Putnam County High School (PCHS) counselor Mark Adams was recognized Sept. 29, during the 2022 Lt. Governor’s Business & Education Summit as Georgia College & Career Academy Counselor of the Year.
“Mr. Adams goes above and beyond to help students prepare and plan for their futures. Whether it is through a dual-enrolment option, a workbased learning placement, completion of a pathway in CTAE, fine arts, or academics, he is always willing to collaborate with others to do what’s best for students,” said Christina Hinz, Career, Technical & Agricultural Education (CTAE) director.
“He is an extraordinary example of a counselor who attempts to help students discover who they are, what they do well, and what they will do when they graduate. It was an honor to see him receive this humbling recognition.”
The Putnam County High School College & Career Academy is one of 51 academies across the state of Georgia. Adams was nominated for the award by Hinz and received the recognition at the Sept. 29-30 summit meeting.
“He has had a very strong, successful career in Putnam County,” said Hinz. “It was an honor to nominate him for this award.”
Now in his 19th year at Putnam County High School, Adams plays a very active role at the school beyond counseling, including driving buses, chaperoning field trips, planning events and coaching golf. He also works very closely with CTAE to maximize the reach of the program with students.
“Having a relationship between CTAE and counseling is an integral part of maximizing the opportunities provided to students,” said Hinz.
Adams agreed and expressed that Hinz does whatever it takes to ensure counseling can be done outside of his office and that opportunities are always available for students.
“The counselor’s role is to advocate for the students,” said Adams. “There is never enough career counseling in high school. We try to develop careers that are meaningful to our students.”
According to Adams, becoming a counselor “fell into his lap.” He was attending graduate school at Valdosta State University with the intention of becoming a city manager. However, one of his professors told him that he would be very suited to become a counselor and helped Adams transfer from public administration into a counseling program.
“It turned out to be the perfect job for me,” said Adams.
Upon graduation from VSU, Adams worked at Clinch County High School in South Georgia for eight years before transferring to Putnam County. Though his experiences at both schools have been different, his love for the profession remains the same.
“I see the tangible results from what I do. Every time a student walks across that stage of graduation with a smile on their face, I know I played my part in helping them to reach their destination,” said Adams. “As a school, we work as a team to help accomplish their goals and I will always be an advocate for our students.”
According to the Georgia Department of Education, College and Career Academies represent a community partnership between a local school system, a technical college or post-secondary institution, and business leaders that work together to fulfill workforce development missions in communities across the state. By receiving this recognition, Adams is being honored as someone who uses his time and resources to help growing youth be prepared for the workforce.
“This was the first time I ever received a plaque and title like this,” said Adams. “It was a ‘hoot’ to be honored at the summit and just amazing to receive this recognition.”