The country's #1 career counselor can be found in Hanover County schools

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. -- Shannon Edwards is a career counselor at Atlee and Patrick Henry High Schools in Hanover. Watching an awards presentation, she recently found out she's the best career counselor in the country.

"And they said, 'Shannon Edwards', and I just kept watching. Really and I just said, 'Did they just say my name?'" Edwards said.

Edwards has been named the 2020 Association for Career and Technical Education Counseling and Career Development School Counselor of the Year.

Awards aside, she will tell you the real reward is helping students figure out what they want to do in life.

"It makes me feel very happy to be able to connect with them and to help get them to what that next step in their future might be," Edwards said. “And to be a part of that process is just a tremendous blessing."

Edwards will tell you that kids do not need to know what they want to do right away.

She was supposed be a scientist after graduating from Virginia Tech.

"A little over halfway through my degree, I realized this isn't really what I want to do. I do not think I want to work in labs or do that type of work. And I ended up getting a mass communications degree," she said.

Eventually, every student will find their passion. The trick is to start looking for it as soon as possible.

"They need to believe in themselves. They need to reach out and not be afraid to call a company," she said. "If you have an interest in a certain field or career type, it's okay to reach out to somebody or let me help you do that."

Helping students find their way and Building Better Minds.