Beyond the Bell
A college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Evelyn Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed will include: college admissions, college essays, trade schools, gap years, finding one’s passions and future careers.
Lauer's work has been published in The Huffington Post, Education Week, The English Journal, Sentence, and elsewhere. She served as the PR/Publications director for the Journalism Education Association for six years and is currently serving that organization as a mentor teacher. BTB was highlighted in the New York Times Education Briefing during the pandemic. Episodes from 2020-2022 are about teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. They include interviews with educators from across the United States about their experiences teaching remote, hybrid, and in-person during the pandemic.
Beyond the Bell
Interview: Gretchen Stauder on Gap Years & Other Post-Secondary Options
Host Evelyn Lauer interviews Gretchen Stauder, a post-high school counselor at New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois. Gretchen is a member of the Illinois Association for College and Admission Counseling, Illinois School Counselor Association, and the Gap Year Association. She has spent more than 25 years of guiding students in their journey about discovering post-secondary paths that match their academic, social, and financial needs. For the past 10 years, she has coordinated one of two Chicago Gap Year Fairs through Gooverseas because she has seen the transformational benefits of a gap year experience for students who choose this option.
Beyond the Bell is a college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed include: college admissions, college essays, gap years, and finding one’s passions and future careers.
To register for the Chicago Gap Year Fairs (Oak Park River Forest 1/24/25 and New Trier is 1/25/25), please visit https://www.gooverseas.com/gap-year/usa-fairs/schedule