Having a mentor can be one of the most fulfilling relationships in a person’s life, but often it’s hard to pin down exactly what qualities make someone a great mentor. That might be because what someone needs most from a mentor/mentee relationship can vary from person...

By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Garland Willis recalled what made him go from being a high school principal to a counselor a few years ago. “Being a principal is where all my white hair came from,” he said with a laugh. “As a principal, my most...

By Rebecca Smith Collin Phaup has been a board member at Next Step for five years, and president of the board for two of those years. Over the last five years, Next Step has nearly tripled its budget. County coverage has doubled. Staffing has nearly doubled,...

By Rebecca Smith When Sherry Parker started at Next Step only a couple weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the schools in March 2020, she worried how she would see the students who needed her. Next Step set her and the other counselors up with video...

On his Zoom call for his interview, Marcus Wade chose a playful virtual background with hearts, pizza slices, and music notes. It featured phrases like “Not blaming yourself,” “eating the food you want,” “keeping a journal and writing down your ideas.” Fitting tips for the...