Counselor of the Year

The Counselor of the Year is a person who has made a significant contribution to the counseling profession and has demonstrated a genuine desire to help people.

Nominations for the 2022 Counselor of the Year are NOW OPEN!! The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2022

2021 Award Winner: Melissa Good

Melissa has been a School Counselor in Rapid City for the past 8 years and full time at Stevens High School for the past 6 years. During that time she has also worked part-time as a Licensed Addiction Counselor at Addiction Recovery Centers of the Black Hills (ARCBH), and is now working on obtaining her LPC-MH working part-time and getting supervision at Lutheran Social Services after school, under the supervision of SDCA member and Past President, Duane Kavanaugh. Prior to becoming a School Counselor, Melissa worked in juvenile state corrections in Rapid City. Melissa has worked hard the past few years working towards her LPC-MH, and last summer she took her test and passed with flying colors. While passing her LPC-MH test, Melissa also received her National Certification for School Counseling, which not many counselors in this state hold. Melissa always strives to better herself professionally and personally. never works for the recognition, but she definitely deserves it. I know if something needs to get done, she will always see it through and surpass anyone's expectations. Melissa is the kind of person that always encourages you to be authentic, but also pushes you to be the best version of yourself. I know I am the best version of myself because of the guidance, encouragement, friendship, and sometimes even tough love. -Katie Baskerville