During ISAC's Education Matters Fall Campaign (formerly, the College Changes Everything® Fall Campaign), ISAC partners with high schools and communities across the state to offer an intensive schedule of FREE workshops through Thanksgiving to help students complete their college and financial aid applications. Check out workshops in your community and other resources to help you explore your path to education after high school. ⁣ School Counselors: Sign up for the Education Matters campaign and get a downloadable campaign toolkit, materials, swag, and event support from ISAC as you help students and families with college planning and financial aid. Learn more: bit.ly/4rSwNZu ⁣ #EducationMattersIllinois #collegeplanning #studentaid

We’re just over a week away from a great conversation at ISAC about young women’s mental health! On October 13 at 10 a.m. in Deerfield, ISAC and the Family Action Network (FAN) welcome psychiatrist and author Suzanne Garfinkle-Crowell, MD, MSc, in conversation with Franciene Sabens, M.S.Ed., LPC, NCC discussing Dr. Garfinkle-Crowell’s new book, “Girlhood, Translated: Understanding Young Women in the Era of Therapy Speak and Self-Diagnosis.” Dr. Garfinkle-Crowell is a psychiatrist in private practice who treats children, adolescents, and adults. She is the founding director of the Academy for Medicine and the Humanities at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Sabens is a nationally recognized school counselor and author, two-time recipient of the Illinois High School Counselor of the year award. This should be an especially timely conversation for educators, counselors, mental health professionals, parents, and anyone who works with adolescents and young adults. 📚 The event is FREE, and the first 100 registered attendees will receive a signed copy of the book. Learn more and register today: bit.ly/4i2dg5r Feel free to share with anyone in your network who might be interested!

Join ISAC for a virtual author event on Wednesday, October 14 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. with Franciene Sabens, M.S. Ed., LPC, NCC as she discusses the new book she co-authored, "A Survival Guide for Rural School Counselors and Solo Practitioners: Practical Strategies Aligned to Professional Standards, Survival Tactics, Tools, Preventive Measures, and Stories from the Field." ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ In her latest book, Sabens addresses the challenges, responsibilities, and impact of rural school counselors while delivering practical strategies to help navigate these complexities. Written by rural school counselors for school counselors, the book delivers firsthand stories, best practices, and unique insights based on real-life experiences in the field. Sabens is a nationally recognized school counselor and author, and two-time recipient of the Illinois High School Counselor of the year award.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ This is an important book for new and seasoned counselors in rural settings that offers solutions, strategies, and creative approaches to implementing and sustaining comprehensive and impactful school counseling programs. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ Space is limited, and registration is required. Register today to secure your spot, bit.ly/4yKrdes. Program participants are eligible to receive continuing education (CE) and professional development (PD) hours at the rate of one per contact hour.

Illinois celebrates a record-breaking year in FAFSA® completion! Based on the @NCANetwork FAFSA® Tracker for the Class of 2026, Illinois is ranked second in the nation and first in the Midwest for completion of the FAFSA — the highest position in the rankings and the highest rate (71.4%) ever for an Illinois high school graduating class.⁣ ⁣ Read our press release to find out how teamwork and support made this milestone possible. bit.ly/4wHW7m7 #FAFSACompletion #FAFSA #Classof2026 #HigherEd