Brief descriptions of all Susan Leone Grant recipients and projects awarded between 2012-2019
2019
Alan Smith, Clinical Counseling Intern, Bluefield College: Received a $700 grant to provide a Mindfulness Room where students can practice mindfulness techniques while also helping them to engage in other wellness practices and provide opportunities to learn techniques to help students manage stress in more constructive ways. Resources will also be provided so students can guide themselves through mindfulness practices in addition to scheduled programming to teach these techniques within groups.
Melissa Deaton Cook, LPC, Spiral Roots LLC: Received a $750 grant to help youth and their caregivers/parents to learn new ways to communicate from a bottom up approach using different percussive instruments. Participants will increase their self-confidence, strengthen self-expression, learn the importance of listening, and of speaking clearly and respectfully, and will develop a sense of connectedness within their dyad and with other community participants. They will also learn take-away techniques to reduce anxiety and stress in order to facilitate communication during difficult times.
Dr. Tameka Grimes, Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech: Received a $550 grant to provide support to Roanoke City Professional School Counselors in the development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) using the Virginia Department of Education and Curry School of Education “AdVAntage” cohort model. CSCP has been associated with a number of positive student outcomes, including higher student attendance and graduation rates, higher math and reading scores, and more positive school cultures.
Angela LePeter, M.Ed., Director of School Counseling, Oak Knoll Middle School, Hanover County Public Schools: Received the Esther Pincus Grant for $600 funding to obtain materials to utilize in a variety of small counseling groups that foster creativity; develop the whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being; and results in students who demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with problems, and sense of belonging in the school setting.
Loren Watson, M.Ed., Professional School Counselor Beaverdam Elementary School, Hanover Public Schools: Received $600 funding to develop “Cluster Tubs” for all grade levels at her school. The purpose of the project is to provide instruction and exposure to the concept of a Career Cluster, help individual students identify their career interests and goals, introduce students to the sixteen career clusters, and assist students in understanding how what they are learning in school will translate to skills needed for future postsecondary success. These counseling activities will teach and expose students to all sixteen of the Virginia Career Clusters.
Angela Anderson, LPC, NCC, MA, Director of Services, Serenity Counseling Center & Wellness, Blue Ridge, Virginia: Received $650 to create and build a free, local meditation garden for the residents of Botetourt County and surroundings. The goal is to provide a serene space to enhance mindfulness awareness in the Blue Ridge area. Serenity Meditation Garden will also provide clients with depression and/or anxiety issues an additional space to gather before and after counseling sessions.
Ruthe Laurore, QDDP, LPC, NCC, Executive Director, Welcome Home Community Services, LLC, Prince George, Virginia: Received $650 funding to provide a therapeutic “Skilled Space” as cognitively challenged participants engage in the agency’s Skills System Program. The purpose of the program is to increase positive thinking skills that will help them to decrease maladaptive behaviors. “Skilled Space” is where individuals will have time to meditate privately and/or in a group setting as they implement supports as taught to them through the System Skills Program.
2018
Matthew V. Bukowski, Private Practice Therapist, Secure Child In-Home Program (SCIHP), Charlottesville and Albemarle Counties: Received The Esther Pincus Grant for $500 to fund the Nature Based Therapy Room, an innovative nature-based outpatient counseling room that can be utilized as a therapeutic setting for parents and children, as well as a psychoeducational and developmental resource. Grant funds will be used to turn a typical therapy room into a virtual outdoor setting, where clients can learn to experience the mental health and developmental benefits of nature in a controlled, confidential therapeutic setting.
Elizabeth Beatley Professional School Counselor, The Georgetown School (TGS), Hanover County Public Schools: The Georgetown School (TGS) is a specialty school that serves students in grades 6-12 who are not successful in the comprehensive school setting due to behavioral, academic and/or truancy concerns. The VCAF funded Art Show Project ($500) is to offer an innovative and relevant learning experience that is desirable to some of the most challenging students. The primary objectives include providing an opportunity for students to positively direct their creativity by making an art project of their choice, providing an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge base by visiting the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), providing an opportunity to expand their community exposure by dining in an upscale setting, and providing an opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills by planning and organizing an art show.
Susan P. Cook, Student Behavioral Health Specialist/Licensed Professional Counselor, John M. Gandy Elementary School, Hanover County Public Schools: The VCAF Grant funded Canvas Painting Art Project ($500) is to provide third through fifth grade Tier III at-risk students with developmental delays, behavioral difficulties, and fine motor skill deficits the opportunity to develop and strengthen executive functioning through planning an art project from start to finish by using art supplies appropriately and by following directions and skills modeled by a local artist. They will also use a problem solving approach taught by the Counselor/Student Behavioral Health Specialist that includes: define the problem, brainstorm alternatives, predict consequences, make a choice, take action and evaluate whether it worked. The goals are for students to feel valued, accepted and important while using art as a form of creative expression.
Jodi Myers, Victim/Family Advocate, Counselor for Valley Children’s Advocacy Center:
Awarded $750 for a project to provide more appropriate play therapy tools and options for working with clients who have suffered trauma as a result of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect that range from the age of 3 years old to adult. Clients referred by law enforcement and social services are provided with free services. The center is located in a rural area where it can take weeks to get appointments with counselors so the center serves as a bridge of short- and medium-term services until other resources are available.
Donna Dockery, Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University & Lauren Wynne Assistant Professor, Longwood University: Were awarded $750 for their Longwood/VCU AdVAntage project to support school counselors’ efforts to move counseling programs forward using recommended best practices. Students will learn to design, implement and evaluate comprehensive school counseling programs, and may apply for RAMP and VDOE “AdVAntage” designations after participating. Before 2017, only one school counseling program in Central Virginia had received national recognition.
2017
Ari Laoch, MS, CBIST, Therapist Health Brigade: Received a $600 grant to provide a therapeutic group for trans people. This group will provide trans people a safer place to gather and utilize counseling interventions without the weight of pathologizing gender and identity/expression. The Trans Therapy Group offers a communal opportunity to process and share our stories and history. Group will center on transgender support, understanding of commonality, community building, and affirming interactions and will work with participants to facilitate knowledge of personal strength, courage and temperance. The Trans Therapy Group is a closed eight-week group that offers participants the opportunity to repeat a cycle as a sponsor or mentor. Increased well-being and increased self-efficacy leads to improved mental health and wellness.
LaConda Fanning PsyD, LPC, RN, Therapist with Psychological Services of Virginia and Christian Psychological Services: Received The Esther Pincus Grant for $500. The M.A.P.P.I.N.G. project will provide real time supportive learning groups (SLGS) that promote positive choices and behavioral competence in school age children, age 5 to 18 years old, who have a mental health diagnosis related to social learning deficits. The use of play will help students to Manage anger effectively, Acquire love of life learning, Progress toward happy futures, Profess purpose in life, Insulate through skill building, Navigate behavioral growth, and Gain communication proficiency.
Chi Li, Doctoral Student in Counselor Education and Supervision, Old Dominion University: Received a grant for $400 for a study to develop and validate an instrument to measure counselor/supervisee disclosure in supervision. Most relevant studies in this area were done more than 20 years ago and no relevant psychometrically sound measures were found in a search of the literature. The goals of this project include development and validation of a psychometrically sound measure for counselor/supervisee disclosure in supervision, as well as to help counselor/supervisees learn what to disclose in supervision and how their disclosure in supervision will contribute to their professional and personal growth, which will eventually benefit the clients.
Melissa Deaton Cook, LPC Lead Counselor at Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center: Received $1000 VCAF Grant to provide music and rhythm activities using drumming techniques with at risk youth to create a safe, nonjudgmental and fun space in which youth can express themselves safely in a non-verbal or verbal manner. A short-term goal is that participants find an immediate sense of calming and increased ability to self-regulate. A long-term goal is for the client to learn a minimum of three techniques for their emotional tool box to reduce anxiety and stress in the future. Additionally youth will develop a stronger understanding of the need for positive community and connectedness in their community.
Melanie Burgess, MS.ED. Doctoral Student, Old Dominion University: Received a $500 grant to research and determine the experiences and needs of new school counselors and make preparation and training recommendations for counselor educators, district level supervisors and professional organizations, such as VCA. Currently research is lacking in-depth accounts of novice school counselors’ process acclimating to the field. A better understanding of novice school counselors’ experiences transitioning from their graduate program to becoming a professional school counselor will assist in guiding school counselor preparation and training, thus resulting in school counselors’ increased job performance: meeting students’ academic, career and social/emotional needs.
2016
Josephine Olson, MA, LPC, NCC, CCMHC, RPT, Abigail’s House (a safe house for women in rescue): Trauma Sensitive Self-Compassionate Yoga (TSSCY) is an eight-week psycho-educational program designed to promote the mind-body connection while addressing the physiological implications of trauma.
Mikhal Salzberg, M.Ed., Counseling Coordinator, Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville, Virginia: Wilson Success Academy – a special academic intervention program for “at risk” ninth and tenth graders. The purpose of the project is to provide academy students the tools necessary to assist with their achievement both academically and on a personal/social level.
Nadine Hartig, Ph.D., LPC, Radford University: Pathways Mentoring Program with middle school students in an underserved area, interested in the counseling profession. Will provide an opportunity for students in an underserved mental health catchment area with an opportunity to gain knowledge about careers in mental health and provide a career exploration experience that will benefit the community with an increased focus on mental health in the area.
Christian Chan, Doctoral Student in Counseling, The George Washington University: Joint Counselor Training and Development Program between the organizations of Virginia Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development and Virginia Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling. The project aims at expanding the training and increasing the quality of services among ethnic, sexual and gender diverse populations to intentionally merge the mission, vision and identity of both organizations.
2015
Joshua Hurley, Director Patrick Henry High School in Ashland
Karla Allen Coordinator School Counseling, Hanover County Schools: Kindness Crew Project to Build Character and Overall Kindness.
Laura Farmer, Ph.D., and Gerard Lawson, Ph.D., Virginia Tech: Mindfulness and Anxiety Reduction Training with High School Juniors at Southwest Virginia Governor’s School.
Jackie Robinson, Oak Grove ES, Richmond Public Schools: Women’s Empowerment Program to provide psycho-educational counseling and formal community support to low-income females with the goal of increasing academic support and mental health well being resulting in improved academic performance of their children.
Josephine M. Olson, LPC Light Counseling, Lynchburg: Annie’s Tree House – Parenting Program for parents of foster/adoptive children of cross-culture backgrounds. Sessions are intended to foster attachments, improve problem-solving skills and stimulate effective communications.
2014
Dr. Kevin Glavin, Old Dominion University: Career Awareness Project – Funds provided to develop a program to provide undergraduate students with an understanding of how the world of work is organized and to help them explore their vocational self-concept and to identify options.
Richelle Joe, College of William & Mary: Training for School Counselors in School Community Collaboration – Funds provided training for professional school counselors with information regarding family processes that can be beneficial in efforts to partner with parents and families for student success.
Josephine M. Olson, LPC Lighthouse Counseling in Lynchburg.
Annie’s Tree House: Filial Therapy: Funds provided for a project to foster attachments and to enhance relationships within the new family structure of families who have chosen to adopt or provide foster care for children cross-culturally.
Barbara Lavine, Camelot ES, Fairfax County Schools: Parent Resources in English and Spanish: Funds were used to implement a program to increase parental involvement and parenting skills by providing information in English and Spanish through materials, DVDs and parent programs.
Spring 2012
Elizabeth Beatley, Pole Green ES, Hanover County Schools: The Village Project – Funds used to develop a program that fosters a sense of community in the school through service projects and mentoring relationships of upper level and lower level classes collaboration.
Jessica Lloyd-Hazelett, College of William & Mary: Family-School Intervention Data Collection Project – Funds used for data collection from school counselors using focus groups to improve collaboration between school counselors and family counseling agencies.