Six NBISD counselors have earned the CREST award for school counseling. Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas (CREST) is sponsored by the Texas School Counselor Association (TSCA) and awarded to school counseling programs that meet CREST requirements.

The CREST award winners are Alicia Brown and Shelby Garcia of Voss Farms Elementary (not pictured); Amber Gillum and Desiree Morris of Veramendi Elementary; Kalisha Wenzel of County Line Elementary; and Danya Rifkin of Walnut Springs Elementary. The award was given for the 2024-25 school year.

“I am incredibly proud of our counselors and campuses for earning this recognition,” said Kellye Shipman, Director of Counseling for New Braunfels ISD. “The CREST Award affirms the meaningful, student-centered work happening daily across our district. Our counselors lead with professionalism, compassion, and purpose, ensuring that every student has access to the support they need to thrive.”

CREST is a continuous improvement document that school counseling programs can use to demonstrate effective communication and a commitment to obtaining results.

In 2005, Texas School Counselor Association began a program called CREST to recognize schools with outstanding counseling programs. Schools receiving CREST awards have demonstrated a commitment using the Texas Model to improve the lives and achievement of students in academic, career, and personal social domains.

School counselors at 405 campuses in 81 school districts across Texas received statewide recognition for their outstanding service to students.

Brown, Garcia, Gillum, Morris, Rifkin and Wenzel were recognized by the NBISD Board of Trustees on February 9th. They were also recognized  at the TSCA Professional School Counselor Conference in Fort Worth earlier this month.

“These schools have shown the effectiveness of strong counseling programs that contribute to student success and development,” said TSCA President Jennifer Akins. “School counselors who earn this designation have documented the importance of their programs and the positive impact they have on students’ lives and education. We are proud to honor these schools and their great counselors.”

CREST looks at the counseling program in five categories:

  • Introduction to the School and the Role of the Professional School Counselor
  • Program Implementation Cycle
  • Foundational Components
  • Four Service Delivery Components
  • Program Curriculum

The counseling team prepares a digital submission that highlights these areas and communicates what the counseling program is doing to help students succeed. These are sent to reviewers throughout the state of Texas to be judged according to pre-set standards of excellence.

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