HASTINGS, Neb.  -- On Friday, September 29, Kelsey Watchorn was nominated for and awarded the Newcomer Award by the Nebraska Counseling Association. 

The Nebraska Counseling Association is a group that advocates for counselors in Nebraska, Watchorn said.

"They provide a lot of educational opportunities and help with ethics and morals and kind of give the guidelines for what counseling should look like in the state of Nebraska. The Newcomer Award is for somebody who is new to the field, in counseling, and recognized for their efforts in the counseling field," she said.

Watchorn said after working as a school counselor, she earned clinical mental health certification. 

"I started out as a school counselor like, five, six years ago. Then this last year, finally graduated with, not graduated again, got additional certification for clinical mental health. So, I'm still very new into it. I just got my certification last December. So, I'm still a 'newbie,'" she said.

While the accreditation gives her options, she enjoys the school environment.

"I really like the school system, and I being able to reach kiddos here, and I feel like doing the preventative work is important so that way hopefully we don't have as big of a need later on as they get older giving the tools and resources they need now is really beneficial," she said.

She did her supervision, her internship, with Kristin Rose at Sidney Regional Medical Center. She had the opportunity to work with adults and the older population. However, for now working with children is her calling. 

From left: Kathleen Woods, Kelsey Watchorn, and Tara Wilson.
From left: Kathleen Woods, Kelsey Watchorn, and Tara Wilson. courtesy photo