Megan Paradise was my School Counseling Intern for the Fall of 2020.

Needless to say, 2020 was a very

different start of the school year for everyone, but Megan far exceeded my expectations- even during
this unprecedented time. She was eager to work with both students and school colleagues and willing
to learn how to be an effective High School Counselor, despite the brand new obstacles set before her.

When Megan began her internship at Oscar Smith High, we did not have students in the building- which
allowed her the opportunity to make “cold calls” to many of our school families. Not only did Megan
take the task on with eagerness, she quickly picked up on the unique situations many of our school
families face. She is naturally empathetic- a trait that is crucial to be a successful School Counselor.
Megan was able to address the needs of our families while staying professional and asked questions as
needed.

As Megan began the school year, I tasked her with a particularly hard group of students – those taking
Credit Recovery. Credit Recovery is an online program for students who have not been successful in a
traditional classroom setting- providing an opportunity for students to complete the missed credit.
Normally, those students would be called to our offices to review their progress. However, because of
the school setting this year, Megan needed to reach out to these students at least weekly by phone call
to discuss their progress and provide “pep talks” to encourage their continued work. This is a daunting
task during a normal school year. This year, however, it was even more important that these students
complete their classes. She showed great tenacity when faced with wrong phone numbers, missed
Zoom meetings, and not having calls returned. Megan took this project on with enthusiasm and even
created an incentive program to encourage student progress. The program, under Megan’s lead, was
so successful that almost all of our students completed their Credit Recovery- much more so than if she
had not been so diligent in watching and encouraging their progress.

Megan also had the opportunity to interact with our school families through food pickups and drop-offs.
She was able to meet families through this program and spoke to parents with grace and understanding
of the current exceptional situation. I felt confident in her ability to engage in situations that are
different from her own personal life without passing judgement or adding prejudice.

I am wholeheartedly encouraged by Megan’s time with us as an intern. She was eager to learn as much
as she could in this unique circumstance of 2020. She advocated for students and was responsive to
cultural differences, all while maintaining the professionalism required in schools. She quickly picked up
on the constantly-changing requirements of high school students and learned to answer questions with
confidence. Based on her self-motivation and work ethic, I would highly recommend Megan as a School
Counselor.

Amy Lundgren
School Counselor, IB Liaison
Oscar Smith High School
Chesapeake, Virginia
amy.lundgren@cpschools.com