Now is the time of the year when seniors are starting their college applications and submitting scholarships. Many Eagle High students will have questions, and the first likely person they think of will be career counselor Anna Bemis. After working as a college and career counselor for 13 years, she is as qualified as ever to answer any questions that may arise.
Before Eagle High, Bemis went to college at Boise State University, earning her bachelor’s degree Southern Oregon University before heading back to Boise State for her masters. Then, after spending a couple of years at Rocky Mountain as an academic counselor, she transferred to Eagle High as a career counselor. Currently, she is in charge of sending transcripts for colleges, doing presentations throughout the day and checking in with students’ application processes. As other tasks mix in during the day, she has to prioritize her main concerns as a counselor.
“I’m in charge of multiple different programs, like what do we need to create today? What do we need to market? So, there’s a lot of different work from the start to end of the day,” Bemis said. Using the district’s goals outlines her overall work. All her work is student-focused, ensuring students feel supported and providing any information students might need, whether it’s school-related or even for the purpose of planning ahead in life.
“Another big part of my job is a goal to be knowledgeable on a lot of things. You’ve got to know a lot of things that are very random, like little niche questions,” Bemis said.
Bemis turns her main focus towards the seniors to help them prepare for college over other grade levels. During the beginning of the year, she is scheduled to help with applications for Idaho colleges while students can make individual appointments for out-of-state colleges. During the rest of the year, she calls students down to the career center to ensure they’re on the right track to succeed after high school.
Unlike her classroom, Bemis is very outdoorsy. She enjoys mountain biking or skiing with her husband and two little boys. Many outdoor activities helps Bemis reset her mind. Traveling is also something she enjoys because of the cultural experiences and food. Previously, Bemis played college soccer and went professional for a few years. However, she’s content with biking, skiing and yoga at this stage of her life.
Besides being an amazing and helpful career counselor, Bemis is caring and a wonderful person to go to about any questions related to college.
