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Charger Pride is a tiered, small group intervention program that focuses on bridging academic gaps, teaching strong organizational skills, and facilitating positive peer relationships among economically disadvantaged youth.

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-ASCA Mindsets-
School Counselors will motivate students to develop:
1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being.
2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed.
3. Sense of belonging in the school environment.

-ASCA Behaviors-
Students will be able to:
1. Ability to assume responsibility.
2.Ability to work alone.
3. Utilize self-discipline  and self-control.
4. Ability to conquer obstacles to learning.
5. Produce sufficient coping skills when dealing with a problem

(American School Counselor Association, 2014, p.2)

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Charger Pride will not be advertised to the entire student body. Rather, it will be promoted to a specific niche of students: economically-disadvantaged youth who have failed to meet academic growth targets in both Reading and Math.
-Students-
To invite students to be a part of Charger Pride, school counselors will meet with them for a scheduled lunch bunch and share the information about the small groups. In addition, a follow-up invitation email with information to sign up will be sent to students' emails.
-Parents/ Guardians-
School counselors will email invited students' parents/guardians an informational flyer and a consent form that allows their child to participate.
-Teachers-
School counselors will seek classroom teachers for feedback and consult with them during department meetings. Teachers will be asked to submit referrals forms for their economically disadvantaged students whom they believe will benefit from Charger Pride.

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After evaluating the submitted teacher referrals and analyzing the feedback shared about specific students, school counselors will invite this cohort to participate in a short answer survey. These questions will evaluate whether identified students are serious about participating in Charger Pride.
After this survey is completed, school counselors will screen students individually through a series of questions that will determine whether they will be upstanding and contributing group members.

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Parental/ Guardian Consent
Prior to the first meeting, school counselors must obtain informed, written consent for selected students who will participate in Charger Pride. Parents or guardians must share this with school counselors in order for their child to participate.
Student Assent
Student assent will be retrieved from verbal agreement between the school counselor and the student. The school counselor will maintain students' confidentiality unless they share any of the following things: abuse, suicidal ideation, and intent to harm others. If these issues are shared, the school counselor is legally obligated to report them.
(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015)

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Stage 1:
This stage centers around building trusting relationships between group members and the school counselor in a relaxed environment. Icebreaker activities that encourage friendship building and open-mindedness will be conducted during this stage. School counselors will also discuss the topic of maintaining confidentiality and abiding by group standards and rules during this time.
Stage 2:
During this stage, participants will be evaluated on their ability to work together as a group and respect ideas that may differ from their own. School counselors will check student progress by asking summarizing questions and having students complete reflection activities about each session.
Stage 3:
This stage will highlight the closing chapter of Charger Pride. Students will engage in reflective activities about their time together and continue to be reminded to maintain confidentiality with what has been shared during sessions. They will identify skills and strategies that benefited them in the classroom. The school counselor will follow up with students two weeks after the last session and will encourage participants to continue to check-in with each other and the school counselor.

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During the first small group session, the school counselor will discuss expectations and ground rules about involvement in Charger Pride. Non-negotiable rules include:
1. Demonstrate respect for others at all times.
2. Maintain confidentiality among group sessions and members.
3. Participate meaningfully with your peers.
4. Remain open-minded.

Once this discussion is complete, students will be encouraged to add in other guidelines that they feel are important. Together, they will complete the attached form.

(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015)

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Participative Leadership Style (Democratic)
Students will thrive most if they are led by a counselor who demonstrates a
participative leadership style. The counselor will offer guidance to students, yet also participates in the group and allows other members to participate. It is seen as the most effective style of leadership that encourages involvement and commitment from all members. It engages participants and allows them to feel like they are important contributing members to discussions and ideas being shared.
(Cherry, 2020)

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Instillation of Hope

School counselors believe that participants will have a stronger faith and confidence in themselves and their abilities after learning study skills and strategies that target academic deficits in Reading and Math.

Universality

Students will understand that they are not alone in their social-emotional struggles and negative feelings about school. They will be able to witness this same calamity in others around them and feel pacified by it.

Direct Advice

Students will be given direct strategies to help them achieve academic success in the classroom. In addition, through a growth mindset curriculum, they will be supplied with tools that address their social-emotional deficits.

(Yalom, 1995)

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B-PF 1. Apply developmental, learning, counseling and education theories.

The school counselor has a legal obligation to support student learning by creating environments that best "promote academic, career and social/emotional development, including but not limited to rational emotive behavior" (American School Counseling Association, n.d.).

Charger Pride is meeting these ethical guidelines by conducting short-term, small-group counseling sessions that provide instruction and interventions matched to economically disadvantaged student needs.

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B-PF 6. Demonstrate understanding of the impact of cultural, social and environmental influences on student success and opportunities

The school counselor has a legal obligation to support all students and understand how their backgrounds may affect their learning by demonstrating "basic knowledge and respect of differences in customs, communications, traditions, values and other traits among students based on race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or intellectual ability and other factors" (American School Counseling Association, n.d.).

Charger Pride is meeting these ethical guidelines by creating positive and cohesive groups that provide economically disadvantaged students a space to reflect on their past struggles and to conceptualize how these former obstacles can become future victories.

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American Counseling Association. (2014). ASCA Code of Ethics. Retrieved from

https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
American School Counselor Association. (2014). ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student. Retrieved from http://www.doe.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/ndedoenvgov/content/CTE/Guidance_Counseling/ASCA_Mindsets_and_Behaviors_ADA.pdf
Cherry, K. (2020). Leadership styles and frameworks you should know. Retrieved from 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. Retrieved from
https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/les/guid-responserv-small-group-counseling-guide-2015.pdf

Yalom I. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.