Three years ago, the American Counseling Association and the American Association of State Counseling Boards initiated 20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling to determine and help guide the future of counseling. Thirty groups were invited to participate, including the 19 ACA divisions and four regions, Chi Sigma Iota, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs and the National Board for Certified Counselors. Each group appointed a delegate to represent the group; past-president Eric Sparks represented ASCA.

After numerous discussions and meetings, 20/20 delegates approved seven principles during summer 2008 and asked each participating group to sign a statement of support. The principles were not approved unanimously as Eric and other delegates did not vote in favor of them. The first two principles address counseling as a unified profession with a common professional identity. Although the principles present counseling as one profession and identity, they do not define the profession and identity. The 20/20 Oversight Committee explained that defining the counseling profession and identity is the first step in the second phase of the project.

Members of ASCA's Governing Board discussed the seven principles at each meeting since they were introduced and were reluctant to agree to a single identity when that identity is not defined. They did not disagree with the concept of a single identity or with the seven principles; they simply believed more discussion and information is needed. At its February 2009, meeting, the ASCA Governing Board voted to support the 20/20 effort but not to sign the statement until board members can review a definition of a single counseling identity. Read ASCA's response.

On Dec. 11, 2008, the 20/20 Oversight Committee announced that because 22 of the 30 groups had signed the statement of support, only groups that sign the statement by March 20, 2009, would be allowed to participate in the next phase. Eventually, 29 of the 30 groups signed. ASCA board members knew ASCA would be excluded from further discussions if ASCA did not sign, however, they could not sign a document they did not believe in simply to be included in future discussions. ASCA accepts the Oversight Committee's decision and encourages the delegates to move forward without ASCA participation. The 20/20 Delegates will meet again on Friday, March 20. Eric Sparks, Richard Wong and ASCA president Jim Bierma will attend as observers.

ASCA is pleased to honor Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) as its 2009 Legislator of the Year. Kennedy was selected for his strong commitment to education and healthcare for children during his congressional career. His effort to make quality health care accessible and affordable to every American is a battle that Kennedy has been waging ever since he arrived in the Senate in 1962. In addition, Kennedy is active in the education reform arena and a wide range of other issues.

You are invited to participate in an important survey that will provide valuable information about school counselors' perceptions, roles and functions providing career development services. The survey results will provide the foundation for developing targeted professional development opportunities including training, products and resources for school counselors. This study is being conducted by Dr.'s Paulette Schenk (Augusta State University), Tina Anctil (Portland State University) and Carol Dahir (NY Institute of Technology) in conjunction with the Leadership Academy at the National Career Development Association. If you have questions about the survey, contact information is included on the survey Web site. The 35-item online survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The password for the survey is: Career

Monday, April 20 marks the 10th anniversary of the Columbine High School tragedy. ASCA and the editors of The American School Board Journal and the National School Boards Association are co-sponsoring a webinar focusing on school safety and lessons learned over the past decade at 2 p.m. on April 16. Look for more details on ASCA's Web site the coming weeks.

Lisa Boesky, Ph.D., noted speaker and author, shares her insight with ASCA conference attendees in a special Featured Speaker session on Sunday, June 28, in Dallas. Boesky addresses key issues and current controversies over mental health diagnoses, substance-abusing students, medication and the "acting out" vs. "mental health" distinction. Learn when teenagers are just being teenagers and when there's real cause for concern. If you're coming to the ASCA conference in Dallas, June 28-July 1, you won't want to miss this hard-hitting session. (Additional fee applies.)

New item: Secondary School Counselor Perceptions Survey:This research study at Penn State investigates how school counselors may form perceptions about a student who is new to school. If you are currently working as a full-time secondary school counselor (grades 6-12), please accept this invitation to participate in a brief 15-minute on-line survey. No personally identifying information will be collected. A donation of $50 will be made to ASCA for each 50 participants up to $200. Please complete the online survey by March 31, 2009.

Learn About Chemical Engineering: The Chemical Heritage Foundation and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers have launched a new educational Web site, which celebrates the past achievements of chemical engineers and the possibilities of future achievements. The site is a great resource for curriculum development and was developed with the input of teachers, parents and students to ensure it meets their interests and needs.

College Preparation Brochure Draft Available: Federal Student Aid is working on an expanded version of its College Preparation Checklist. View the first draft. Please note that the document is just a draft, so you will see inconsistencies in style and punctuation; repetition; and possibly the occasional typo. Also, it's currently in black-and-white 8.5x11 format, but the final version will be either a small (brochure-sized) booklet or a poster that folds down to the size and shape of a brochure for ease of mailing. Send your thoughts to ask.aidawareness@ed.gov.

No Boundaries Career Presentation Contest: No Boundaries is a USA Today Education initiative in collaboration with NASA. This free project-based learning helps students explore future STEM careers. The free project is for grades 7-12; team-centered, cooperative learning; cross-curricular; aligned to national standards; and structured so minimal teacher preparation is required. Students who submit their final No Boundaries career presentation projects to the National No Boundaries Competition are eligible to win cash awards and VIP passes to a NASA shuttle launch. Winners may also be asked to present their work to NASA. Contest deadline is May 15, 2009.

March 30: Typical or Troubled grant applications due.
May 1: Deadline for discounted conference registration
July 17: School Counselor of the Year nominations deadline