Danielle Crankfield had a little trouble understanding just what was going on as she walked into the media center at Crofton High School this afternoon. Students, current and former colleagues, Board of Education members, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell – and even her parents, two aunts, and two nephews – were poised to deliver a surprise message: She’s the best in the country.
Crankfield was named 2026 National School Counselor of the Year today by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), and those assembled had come to honor her.
“I am honored, humbled, and ecstatic to have earned this award,” said Crankfield, a National Board Certified Counselor who has served students in Anne Arundel County Public Schools since 2010 and has been at Crofton High School since it opened in 2020. “It lets me know that school counselors are important for our children. I stand alongside an amazing team with strong district support that I could not do this work without. This work will continue and we will make the program even better. To every student, whether on my caseload or not, this award is because of you. Your success. Your ability to do what you want in this world is what motivates me every single day. This is for you.”
Crankfield, who was named one of five national finalists last month, is the first Maryland school counselor to ever earn the award. When she arrived at Crofton and dug into the new school’s data, Crankfield found that African American and Hispanic students were underrepresented in advanced coursework. She created a road map for middle and high school teachers to use when making course recommendations and led an effort to better publicize high-level courses that met students’ needs and interests. During her tenure at Crofton, that access gap decreased to more closely reflect the diversity and composition of the student population.
“Ms. Crankfield is an exceptional school counselor and an even more remarkable person,” Crofton High School Principal Greg Ryan said. “She empowers students to thrive academically, socially and emotionally, while also strengthening our staff by fostering positive relationships, encouraging collaboration, and challenging us to bring our very best to our students each day.”
Said Molly McCloskey, a member of ASCA’s School Counselor of the Year Selection Committee: “Danielle represents the very best in professional school counseling from her commitment to her students’ academic, college/career and social/emotional success, to her reputation among her peers as Crofton High School’s ‘North Star.’ Her excellence is not only in what she does, but in the way she does it – authentically and with an eye toward meaningful, measurable results.”
Crankfield, other national finalists and school counselors from across the nation will be celebrated in Washington, D.C., during National School Counseling Week in February. For additional information about ASCA, visit the organization’s web page.