The improvement of the Emerson counseling program can be dedicated to the counselors, including our new counselor, Angela Estrada. This year, she aims to help students emotionally, physically, and academically that are guided by her skills from teaching at a different school.  

Initially, Estrada decided to pursue counseling as a career due to her interests and passions.

“I always had a passion for mental health, talking, and helping people. It has also been my dream to work at a public school, so just being a part of Emerson makes me very excited,” Estrada said. 

However, she did not start her career as a counselor. Instead, she started her career through education. This experience helped her understand the perspective of what students see. 

“I taught Spanish for five years and teen leadership for three years,” Estrada said, “From my knowledge of teaching, I’m able to guide my students from my understanding of what a classroom environment is like.” 

She began working in a charter school before joining Emerson. She feels Emerson offers more opportunities for Mavericks than her previous school. 

“Because I used to work at a charter school, I really love all the activities that are here, like the football games, the marching band, et cetera. So just being here makes me super excited,” Estrada said. 

With the attempt to grow the school counseling program, the counseling team is working to provide a safer environment for Mavericks. 

“We do a lot of different things of course. We deal with academics, and the emotional relations with other students. In addition to this, we deal with the environmental safety for staff and students here.”  

Estrada has a strong vision for Mavericks centers around encouraging students and giving help. This help can affect mental, physical, and academic health. 

“Physically, it’s really just about listening to your body and knowing when enough is enough. Mentally, figure out what is in your immediate control and what is. If you cannot control it at the moment, do not worry about it,” Estrada mentioned. 

For this school year, Estrada is driven by one word: better. 

“My word for 2023, is better. I want to be better at handling things that come at me. Have a better mindset, dealing with life better, and handling relationships better with all Mavericks!”