Bethel High School counseling department hosts its first Girl’s Summit

On Saturday, March 18, 2023, 89 female students from Hampton City Schools (HCS) and surrounding areas participated in the first Girl’s Summit, hosted by the Bethel High School Counseling Department. Each participant received a gift bag and attended sessions centered around healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and mindfulness/yoga. A general session during which participants were able to discuss and share their views on dress code policies and view a fashion show modeling appropriate versus inappropriate dress for school, was also held. The goal of the event was to provide a forum that would allow female students to learn strategies to diffuse conflict, create and maintain healthy relationships, and learn calming strategies thereby reducing the frequency of disciplinary infractions due to classroom disruptions and dress code violations. 

“School counselors promote positive student behaviors to create a safe and effective learning environment for all students,” shared Carla Mahn, HCS director of student development and counseling. “They have specialized training and skills in promoting appropriate student behavior and preventing disruptive student behavior. When it comes to discipline, the school counselor is not a disciplinarian, but a resource to provide and promote programs that create effective behavior change focused on positive, healthy behaviors. This event hosted by Bethel High School’s school counseling team is a great example of how school counselors design and promote programs that assist students with self-advocacy and developing pro-social behaviors.”