It's cozy, quiet and calm in Twin Lakes Elementary School counselor Justine Litzko's office.

The carpet is soft on the feet. The seating is cushy. The lights are warm and inviting. The colors are uplifting and pleasant.

It's the ideal safe space for kids to confide in a trusted adult who believes in them as they work through problems, build their characters and set the stage for the people they'll one day become.

"I want to be able to create a foundation for kids as they move on through life," Litzko said. "That's what elementary is: You're creating your foundation for reading, a foundation for mathematics you can use in middle school, high school and life. Elementary is about the foundation, and I believe that's my role too, creating those foundational skills in how to be a learner, how to be a friend, conflict resolution, emotional regulation."

When she was student-teaching at Lakeland High School — the school she graduated from in 2008 — Litzko had an epiphany about where her career would lead.

"I remember thinking, 'I want to get to know my kids more,'" she said, leaning back in her office chair. "Kids have so much more going on in their lives outside of just education that can impact how they learn, how they show up."

The calling to build meaningful relationships with students sent her along a counseling path where she wouldn't miss out on those opportunities.

"It allowed me to have that connection, to be that support to the student and the family and to be there for them," she said. "And I loved it as I went through it. That's why I'm here now."

Litzko was named Idaho's School Counselor of the Year in fall 2019 for the '19-20 academic year. She said her principals were acting really weird the day she received the news, giving her random tasks to keep her busy in the school. She later found out it was so her family could sneak into a conference room and surprise her when the announcement was made during a school assembly.

"I was like, 'What?' and I looked at my principal and my principal's crying, then I started crying, so they called me up," she said. "My principals had called my mom, my dad, my in-laws and my husband and they all came in. They brought balloons and gifts and stuff. That was really exciting, and super humbling.

"I come to work. I love my job. I do what I can to support the students and the families," she continued. "But to be recognized across the whole state is amazing."

Litzko will be representing the Gem State this week during National School Counseling Week, when she will be celebrated with other state counselors of the year across the country. Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association, National School Counseling Week brings attention to the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems.

The national festivities are a year behind the state celebrations, she explained.

"If COVID wasn't going on, I'd be in Washington, D.C. right now, doing all the banquets and the luncheons," she said. "They're doing it all virtual this year."

She'll be participating in a Zoom "happy hour" with other awardees, as well as an awards gala and several professional development opportunities.

Litzko was born and raised in North Idaho and so were her parents. She earned degrees in psychology and education from the University of Idaho and Gonzaga. She has been at Twin Lakes Elementary for six years.

"I love my job, love the kids, the families, the communities," she said. "It's just amazing."