At the beginning of health class, Uni High’s college counselor, Lisa Micele, said, “My students said the SSO was the greatest resource they never used.”
Uni High’s SSO has been providing for students for decades, but most students don’t even know what they offer. Advertisements are put up around the school encouraging students to make use of their resources, including college/academic counseling, social/emotional support, scheduling classes, mental health resources, etc.
Uni counselor Kristi Deedrick said, “People can also just come in and relax; it’s a quiet place.”
Most students said they didn’t have time or a reason to go to the SSO. Some students said they went to the SSO for candy. But a student that I interviewed, Lily, said, “Not super often, but I go there for scheduling sometimes. But right now, I’m taking health…the SSO teaches us”
Deedrick introduced the idea that people see the SSO as a place where “crying people go,” and that is simply not true. The SSO strives to be a place where students can hang out, talk to someone, fix a schedule and more.
As for future plans, Deedrick said that there are always events going on and everyone is welcome to join.
