Time management

A simple concept? Perhaps.

Difficult for high school students to master? Almost definitely, except when they have a guidance counselor like Joel S. Diamond to show them how it's done. With 13 years of counseling experience at the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing & Visual Arts, Diamond is a time-management maven. He juggles a caseload of 450 students and serves as resident expert on all things college. Diamond's annual to-do list includes coordinating college visits to campus, managing college preparation programs, answering parents' college questions, pointing students in the right direction, and above all else, promoting the virtues of time management.

"I give students the resources they need be successful in their college searches, but it's ultimately up to them to get on top of it and get it done," said Diamond, who spends half of his time facilitating college-related activities. "Our students are consumed with academics, shows, and rehearsals, but we stress to them that time management is key. They can conduct college research and submit everything on time -- even ahead of time -- by practicing time management."

Midday multitasking
Diamond encourages students to keep an eye on time, but he helped institute a program to let them have their cake and eat it too. The lunch-and-learn program helps students make the most of the lunch hour. In addition to lunching, they can participate in workshops on everything from testing strategies to college essay writing.

"Our students are highly motivated and focused, but these prearranged activities really help them get on the right track," Diamond said. "We constantly promote lunch and learn, presentations from alumni, and our on-site admission days."

Las Vegas Academy has the website pages and campus bulletin boards to prove it. Along with newsletters for parents, they're a go-to information source for the high school's college-bound students. There's a big appetite for the information too, with 70 percent of Las Vegas Academy graduates attending four-year universities and 23 percent enrolling in two-year schools.

Stepping back in time
Each January, Diamond invites a dozen Las Vegas Academy alumni back to campus to share their college experiences with current students. The assembly format allows for a candid information exchange between anxious underclassmen and experienced alumni.

"There's a remarkable connection between our students and alumni. Our kids open up and ask real questions from former students they know and respect," Diamond said.

Whether it's lunch and learn, alumni day, or one of Las Vegas Academy's countless other college programs, Diamond makes sure they're designed to give students the information they need when they need it.

Timeless impact
Diamond is succeeding at teaching students the importance of time management in relation to college preparation, but their appreciation for him transcends time. Las Vegas Academy graduate and current UNLV sophomore Howard Watts won't soon forget Diamond's encouraging ways.

"Mr. Diamond goes above and beyond his job duties to help kids get into and afford college," said Watts, a political science major. "After 13 years, he's still creating new programs, staying in touch with alumni, and doing everything he can to look out for all of the students at Las Vegas Academy. He's an amazing counselor and should serve as an example of the great things that public school faculty can accomplish."

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