Three Modesto City Schools high schools have earned national recognition for their outstanding school counseling programs, with James C. Enochs High School, Grace M. Davis High School, and Thomas Downey High School all receiving the prestigious Recognized ASCA Model Program® (RAMP®) designation.
Awarded by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), the RAMP® distinction highlights exemplary school counseling programs and their impact on student success.
The designation honors schools that deliver a comprehensive, data-driven counseling program aligned with the ASCA National Model®. These programs demonstrate measurable impact on student success, well-being, and postsecondary readiness.
It is one of the highest honors in school counseling, with just over 1,600 schools nationwide earning RAMP recognition since the program began more than two decades ago.
“This year’s RAMP honorees have shown their commitment to students and the school counseling profession,” said ASCA Executive Director Jill Cook. “These schools used data to drive their program development and implementation, so all students can achieve success.”
A Commitment to Students at Enochs High School
At Enochs High School, the recognition reflects a focused effort to use student outcome data to strengthen support systems and improve results for all students.
“RAMP certification helped our counseling team stay intensely focused on student outcome data and how we can best support the groups of students who are struggling the most,” said Principal Justin Woodbridge. “Through the RAMP process, our counselors took a hard look at the supports and strategies they provide and used data to confirm what was working for students. When something wasn’t working, they pivoted. When it was working, they doubled down.”
Student Services Counselor Stefani Ortiz said the recognition gives students and families confidence in the support systems in place at Enochs.
“RAMP recognition means our students and families can trust that they are receiving a comprehensive, data-driven counseling program that supports academic success, college and career readiness, and social-emotional growth,” Ortiz said. “It reflects our commitment to serving every student with intention and equity.”
Woodbridge said the recognition reinforces the strength of the Enochs counseling program and the team behind it.
“RAMP certification validated what we already knew: we have a highly effective counseling team committed to being a model program in every way. Most importantly, it keeps us focused on what matters most, meaningful outcomes for our students.”
Expanding Excellence Across MCS
Grace M. Davis High School and Thomas Downey High School also earned RAMP recognition this year, demonstrating the district’s continued investment in strong counseling programs across multiple campuses.
Each school’s counseling team implemented targeted strategies to increase student access to resources, remove barriers, and create clearer pathways for success after high school.
Ortiz added that the RAMP process has strengthened how counseling teams work together.
“It shows that our team is collaborative, aligned, and deeply committed to continuous improvement. We work intentionally together, using shared goals and data to ensure all students are supported.”
A Districtwide Commitment
Together, these recognitions reflect a shared commitment across Modesto City Schools to support the whole student. From academic planning to college and career exploration, school counselors play a key role in helping students discover their goals and take the steps needed to achieve them.
As more schools work toward earning RAMP recognition, Modesto City Schools continues to expand access to high-quality counseling programs, ensuring every student has the support they need to succeed in school and beyond.