Briteguide

It has been a true honor to support this incredible group of students on their journey from high school to higher education. Across 21 students, representing diverse nationalities, curricula, and passions, we’ve explored options both locally and globally, and I’m thrilled to share the amazing outcomes of their hard work and personal growth.

From Chicago to Prague, from French Baccalaureate to IB and US-AP, these students are heading to top universities across the USA, UK, Canada, and Spain — including Northwestern, McGill, IE, WPI, Purdue, Cooper Union, King’s College London, and many more.

They’ll be studying Business, Economics, Engineering, International Relations, Architecture, Political Science, and Communications — each path chosen with intention, reflection, and courage.

At Briteguide, we believe in helping students not just get into university, but discover what matters most to them, build their voice, and move forward empowered.

I'm filled with gratitude, pride, and excitement for what lies ahead for this graduating class. Here’s to their next chapter — confident, curious, and ready to shine. 💫

🔗 www.briteguide.com

THIS. It’s getting worse and as I hear parents of younger kids say, “ they feel like they’re on a train that’s left the station and can’t get off”….we need to stop and assess our values & the development of teens.

Opinion | So They Can Do Better, Let High Schoolers Do Less (Gift Article) We need to let students slow down. Critical cognition, by definition, takes time.

If my counselor friends are attending IACAC come join our session! Representing Counselor Advisory Boards with IE Univeristy, Times Higher Education and Univeristy of St Andrew’s.

Oh and if you need an emotional support break come say hello to Sundae!

Repost from the beautiful words of Simms up what I hope for each young person, each person in this world as they move into this new year and new energy
I wish you love
Kindness
Understanding
I wish you abundance
That you will always have
More than enough
More than you need
So you can be generous
Of heart and spirit
I wish you peace
The kind that washes over your entire being
Like cool waves
On warm shores
Peace
Knowing that the distance
Is intentional
The endings
For a purpose
I wish you the peace
That comes
From honoring yourself
I wish you acceptance
Of your past
Your failures
Your successes
Your body, mind and soul
I wish you family that endures
Friendships as close as genes
I wish you a village
Linked and strong
I wish you a voice
That speaks
Even when it shakes
That announces dreams
Even if it has to whisper
I wish you the magic
Of manifestations
Of ancestors wrapping you in light
Of the God in you
Ordering your steps
Carving out destiny
I wish you healing
Of old wounds
Old loves
Old habits
Cycles broken
I wish you music
Art
Poetry
Dance
I wish you language for your soul
I wish you power
That empowers the powerless
I wish you boldness
Fearlessness
I wish you empathy
I wish you
Epiphanies
Enlightenment
Ascension
I wish you
Joyful New Beginnings
Fresh New Chapters
Strength to start over
I wish you
A Happy New Year

*now look in the mirror
and read this to your beautiful self
Speak life to yourself
Love yourself
You are worthy*

“In the Beginning”
*art by David Anthony Art *







http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/7246301/60961c6d7586a0cd67babc86e7a0da3e8d38d7b7

This week I have:
Managed academic probation meetings
Helped a student who left home due to family stress
Ran a practice interview for a student at Harvard
Been non-stop with one-on-one grade 11 student meetings for college prep
Participated in a parent coffee with the counselors in other divisions
Met with two university representatives
Made schedule changes
Produced recommendations and paperwork for students who are transferring
Several grade 10 course planning student, and parent meetings
Presentations on courses for grade 10
Reviewed waitlist letters
Sent mid-year reports to universities
Met with a designer for our school profile
Counseled a student who is failing with distance learning
Responded to a couple very stressed and instead parent emails
Attended a faculty meeting about testing to advocate students well-being
And it’s only Wednesday

It’s NOT the catch all for things non-teaching, crisis, future and well-being for all. Yet, this is what it can become, the junk drawer.
Please be nice to us, we actually do want to help students and are doing the best we can. All from zoom-land

Distance Learning as a new counselor sucks. There i said it.
It’s great for the students willing to meet with the new girl on zoom. They get to see me excited, get all of my attention and presence. This part I like.
Then there are the kids lost in the zoom land with all the missing socks. I put out the call-the email we know kids don’t really “get”. And another email, and another email. Nothing.
I feel helpless and I’m their helper! It’s like taking chocolate away from me. I do this work for the kids, not to attend a million meetings with staff
It’s forcing me to be creative, to catch them when I can. So today, a student lost in the zoom land scheduled an appointment for tomorrow. I may have held a schedule change hostage...shh.
I’ll take it! To see their face, to see they’re okay. To connect even for a moment. To remind them they’ve got someone in their corner.

To finally know they’re not lost with my favorite blue sock.

Photo cred amazing work!

As a high school counselor, I am in the “bridge” time for university applications. Grade 12 is finalizing their applications and receiving offers, while we are starting the process with grade 11. It’s a fun time
I’ve had conversations with parents negotiating grades for the mid-year reports and working to send private letters behind the scenes for applications.
In the beginning of the process for parents in grade 11 who are their own expectations that don’t match the conversations I’m having with the students staring to explore life after high school
Now don’t get me wrong, doing what you can for your student is an act of love. Investing in your child’s future is important
However, boundaries are important. A bit of letting go to allow the deep learning and self-awareness and self-advocacy that is built in this process is the gift fir the students own growth -beyond the college notification or future studies and career.
Partner with the educators and counselor working with your student to assist the team guiding your student and coaching their awareness.
The magic is in the mess, the magic is in the student having lightbulb moments which come in the mess. Don’t take that away from them by curating their decisions and details.

The kids always kill it

Did you watch the inauguration of as #46?

You know who killed it and spoke the light of truth in the most poetic sense? did! The powerful, young woman, poet and first national youth poet laureate.

This happens all the time. Big and small moments, when we let the kids speak freely, empower their thoughts and sharing. I can spend days creating a presentation and then the students come to speak and say all that I want to present in a better way. Why? Because they’re sharing their experience, their truth.

Yet, how many times do we quiet them? How many times do we think they don’t know anything? Maybe they know a lot but it’s all bound up within them? Maybe they need someone to help pull it out of them.
Maybe they just need permission to share?

The return

I haven’t been here for awhile. It doesn’t really matter as I don’t have an audience. Yet, it calls me...to use my voice, my experience, my awareness in a greater way, beyond the schools and systems we are in. I thought I would reintroduce myself & share my experience

I needed a break, the hustle of creating and honing Briteguide, working an intense job I loved, leaving a job I loved and my home to move to Prague for an international opportunity and personal growth. Then the pandemic and the inequality rose to the light and all the feels came. The noise is all so loud on social media, I had to step back and get grounded

So here I am, and I don’t have a pre-packaged branded message, or an Instagram worthy board. What I do have is a mission to empower our young people. To change the way society views them & the messages they receive. I have been clear that this is my purpose since I was a teen myself. And have been working with middle and high school students for over a decade. These kids, they are the definition of HOPE.

Successful businesses have coaches, tech startups have coaches, yet our investment in building the internal awareness in young people is very little. Imagine a world of young people empowered to listen to their inner knowing?

So I’ve sat with how I approach briteguide and social media for the last month. Feeling yucky, scared, unclear. What I decided is that’s okay. And what I decided is nothing needs to be crafted, briteguide is how I walk on this planet, how I move through my day-because, it’s always all about the kids.

So join me on my journey as a high school counselor, teen coach and overall cheerleader, as I give young people a permission slip to listen to the voice inside them and align to those dreams.

I’ll share my stories, tips on counseling youth, insights to interesting pathways after high school, emerging trends and whatever the day brings.

Maybe sharing my day will change in time or maybe it always was the essence of Briteguide 💚

Briteguide Briteguide produces content and coaching to empower young people. Our students gain a more developed sense of self, defined values, and an empowerment mindset to explore opportunities and universities both locally and globally.

Don’t forget to hug each other, we all need the simple reminders that we are there for each other.
(Even when your teen acts like they don’t want it)

Posted • .holistic.psychologist 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
In the future we will teach empowerment, freedom, + the power of community creation.

In the future we will teach people how to fully connect with their authentic selves to create a life of purpose.

In the future, we will teach cooperation over competition.

In the future we will teach emotional regulation + techniques to heal the trauma body.

What would you add?

What do you want to be when your grow up? My god son rattled off 5 things and I said Yes! (One might include a super hero, well he is 4.)
When I work with young students I encourage all their passions, I never know where they may lead. The theme of most of our conversations center around me I giving them permissions to follow multiple passions. Debate and photography. Fashion, science and film. The key word here is AND, not leaving something behind.
This always reminds me as adults responsibility takes priority and the passions that feed our souls can drop aside. It could be fun for parents to explore a new interest while learning more about your young person’s passions.
So many possibilities!