Following the increase in student population and the departure of two counselors, the counseling department has undergone significant changes. These changes include shifts in roles and the addition  of three new counselors on campus: Talia Dodd-Hegmann, Torrey Eckert and Latresea Kennedy.

These new team members have diverse backgrounds, ranging from marketing to teaching, and have chosen to redirect their careers towards supporting students. With years of experience behind them, they are ready to create new memories ahead.

Counselor Dodd-Hegmann

Dodd-Hegmann graduated from high school in East Texas and continued her education by pursuing her undergraduate and master’s degree at University of North Texas. 

From her first job as a camp counselor, Dodd-Hegmann has always loved working with kids. As a math teacher, she felt there was a lot more counseling that played into the role than teaching math.

“There was a whole lot more of trying to meet kids’ needs not in the classroom,” Dodd-Hegmann said. “I was talking to kids a lot about the things they were struggling with, what was causing them to be behind in school, or what was holding them back in certain things like relationships with their family.”

After eight years of teaching sixth grade math, Dodd-Hegmann decided it was time to change tracks to something oriented towards guidance.

“I decided I wanted to do counseling after I worked in special education, so then I went back and got my masters and I got into counseling, and I’ve been doing that ever since,” Dodd-Hegmann said. 

Hegmann believes that the best-laid plans don’t always come to fruition, but despite this, people should keep moving forward. 

“I make a list every day, and I have this plan of what I want to accomplish each day. But sometimes it doesn’t happen,” Dodd-Hegmann said. “You kind of have to just go with the flow and know that it’s gonna be there tomorrow, and you can get to it then.”

As a counselor, Dodd-Hegmann has a clear goal for all her students, whether it’s helping them figure out schedules, get to school every day, or be able to graduate.

“Once you walk out those doors after you have that diploma, it’s all on you,” Dodd-Hegmann said. “So hopefully, over those four years we get to be with y’all in high school, we can help teach you some things, or guide you in a way that you can learn how to do things on your own later on.”

Since many students have new counselors this year, Hegmann explains the first step to talking to your counselor is just coming in. 

“I know it’s hard to imagine us as 16, 17-year-olds, but we’ve all been there too,” Dodd-Hegmann. “I remember what high school was like and I know that sometimes you get nervous talking to, or meeting somebody new. But just give it a shot. We’re actually just regular people, and we’ve once been in your shoes as well.”

Counselor Eckert

Though new to the high school, Eckert is no stranger to Prosper ISD, having previously worked at Reynolds and Rushing Middle Schools. This transition has given her insight on what she believes is a big difference between counseling middle school and high school students.

“I would say a lot of it is the emotional piece and maturity of the students,” Eckert said. “And middle school students need a lot of help learning those boundaries of what’s appropriate and not appropriate. In high school, it’s more focused on academics and college. There’s still some emotional piece, but it’s just not as prevalent.”

Eckert’s journey to counseling began in the English classroom. As a former English teacher, she found herself drawn to the personal stories her students shared through their writing.

“In English, you’re always writing essays, and students are writing about themselves in different situations, and I just really enjoyed reading what they wrote and then talking to them about what they wrote,” Eckert said. 

It was a counselor at her former middle school who recognized Eckert’s natural inclination towards counseling, pointing out the similarities between English teachers’ conversations with students and the work of a school counselor. 

“I have a Bachelor of Science in Education with a focus in middle school English, and then I went to Amberton University for my Masters of Arts in school counseling,” Eckert said.

Rather than fretting over the future or dwelling on the past, Eckert is all about the power of now.

“We can’t change the past and we can’t foretell the future, but our control lies in what we’re able to do in that very moment and the choices we make towards our future,” Eckert said. “I really try to help students focus on ‘what are you doing now and how are those choices going to affect you as you move forward?’” 

Looking ahead, Eckert is eager to build lasting relationships with her students, as she plans to stay in Prosper ISD for the long haul.

“For the seniors— they’re getting ready for college applications and scholarships and everything— I want to make sure that they know that while I’m a brand new face for them and only for a short year, that I will be available to help them through those processes,” Eckert said. “For my underclassmen, I want to really focus on getting to know them and what their hopes and dreams are. So by the time they get to their senior year, it’s a little bit easier for us to help figure out what those next steps look like.”

Understanding that some students may feel hesitant to approach counselors, Eckert reassures them that her primary goal is to create a welcoming environment, not to get them in trouble.

“It’s not a ‘gotcha’ game,” Eckert said. “We truly just want to provide a listening ear and be another layer of support, similar to a teacher you may have a good relationship with in one of your classes. We’re just here to form relationships and help.”

Counselor Kennedy

Before becoming a counselor, Kennedy taught marketing and business classes, but she felt a strong desire to elevate her impact on students. 

“I decided to be a counselor because I enjoy working with students and helping them prepare for the next level,” Kennedy said. “I was preparing students for the real world and I wanted to do it in a bigger capacity and work with more students.”

As she transitions into her new role, building relationships with students is a top priority for Kennedy. 

“What I really love is that we will have guidance this fall, so I know with the seniors I get to sit down one-on-one with them to figure out their plans and help guide them,” Kennedy said. “With my younger grades, I’ll be building relationships, whether it’s calling them down individually to get to know them or just seeing them in the hallway.”

Kennedy brings a wealth of education and experience to her position, holding degrees in marketing management, banking and finance, business management and counseling.

“My personal goal is honestly just to kind of get to know these students and the faculty here to see how I can best serve them going forward,” Kennedy said.

In addition to her professional journey, Kennedy is an avid sports enthusiast outside of school. 

“I’ve played softball in college,” Kennedy said. “I am a huge basketball fan and a gymnastics fan because both of my little ones play, so I spent a lot of time in the gym.”

Kennedy aims to support students in planning for their futures while also encouraging them to make the most of their high school experience.

“I always want to prepare students for life after high school whether they want to go to college, go into the career field, or go into the military,” Kennedy said. “But I also want them to enjoy the day, enjoy the moment, and pick up some skills that can help them in the future.”