(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT – Feb. 8, 2024) — This week, El Paso ISD joined the rest of the nation in shining a spotlight on school counselors as part of National School Counseling Week.
The weeklong recognition is celebrated each year during the first full week of February to show appreciation to all school counselors for their contribution to the school system and to highlight the tremendous impact counselors have on student’s lives.
Humberto Olivas is one of the many school counselors who continues to make a difference in the lives of students who attend El Paso ISD schools.
Olivas has worked as a counselor at El Paso High School for more than four years. He began his career as an educator at Andress High School where he coached. He later switched professions to better help serve students.
“After being a coach for seven years at Andress High School, I got to learn about the student population and what they go through,” Olivas said. “I’ve always had a passion for helping students and people in general. I felt like counseling would allow me to help more people.”
While counselors play an important role in supporting a student’s mental health, Olivas said counselors do much more.
“Another way school counselors provide help to students is by helping them academically,” Olivas said. “As a counselor, we want to make sure they are taking the courses that are going to benefit them in their future careers.”
Olivas adds that some counselors have also created groups to better help students succeed and thrive in the classroom. For example, counselors at El Paso High School helped to create an at-risk group where counselors recommend certain students based off potential to succeed.
Olivas showed off some of the thank you cards he received from some of the students during National School Counseling week. He said the gesture is very inspiring.
“For some of the kids to say thank you for these guidance lessons and say what you’re doing is making a difference in my life is very rewarding to me and I’m sure very rewarding to counselors everywhere,” Olivas said.