My name is Grace Bennin, and I’m so excited to join the Sunny Hollow community as your School Counselor. I completed my Master’s in School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Minnesota, where I had the opportunity to work with students across a wide range of ages. My own education began in a Montessori preschool, and I’ve carried with me the values of independence, curiosity, and creativity ever since. It feels incredibly meaningful to return to a Montessori setting and support students’ emotional and social development. Originally from a small town in Wisconsin, I moved to Minneapolis to swim for the University of Minnesota’s Division I team and to study Elementary Education for my undergraduate degree. That experience helped shape many of my core values—perseverance, empathy, and connection—which now guide my work as a counselor. My goal is to contribute to creating a space where students, families, and staff feel safe, understood, and empowered to grow. I support students in building emotional awareness, healthy coping tools, and confidence in themselves. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time in nature, making arts and crafts, and being with my friends, family, cat (Mia), and tortoise (Ferb).
