For going above and beyond to help students thrive, Columbia High School Counselor Karissa Handler was recently named the 2026 New Jersey Counselor of the Year by our state’s School Counselor Association.
In the Spring, Handler was named counselor of the year for Essex County, making her eligible for being considered counselor of the year statewide.
At that time, the District sent out a new release announcing the award, saying Handler’s selection recognizes her numerous contributions to Columbia High School and beyond. She and a colleague secured a significant Achieve grant for two consecutive years, providing 120 EOF-eligible students with opportunities to visit four different college campuses, with plans to continue the program this year.
Among Handler’s notable initiatives is the creation of the Perseverance Breakfast, now in its third year, which honors graduating seniors who have demonstrated remarkable resilience. What began as simply presenting certificates during a larger ceremony has evolved into a special celebration bringing together students, families, counselors, and administrators at the end of the academic year.
Her commitment extends to numerous other areas, including serving as a liaison between mental health supports within Columbia High School and for the multilingual student population. Handler has provided in-class instruction and arranged for college and career-oriented guest speakers to support these students.
“On behalf of the students of Columbia, we are proud to recognize Ms. Handler for the care, dedication, and leadership she brings to our high school community. Ms. Handler is known by students for always being there and making sure her students feel supported,” CHS student representative to the Board of Education Penuel Shapiro said at the December 18 BOE meeting. “…Her work has made a difference in students’ lives. Ms. Handler is being honored for what her students experience every day: A counselor who truly believes in them and helps them succeed.”
Superintendent of Schools Jason Bing said being a school counselor has always been a challenging position and “since the pandemic you can multiply that by 1,000. They are really our go-to folks for kids who are going through stuff. Not only in the South Orange-Maplewood School District but across the state, there are a lot of kids going through stuff right now.”
CHS Principal Frank Sanchez highlighted the college field trips Handler has taken student on with the support of the Achieve Foundation, to “make sure students are seeing different opportunities. Sometimes parents who work two or three jobs can’t take them to see different opportunities in NJ or across the ti-state area.”
“It’s an incredible position, being a counselor at CHS, and to be able to wrestle with all of that and still have students say, ‘She’s our trusted adult,’ is great,” Sanchez said. “I just want to say I’m lucky to have an incredible counseling staff and especially with Karissa Handler being part of that staff.”
Sanchez also hyped the next round of competition: “Karissa, we vanquished 20 other counties, and I’m looking to see us beat 49 other states…..Congratulations! You are a gem at Columbia High School.”
Honored as the 2025 Essex Counselor of the County and the 2026 NJ Counselor of the Year, Karissa Handler goes above and beyond to ensure students thrive. (Photo courtesy of SOMSD Communications.)
