What have you done that your are proud of?
I am proud of having gone back to school, as a single dad at 38 years-old. It was a real challenge to balance school, work and my children. I am proud to have received my Masters in School Counseling with the PPS Credential.
How has your work made an impact on your community, school, agency, classroom, clients or students?
My approach to working with students is to treat them like young adults who have something to offer, not unknowing students who just need me to help them get through their issues. I pride myself on the relationships that I have with my students. At Crossroads School in Santa Monica I work as an Advisor for the Class of 2015. Our program is built so that an Advisor works part time counseling students, and part time teaching classes. I stay with the same group of students as Advisor and when that group graduates, I begin again with the next ninth grade class. After 4 years, I become very close to the students and their families. I believe I've impacted the community by creating close relationships with my students and their families.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates this impact?
The best evidence I have to demonstrate my impact on the school community is that my Advisees are all performing well. I had several students who began the year having experienced serious traumas, including the death of a close family matter and psychology issues. I worked hard to help these students maintain their academics while navigating their situations. There were some that had to take time off from school. I worked closely with the school administration, faculty and the student's families to allow them to stay on track to graduate. I facilitated their making up missing work and coordinated with our school psychologist in efforts to them maintain their emotional and social health. The courses I took at LMU have been impactful and I am able to directly apply what I learned. Thanks LMU!