The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN HONOR OF 2021 MICHIGAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR 0F THE YEAR ELIZABETH
KANAGAWA
______
HON. DEBBIE DINGELL
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Friday, January 28, 2022
Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Elizabeth
``Betsy'' Kanagawa of Brownstown Charter Township, Michigan, on being named the 2021 Michigan School Counselor of the Year by the Michigan School Counselor Association. Her significant contributions to our community are worthy of commendation.
Mrs. Kanagawa is a two-time graduate of Spring Arbor University, where she studied counseling, English, psychology, and secondary education. She has been a school counselor for over nine years and works at Patrick Henry Middle School in the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District.
Known for her caring personality and innovative programs, Mrs. Kanagawa has changed her school for the better. When she noticed that students of color were getting lower PSAT scores and were at risk of being referred to the office at a high rate, she got to the root of the problem by taking the time to have important, sometimes difficult conversations with teachers and administrators and provided the interventions needed to support these students rather than discipline them. Mrs. Kanagawa has pioneered a program called ``Minute Meetings'' where she meets with every single student to talk about their mental health and determine how to better serve them.
With her extensive work in community intervention and mental health, Mrs. Kanagawa led the creation of the Mental Health Advisory Board which has brought together school officials and community health leaders to eliminate barriers that exist in connecting students to mental health services. She serves as a member of American School Counselor Association and the Michigan School Counselor Association, where she is on the governing board serving as the middle school level representative. She resides in Brownstown with her husband, Niko.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. Elizabeth ``Betsy'' Kanagawa. I join with Mrs. Kanagawa's students and colleagues in thanking her for her stellar service to Patrick Henry Middle School and to our entire community. She has consistently gone above and beyond on behalf of her students and has tirelessly dedicated herself to making our schools a better place for all. We are very lucky to have her in our district and wish her the very best in the years to come.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 18
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