As one of CHS’s two counselors, Missy Herskowitz hears about students’ challenges, whether academic, personal or social. For each dilemma, Herskowitz tries to help students find a solution.

“A lot of people can get stuck in their head with what the problem is,” Herskowitz said. “I think putting it all out there, usually in written form, can be really helpful.”

Academically, Herskowitz finds it important to organize priorities and visually assess how she and students can solve the problem together.

“When they really put it down [on paper], and when they can see it, they can manage it a lot better,” Herskowitz said. “Putting it down and organizing can be really helpful for kids who are struggling academically.”

Herskowitz believes it’s important to work through a problem thoroughly and explore multiple solutions, because each different problem requires a different solution — there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

“It really depends on the challenges that kids are having,” Herskowitz said. “There’s no right way to overcome something. The first solution is not always the right one.”

With the start of the second semester, students entered the Craft Theater with their randomly assigned registration numbers and hand-picked their classes for the next semester. In CHS’s unique registration system, Herskowitz believes that flexibility is key.

“I think always being flexible is helpful, especially in our chaotic scheduling frenzy that we go through,” Herskowitz said. “And I think sometimes the best class you take is one that you never thought you would sign up for.”

Through it all, Herskowitz emphasizes the need for strong support systems in a student’s life; whether that be their family, friends and even their larger communities.

“These places where we work and volunteer and are on our sports teams, are all support systems that we have,” Herskowitz said. “ I think just being a teenager is challenging, going through a lot of changes and figuring out who you are in a world that is increasingly chaotic.”