Alicia Scott, school counselor at Niles West High School, was selected by the Illinois School Counselor Association (ISCA) as School Counselor of the Year. Each year, ISCA selects one school counselor in the state to receive its highest honor, recognizing exceptional leadership, advocacy, and impact on student success. 

Vince Walsh-Rock, ISCA Executive Director, praised Scott’s leadership in ISCA while also commending the school community she serves. “This is about culture, this is about the people that she works with, students in this building, and the place that cultivates wonderful leadership and allows that to flourish,” he remarked.
 

Scott joined Niles West in 2022 and has led several key initiatives at the school and district levels. She helped the department earn national recognition as a comprehensive school counseling program and has worked to expand services and supports for students.

“We didn’t get into this profession for recognition or acknowledgement; quite the opposite,” said Scott, who is a Niles West alum. “We support our students, and we want to acknowledge our students. This recognition has been so overwhelming for me, but I’ve processed it and realized that I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and honor.” 

At Niles West, Scott developed and implemented support groups for first-generation and undocumented students. She also led the Gender Support Team, creating gender support plans and presenting strategies and resources to staff to support LGBTQIA+ students.

In addition to her work at Niles West, Scott serves on the Illinois State Board of Education’s Counselor Advisory Council and ISCA’s Board of Directors. Currently on the College Board Counseling and Admission Assembly Council, she previously served on their Prepárate National Advisory Council. Additionally, Scott serves as an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University in the school counseling graduate program.

Scott will be recognized at the ISCA annual conference in November 2025. For more information about ISCA, visit https://www.ilschoolcounselor.org/.