Lauren Hooten has been hired as the counselor for students whose last names begin with letters A-E after the counselor Jennifer Adams moved to a new district.

“She comes in with great experience at different levels of education and a great heart to help students,” Principal Paul Weinheimer said. 

Hooten first began her career with an undergraduate degree from Tarelton in business. 

“I was like, ‘this is gross,’” Hooten said. “I cannot just sit in a cubicle all day.”

While in college,  Hooten visited home for Labor Day and stopped by her best friend’s classroom.

“They were making arts and crafts, and it was so cute and fun,” she said. “And I was like I think I could be a teacher.”

She then got alternatively certified in teaching and taught kindergarten in Copperas Cove for three years.

“Once I got into teaching, I knew that I wanted to give back and do more, so that’s when I  kind of had an interest in counseling,” she said.

Once she got her masters in counseling, she was an elementary counselor for seven years and a junior high counselor for two.

“I think you guys are at a really vulnerable and impressionable age, and I think it’s not always easy to talk to your parents about life and things that are going on,” Hooten said. “So I think it’s really important that you guys have a safe space at school, somebody who can guide you, not only in future and life decisions, but just like with the everyday personal stuff too.”

Up until now, Hooten worked as a special programs coordinator in Copperas Cove.

“I really missed working with kids and being on a campus,” Hooten said. “So that’s one of the reasons why, when Ms. Adams reached out, I actually was like, ‘You know what, I think I am going to apply,’ because I was working in an office and never with people, or was working more with adults in education and not kids, and I missed working with kids.”

School counselor’s guide students from freshman year through graduation. 

“Having counselors in high school is very important because they help you graduate and make sure you reach all of your requirements,” senior Kaitlin Creson said.

Though Hooten still lives about 20 minutes out of town in Copperas Cove, she is excited to be a Badger. 

“Everybody has been so kind and welcoming so far,” she said. “I love it. I am really looking forward to getting to know the kids, the school spirit and the Badger pride. I think I’ve bought about 75 badger shirts. I’m really looking forward to football games and things like that. My kids were so excited to be Badgers and wear their blue and white every Friday.  I’m just really excited for not only myself, but for my kids to get to experience just that school spirit.”