Last week was School Counseling Appreciation Week and we wanted to introduce everyone to our very own School Counselor here at Tilton.  Rebecca just recently celebrated her 1-year anniversary with the agency. We would like to thank her for all of her hard work and dedication to the Tilton School and we are happy to have her on our team!

Meet Rebecca Pepperine - Tilton School Counselor  

What influenced you to pursue a career as a school counselor? 

I vividly recall sitting in my college dorm room as a third-year Business/Accounting major who knew in my heart I was on the wrong track and needed to change my major. I remember thinking then that I wanted to be a school counselor.  I wanted to feel good about what I was doing, something purposeful and wholesome, with the potential to make a real difference in the lives of others.  My utmost desire was to have a positive influence upon youth; do what I could to help them make good choices and avoid negative, life-altering consequences.  My subsequent volunteer experiences and work as a substitute teacher while I completed my Bachelors in Psychology helped to solidify my interest. I decided to apply to graduate school for school counseling.

What is your favorite part of your job? 
Making a positive difference in someone's life. This is of immeasurable reward and builds treasures, though sometimes intangible or even unknown, that last forever.

If you could describe your role as a school counselor in one word what would it be? Why? 

Versatility. The role of a school counselor has not always been universally very well defined. For instance, oftentimes school counselors have been thought of as just schedule makers. This antiquated and remiss perspective sells the role very short. I say versatility because the role, when part of a comprehensive, clearly defined, progressive program, requires an enormous amount of adaptability. A school counselor wears many hats and shifts gears throughout the day frequently, transitioning between all domains of the role: academic, social/emotional, and career counseling.