Mt. Lebanon counselor wins award

Mt. Lebanon’s Tara Leja is the inaugural recipient of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) High School Counselor of the Year Award, presented by Dunkin’.
Hired in 1998 by the Mt. Lebanon School District, Leja started as a school counselor at Jefferson Middle School before moving on to the high school. Prior to her tenure at Mt. Lebanon, she served as a social worker with the Chartiers Valley School District.
Leja graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in applied health sciences from Indiana University. She earned school counselor and supervisor certifications from Duquesne University. She completed her master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh.
Leja resides in Mt. Lebanon with her husband, Peter, and their three daughters, Ellie, Leena, and Cadence, and their dog, Charlie.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected as the WPIAL School Counselor of the Year,” said Leja. “I have made Mt. Lebanon not only my workplace, but also my home. I love my career and serving my community. To be recognized by the best part of my job, the students, is truly heartwarming. Working in education has its challenges and has changed over the years. My mission has always been to make a difference in at least one student’s life each day, and that mindset makes any challenge truly worth it. A big thank you goes out to the WPIAL and Dunkin’ for their support of school counselors across Western Pennsylvania!”
The WPIAL High School Counselor of the Year Award was created by the league and Heartland Restaurant Group (HRG) in February to highlight the impact school counselors can have on their students’ lives. The initiative kicked off National School Counseling Week and allowed anyone within the WPIAL network of member high schools to nominate a high school counselor who has made a profound impact on their school and student body.
As the winner, Leja will receive free coffee for a year at Dunkin’s HRG locations. She will also be recognized at the WPIAL baseball championships at the 7:30 p.m. game to be played May 31 at Wild Things Park in Washington.