New Hampshire Counselor Of The Year Named

DURHAM, NH — Heather Machanoff has been named New Hampshire Counselor of the Year, Superintendent James Morse, and Oyster River High School Principal Rebecca Noe shared.

The American School Counselor Association awards this honor annually to school counselors in each state who have devoted their careers to serving as advocates for students, helping them achieve success at school and in life.

Machanoff has served as a school counselor since 2002. She began her career with the Oyster River Cooperative School District in 2008 as a K-12 counseling director before transitioning into her role as a school counselor at Oyster River High School in 2019.

"Congratulations to Heather on this outstanding accomplishment," Principal Noe said. "She has shown unwavering commitment to helping her students succeed over the years, and I am so happy to have her hard work recognized in this way."

As a school counselor, she provides academic, career, social, and emotional support to more than 200 students. She collaborates with students, families, teachers, and administrators to craft individualized support based on students' specific needs.

“Counselors play a vital role in ensuring the success of our students and schools," Superintendent Morse said. "This is a tremendous honor, and one that Heather richly deserves."

Machanoff also serves as president-elect of the New Hampshire School Counselor Association. She is a member of the American School Counselor Association and the New England Association of College Admission Counseling.

"Supporting students on their path to achieving their goals, no matter how small or how big, is an incredibly rewarding experience. I benefit from a supportive school community and have enjoyed bringing stakeholders together to support student success," Machanoff said. "I am thrilled to be recognized, along with so many other talented and dedicated professionals across the nation."

Machanoff holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the State University of New York College at Fredonia. She also holds a Master of Education in counseling from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master of Education in adventure education from Plymouth State University.

"Each year, the School Counselor of the Year program shows us what the research tells us – that school counselors have a significant impact on students' academic achievement, social/emotional development and plans for life after graduation," said ASCA Executive Director Jill Cook.

Honorees were celebrated in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 3, and also through a series of virtual events during National School Counseling Week, Feb. 7–11.