School Counselor, 'Tireless Advocate' In Essex County Gets Award

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An Essex County school counselor recently earned recognition for her devotion to local students as part of a statewide award ceremony.

Last month, the New Jersey School Counselor Association (NJSCA) held its 33rd “Counselor of the County” awards program, which honors high-achieving counselors in the Garden State. School counselors are nominated by their colleagues and selected by their own county’s School Counselor Associations for the award.

For 2019, the Essex County honors went to Vanessa Ming, a district supervisor in the East Orange Public School District. Ming has been a school counselor for 11 years, according to a news release from the Essex County School Counselors Association (ECSCA).

“I have known Vanessa for over six years,” said Gregory Jenkins, vice-president of the ECSCA. “Vanessa’s leadership has helped the East Orange School District (EOSD) to align its comprehensive school counseling program to the American School Counseling Association model, and she has been instrumental in making the EOSD a trauma-sensitive district.”

Jenkins said that Ming demonstrates strong commitment and leads with purpose.

“Vanessa is a tireless advocate for students,” Jenkins said. “She always considers ‘what is in the best interest for each student?’ For the profession of counseling, Vanessa is dedicated to advancing the ideals of counseling, career and college readiness and ethics. Her passion for service to others, to her students, her integrity and her work ethic make her an invaluable member of our Student Support and Parent Relations Department.”

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