Great Hearts Texas Counselors of the Year: Honoring a Tradition of Care & Service in our Classical Academies
Great Hearts Texas is pleased to recognize Ms. Lauren Dorsett of Great Hearts Northern Oaks Academy and Mr. Dylan Benson of Great Hearts Arlington Academy as this year’s Great Hearts Texas Counselors of the Year. This award is in recognition of their outstanding dedication, compassion, and service to students, families, and the wider school community.
Great Hearts Texas, as a network of classical education academies with over 13,000 students across our 10 academies in the state of Texas, the daily task of educating our scholars through the rigors of classical education is already monumental. The Great Heart Texas mission however goes one step further, striving to care for the whole person of each and every scholar that walks our halls – to care for their hearts and wellbeing, as well as their educational progress. Much of this heartfelt work is carried out in our academies every day by our Counseling and Special Education service members and staff. You may know them individually, but more than likely you have seen their work, in your scholars and in the harmony on your campuses. Our counselors are the quiet presence behind your Headmasters, Deans, Teachers and staff members, assisting every day in bringing a caring hand to the everyday moments, and when their unique skills are most needed in your scholar’s lives.
Great Hearts Texas Academy Counseling and Special Education Services
To commemorate this award, I spoke with both of our honored counselors about their work and experience within their Great Hearts academies. Mr. Benson and Ms. Dorsett both spoke at length about the care and effort they put into their academies and each scholar that steps into their offices.
Mr. Dylan Benson, Counselor at Great Hearts Arlington in Arlington, Texas:
Mr. Benson came to Great Hearts Arlington with previous experience working at Catholic Charities with Cuban political refugees as a refugee case manager, a job that provided him with a sound understanding of the importance of clear communication and a skill for helping others through life’s most challenging moments. At Arlington, Mr. Benson has utilized that experience in clear communication with scholars and families. He can often be found most days out on the turf during recesses, mediating and encouraging the scholars to enact the virtues taught in the classrooms. With a sound understanding of psychological theory and research, Mr. Benson spoke to me about his work with children facing particular life challenges, and the importance of assisting them through those challenges and providing them with a safe, supportive environment at Great Hearts Arlington. Mr. Benson also praised the educational environment at Great Hearts for helping scholars clearly understand how to read as well as listen to complex conversations – a huge asset for the scholars’ ability to have self-mastery over their own lives and challenges. Inspired by both mentors in his field and the monastic tradition of service in Western culture, Mr. Benson looks forward to continuing to serve at Great Hearts Arlington in the coming year.
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Ms. Lauren Dorsett, Counselor at Great Hearts Northern Oaks in San Antonio Texas:
Ms. Dorsett came to Great Hearts with a diverse background dedicated to the service of others; teaching, as well as traveling the world as a missionary, before earning her masters and joining the Great Hearts family as the counselor at Northern Oaks Academy. Through her experience traveling and working with people all over the world, Ms. Dorsett spoke about how much that experience gave her the tools to understand every child and family she meets at her academy. She feels passionately about providing a safe space for her scholars to unfold their emotions, and work through their challenges and encourage them to overcome them. She spoke about the importance of being present for her scholars, and always communicating her support of their efforts. Ms. Dorsett mentioned that one of her favorite parts of her job is seeing the spark of joy return in students’ eyes and knowing that they are ready to excel again in their studies and lives. She commended Great Hearts for providing scholars with a safe space to grow in their academies and teaching them the tools to be strong in mind and spirit. Ms. Dorsett is excited to return to Northern Oaks Academy this coming year and looks forward to being part of growing the Great Hearts Texas community in the future.
Click Here to learn more about Great Hearts Northern Oaks Academy
To learn more about our Great Hearts Texas Academies, counselors, and the rest of our excellent Special Education programs across our campuses, find out more below.
About Special Education at Great Hearts
Great Hearts Texas provides a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with disabilities who are currently eligible or determined eligible for special education services and related services. Providing access to a classical education to students with disabilities is central to Great Hearts’ philosophy of education, which seeks to enrich the lives of all of our children. We believe that the unnecessary removal or compartmentalization of any student because of special needs would result in an impoverished experience for the entire class.
Special Education and Counseling Contacts
We have Special Education and Counseling staff members in every Great Hearts Academy. Please feel free to contact the Academy near you!
Special Education Resources and Policies
For more information about our specific Special Education offerings, policies, and services, please refer to our Resources page. We offer a variety of Special Education services, not limited to, but including:
- Speech and English Language Services
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- School-based Counseling
- Consultation with a Hearing Teacher
We have 10 Academies across Texas, primarily in the San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth metroplexes. Click below to start your journey with Great Hearts Texas!