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Eagle Choices consists of a small group of 8-10 St. Thomas High School male freshmen, sophomores, and juniors (ages 15-17) who failed a recent, random drug test and are therefore, required to learn about the adolescent brain and high-risk behaviors as part of their rehabilitation and enrollment.

The Eagle is St. Thomas' school mascot, and one of the main student learning outcomes is for students to make positive choices based on knowledge gained from these small group sessions. The group name also maintains the anonymity of the group’s purpose.

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By partaking in this group, students will master the following standards:

Mindset Standards
M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

Behavior Standards
B-LS 1. Critical thinking skills to make informed decisions

B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions

B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control

B-SMS 4. Delayed gratification for long-term rewards

B SMS 5. Perseverance to achieve long- and short-term goals

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SMS 9. Personal safety skills

B-SMS 10. Ability to manage transitions and adapt to change

B-SS 2. Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

B-SS 5. Ethical decision-making and social responsibility

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Counselors: I have a weekly check-in with my Director of Counseling, so I would share this small group idea with her for feedback and approval. We would then announce this in a Counseling team meeting for feedback.

Administrators: I would collaborate with administrators to collect and present data that would explain the importance and need of this small group for feedback, students to target, and approval.

Students: Since students would be selected based on having failed a recent drug test, students would be reached out to individually to learn about the purpose of the group, logistics, and “what they may gain from being in the group” (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p. 10).

Parents/Guardians: Given the circumstances of students in the small group, parents/guardians would be notified after the positive drug test results, and logistics would be shared for awareness and informed consent.

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This group membership is based on having failed a drug test; however, each individual student would meet with me for the pre-group interview since the goals of screening are "to select individuals who will contribute to a climate that maximizes open interaction" and "who will actively work toward individual and group goals" (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p. 22).

Morganett's T-A-P questions are ideal for the screening process: "Tell about the group, Ask the student about his or her interest and commitment" and "Pick members" (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p. 22).

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St. Thomas High School has one consent form that applies to all activities throughout the school year and is completed at enrollment or re-enrollment; therefore, students will already have that form in their file.

However, since this small group consists of high school students who have failed a drug test, I would send the attached consent form to parents/guardians to learn specifically about the purpose and logistics of this small group and hopefully, provide consent (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

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In the first session, I would show the attached ten ground rules to the small group to deliberate and select on the most important ones to emphasize to keep the list small and memorable.

Rules I would encourage for selection to ensure inclusivity are:
1. Everyone has an opportunity to actively participate and share, but one person speaks at a time.
2. All group members will treat each other with respect.
3. All group members will understand and respect confidentiality.
(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015)

At the beginning of each session, we will refer to the ground rules and norms; however, since these rules will be posted in the conference room, students will be able to point out any rules that should be added or deemed just as important based on how group members act throughout sessions.

This provides students an opportunity to demonstrate or apply leadership skills that can translate in their interactions outside of the small group.

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Stage 1: St. Thomas High School is an all-male school with less than 150 students per grade level, so students in the same grade level know each other. They also partake in a "House" comprising of 9th-12th graders, so they are able to build relationships with students from other grade levels.

In the first session, students would still partake in an icebreaker to start building relationships and trust, not only with each other, but with me. I will share already established group norms and address confidentiality in every session. “Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed even though it is an expectation” (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p. 7). However, if the trust of confidentiality is broken, the rest of the group can decide an appropriate ramification, such as removing the student from the group.

Stage 2: Students will work together "to accomplish individual and group goals" (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p. 7). In the "middle sessions", I would maintain cohesion, productivity, and progress by stating each session's purpose, revisiting past session topics, and checking in individually with each group member  (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015). Since Eagle Choices occurs during block lunch, I would check in with each group member individually during their study hall.

Stage 3: The final stage will occur in the last two sessions of the group since it involves closure. This is an opportunity for group members to reflect on goals and achievements, and process their time together. This stage is essential because "even though group members will continue to see each other, they are saying good-bye to the dynamic that made the group meaningful for them" (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p. 8). It is critical that students "[project] independent application of knowledge and skills gained as well as [identify] supports to sustain changes" (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p. 7).

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Ideally, I would want to be a transformational leader due to its effectiveness, energy, and results; I want to help "group members fulfill their potential" (Cherry, 2021, para. 19). However, given my current leadership style, high school participants/age range, and limited number of sessions, I am more likely to engage as a participative or democratic leader. "Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members" (Cherry, 2021, para. 9). As a result, group members feel important and truly part of a team, "which helps foster commitment to the [group's] goals" (Cherry, 2021, para. 10). This approach would also be effective, given that students are partaking in the small group due to a requirement, yet there is some liberty and inclusion in the group.

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The most applicable of Yalom's Curative Factors is Imparting of Information since this small group would receive instruction on the focal problem: high-risk behaviors and their impact on the adolescent brain (Yalom ID, 1995, p. 1).

Furthermore, Universality applies since all of the high school freshmen through junior participants have the same pre-requisite: having failed a drug test, so they can learn that they are not alone in their challenges and issues (Yalom ID, 1995).

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The Texas Administrative Code states, "(f) Standard V. Learner-Centered Communications: The certified school counselor, an advocate for all students and the school, demonstrates effective professional and interpersonal communication skills. The certified school counselor must: (2) use knowledge of group dynamics and productive group interaction" (19 TAC §239.15).

Fortunately, the Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators (2015) provide information specifically on the three stages of group dynamics, the school counselor's leadership responsibilities, and group norms. This supports me in learning how to best establish, maintain, and build small groups for various needs over numerous sessions.

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The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics (2014) states "A.2.d. When counseling minors, incapacitated adults, or other persons unable to give voluntary consent, counselors seek the assent of clients to services and include them in decision making as appropriate. Counselors recognize the need to balance the ethical rights of clients to make choices, their capacity to give consent or assent to receive services, and parental or familial legal rights and responsibilities to protect these clients and make decisions on their behalf" (American Counseling Association, 2014, p. 4).

This supports me in conducting the small group since all participants will be minors, hence, the need to provide a consent form to parents/guardians about the group's purpose, logistics, and request for parental permission.

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American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

American School Counselor Association. (2021). ASCA student standards: Mindsets & behaviors for student success. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

Cherry, K. (2021, August 11). Leadership styles and frameworks you should know. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Professional school counselor small group counseling guide: A professional school counselor’s guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating school-based counseling groups. http://www.missouricareereducation.org/doc/smallgroup/SmallGroupCounseling.pdf

19 Tex. Admin. Code §239.15 (2001).

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). Basic Books.