New Jersey’s School Counselor of the Year: ‘A child will always remember how you made them feel’

School counselor Laura Fortson-Williams logged on to her computer and began carefully scrolling through a list of more than 300 student names — part of her daily routine.

She meticulously checked her roster to pack in as many appointments as possible with an ambitious goal: to make contact with every sixth-grade student at Deptford Middle School by the end of the school year.

“Middle school is really stressful,” said Fortson-Williams.

On a recent busy morning, a steady stream of students came to visit Fortson-Williams. She checked their grades in the computer, with their permission. She asked about academics, time management, and lunch partners — an important part of social time in middle school.

“Where are your glasses? Can you see?” she asked an 11-year-old who showed up without his spectacles. “Are you spending your whole life studying?” she asked a straight-A student.

Her office walls are pasted with positive messages: “You are more amazing than you realize” and “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re still learning.”

Fortson-Williams adapted a quote from author Maya Angelou as inspiration for how she deals with students: “Children will never forget how you made them feel.” (Angelou’s full quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”)

She’s just “Mrs. Williams” to students, and they say they enjoy their visits with her. They can email her to schedule time to discuss any concerns at home or school. Fortson-Williams calls parents to give praise reports, too, not just to handle problems.

“She’s really honest with me,” said student Liam Brown, 12. “I can tell her stuff and she won’t judge me for it.”

Her approach captured the attention of the New Jersey School Counselors Association, which named her its Counselor of the Year in December. Candidates must submit an extensive application and are judged by a panel on leadership skills, effective counseling programs, and counseling innovations.

“Sometimes I’m driving and I think, ‘Wow, they picked me out of all of the school counselors in the state,’” she said. “But it’s less about me and more about what we do as counselors.”

Fortson-Williams, 46, has spent her entire 26-year career in Deptford public schools, serving as a teacher and counselor at the district’s elementary schools and Deptford High School. She started last year at the newly opened Deptford Middle School, where she works with the entire sixth-grade class.

She will now compete for National School Counselor of the Year, which will be announced by the America School Counselors Association at its annual meeting next year in Washington, D.C. Deptford has previously had educators recognized for state honors as Principal and Teacher of the Year.

“She works so well with the students. She gives them exactly what they need,” said Sara Chaffin, Fortson-Williams’ former intern and now a mental health counselor at the middle school. “She’s awesome.”

Surrounded by family and friends, a tearful Fortson-Williams was recognized by the Deptford School Board last month, where she was presented with a resolution, plaque, and flowers.

“She is a gift to us as a district,” said acting Superintendent Kevin Kanauss. “She is also, more importantly, a gift to the students, and that’s what we appreciate and love about her the most.”

The youngest of five, Fortson-Williams grew up in Woodbury and Deptford with a large extended family. She attended Glassboro State College, now Rowan University, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1998.

She landed her first education job at Shady Lane School in Deptford, not too far from where she grew up. She taught first grade for several years and loved it. Her plan was “to stay in teaching forever.”

But then Fortson-Williams was asked to take on counseling and obtained a master’s degree in student personnel services from Rowan. She returned to the classroom several years later after a maternity leave, and eventually made her way back to counseling, too.

“I was good at teaching,” Fortson-Williams said. “But I feel like I have much more of an impact with students in the smaller counseling setting.”

Her husband of 23 years, Osco Williams Jr., was so inspired by her that he followed her into the profession, and joined Bridgeton Public Schools last year as a school counselor.

School counselors help students with their academics and career and college readiness, as well as with their social and emotional well-being. Their roles took on extra responsibilities during and after the pandemic as some students struggled to adjust to changes.

» READ MORE: New Jersey's Teacher of the Year among finalists for national award

The mother of two sons, Osco III and Ozias Williams, Fortson-Williams is active in her Williamstown community. She serves on the executive board of the New Jersey School Counselors Association and is also vice president of the Gloucester County Elementary Counselors Association.

Fortson-Williams says she gets attached to her students and is “110% sure that I will stay in counseling until I retire.”

“I just feel real close to them,” she said. “Sometimes when they leave, I want to say, `Bye. Love you.’”