MIND
School Counselor Carol Dopp, now in her 18th year at Holderness, volunteers with Yirong Wang ’26 at the New Hampshire Food Bank during Project Outreach in March (right).
Connecting With Carol I
n a world where so much of teenage life now happens on TikTok, Snapchat, and other virtual platforms, Carol Dopp is helping Holderness students put down their phones, look up, and connect. “What social media is doing is taking away one-on-one, face-toface conversations that kids used to have and now they don’t have,” says Carol, now in her 18 th year as a school counselor at Holderness. “The risk involved with asking somebody something face-toface is gone. My sense is, risking being rejected, has changed.” Carol, a fun and outgoing presence on campus who radiates ‘favorite aunt’ energy, is the kind of person who naturally draws people together. As a longtime member of the school’s counseling office, she helps lead school-wide efforts like ‘One Trusted Adult,’ an initiative that ensures every student has at least one adult
31 | Holderness School Today
on campus who they feel comfortable going to for help. She’s also part of a weekly meeting of adults—counselors, athletic trainers, and the school’s Chaplain, to name just a few—who exchange information about how kids are doing, who might be struggling, and who may need help. “It’s certainly a team effort,” says Carol, who has master’s degrees in school counseling and curriculum development. She even works closely with the school’s dorm leaders, the seniors who often shape the culture of their dorm and their classmates’ wellbeing. “The senior leaders are really often inf luential in helping kids through some tough times,” Carol says.
explore through the internet often provide them with information, but without any education or context on these important areas.”
While Carol is dedicated to improving the lives of her students, she says they often return the favor. “I’m 68, and I’d feel 78 if I didn’t work with teenagers. They make me laugh,” she says. “I find them to be real and open to honest conversations around adolescent issues. The topics they
“I can’t stop laughing or smiling because I’m here. I’m back. This is the place that brings me joy,” Carol says. “My siblings often ask ‘When are you going to retire?’ I tell them I’m not. Why would I retire? This is great.” •
This year promises to be a good one for Carol—and Holderness. After spending the 2024–25 school year off campus for her Henderson-Brewervan Otterloo Chair Year (she spent the year collecting health and wellness resources, which parents and students will be able to access on the Parent Portal) she’s glad to be home. While she enjoyed her time away, Carol says she’s ready to get back to work making Holderness a stronger—and more connected—community.