Guiding the path to college   

For students at South Oak Cliff High School, planning for life after graduation begins with the guidance of the counseling team. Leading this effort is Gala Smith, a school counselor who is setting the tone for a collaborative and compassionate environment that supports students.   

Smith understands firsthand what it takes to guide students toward their goals. She has served as a high school counselor at SOC for six years and credits much of her success to the strength of her team.  

“Counselors are patient, caring, and they have consideration for others,” she said. “We have great leadership skills and the ability to motivate our students.” 

Before transitioning to high school, Smith spent 18 years as an elementary and middle school counselor. Since her time at South Oak Cliff, she has built on that experience while developing new strategies tailored to the unique needs of high school students. 

Each year, students at South Oak Cliff earn college scholarships with the support of counselors like Smith. Through intentional guidance at every stage of the application process, she helps students while they craft essays that are strong, reflective, and most importantly, complete. 

In a recent effort to prepare students for college, the counseling program introduced College Culture Thursdays, an initiative that exposes students to a variety of college opportunities.  

A graduate of Alcorn State University, Smith earned her Master of Science in Secondary Education with a focus on school counseling.  

Each Thursday, she proudly wears her school colors, Alcorn gold and purple, sharing her school pride with students and encouraging them to explore colleges that can serve as the foundation for their academic, athletic, and social success.   

“I just want to make sure that students are successful in the next stage of their lives,” Smith said. 

Community service is another key focus within the counseling program. Smith regularly meets with parents to help students stand out in this area on their scholarship applications.  

At South Oak Cliff, the counseling team prioritizes strong relationships with parents and families to prepare students for college, but also to support their social emotional well-being.  

“As counselors we stand in the gap between the parents and students, helping families understand what is necessary for their child to be successful and to graduate from high school,” Smith said.  

For Smith, becoming a counselor has been a lifelong dream. After not feeling fully supported by counselors during her own high school experience, she knew that she wanted to help students in ways she once had to navigate on her own, alongside her parents. 

That experience sparked a passion for education, and she has spent the past 24 years in Dallas ISD helping prepare generations of students for success.  

“I hope that I’m inspiring them. I hope that they gain confidence they can carry with them,” Smith said. “Whether they plan to go to college, or enter the workforce, my purpose here is to inspire them to imagine more.”