GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — This week is National School Counselor Day spotlighting school counselors on their hard work and dedication.

Over at Gulf Shores High School, Chesley Bowling starts her day by answering her phone to see who is coming into her office. Bowling has been the guidance counselor at Gulf Shores High School for three. years. She worked as a counselor in Brewton prior to Gulf Shores.

She says many students stop by her office on a daily basis.

“A lot of times they just need reassurance, sometimes they will not even sit down, they just come in and want to check in,” Bowling said.

Bowling says she often sees students at least once a week who are struggling to just walk through these double doors and experience high school. She says helping students is the most rewarding thing about her job.

“I’ve worked with a student who was struggling with a friendship problem, a home problem, again maybe worrying about a grade or how they were performing,” said Bowling. “Is that student coming back and saying, you know the last time we talked I was really struggling with this but, now I am in a better place.”

Bowling says one of her favorite things about her job is when graduation comes around. She loves being able to see her students walk, especially the ones who thought they couldn’t do it or they didn’t have a future.

Walking across that stage gives them the confidence and reassurance they can do anything they put their minds to.

“I am just so proud of these students that I see walking across the stage because I know I had a little bit to do with that and I feel that sense of pride with every student that walks across that stage at graduation, I feel like, we did this,” Bowling said.