrive—academically, athletically, and personally?
This workshop goes beyond motivation, offering a hands-on, no-nonsense framework for educators who want to make a lasting impact. Through storytelling, interactive reflection, and practical strategies, participants will explore the mindset and methods needed to transform potential into performance.
Sources of Strength is an evidence-based, upstream suicide prevention K-12 program that transforms school and community cultures through the power of relationships, strengths-based storytelling, social networks, and emotional well-being. By incorporating SEL strategies into its framework, the program not only prevents suicide but also empowers students to develop critical life skills.
This presentation will include interactive activities designed to foster engagement and a sense of community among participants. Through collaborative discussions and exercises, participants will connect with the broader mental health cause, explore resources, and build connections. By amplifying the well-being and strengths of students and staff, we are paving the way for a brighter, more connected future.
Looking for resources and activities to incorporate with your elementary small group lessons? Join us as we model a variety of methods and resources to make your small group instruction engaging and meaningful for students. We will emphasize methods for fostering connections as we share practical ideas. You will leave with ideas and resources to take back to your school and use immediately!
This session provides an overview of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) including a brief history, locations, academic and networking benefits, programs HBCU’s have to offer. In addition, this session will cover what makes these institutions unique as it relates to campus life, and other cultural events on and off campus through shared testimony of the presenters.
There is a radical difference in where you go to college, with vastly different outcomes. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a world-class polytechnic university in Prescott, AZ that does a LOT more than “flying.” ERAU boasts a 95% employment rate (in degree field) across ALL if its degrees, including engineering, Forensic Biology, Forensic Psychology, Business, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and much more! Undergraduates are treated like graduate students—small classes, extensive research opportunities, only professors teaching classes and labs, significantly more classes related to their field, etc. Come find out why Embry-Riddle is so refreshingly different!
DAVID HERNANDEZ