.JPG)
A Hanover County Public Schools counselor has been named the best secondary school counselor in Virginia.
Josh Hurley, the school counseling director at Patrick Henry High School, was named by the Virginia School Counselor Association as the Secondary School Counselor of the Year. Each year, the Virginia School Counselor Association recognizes an elementary school counselor and a secondary school counselor for their outstanding and exemplary work.
“This recognition means the world to me. Especially in such a difficult school year, I am honored to be chosen as the VSCA Secondary School Counselor of the Year,” Hurley said. “While only one school counselor can receive this award, I believe that all school counselors are working harder than ever to provide our students with academic and mental health supports. All school counselors deserve recognition this year.”
Hurley is in his sixth year as the Director of School Counseling at Patrick Henry High School. His favorite part of the job, he said, is the relationships he builds with students and teachers.
“I love being able to see students grow from their freshman year to graduation, watching them take steps to achieve their post-secondary goals,” he said. “I also love to conduct small group counseling on topics that are meaningful to our students.”
The Virginia Commonwealth University alumnus continues the school division’s success in the VSCA awards. A Hanover counselor has won an award each of the past three years.
“We are very proud of the progress made in the school counseling department at Patrick Henry High School under the leadership of Joshua Hurley,” said Karla Allen, HCPS Coordinator of Counseling Services, who won the 2020 Leadership Award from the VSCA. “He and his team engage in building relationships and providing relevant programs to ensure that we are doing all that they can to do what’s best for kids.”
Said Patrick Henry Principal Chris Martinez: “Mr. Hurley is dedicated to his craft and continuously looks for new strategies to integrate into our school counseling support services for students.”
Karen Cole, the school counseling director at Mechanicsville High School, received the Secondary School Counselor of the Year award in 2019.