[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E120-E121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 3, 2020

  Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the tireless work of 
school counselors across the country and in the 38th district of 
California that I am honored to represent. These public servants help 
develop well-rounded students by guiding them through their academic, 
social-emotional, and career development.
  Humberto Solorio, a counselor at California High School in Whittier, 
California, is exactly the type of champion students need. Humberto has 
been a counselor at the school for eighteen years and has been 
instrumental in the lives of the students he works with in the school 
and its Business Academy.
  He is also a Program Lead for the school's Fresh Air Mentoring 
program, which is a new creative and strategic intervention program at 
California High School. The program provides support to at-promise male 
students. Humberto, along with a team of counselors and teachers, help 
these students by teaching healthy coping strategies, planning for life 
after high school, and building authentic and genuine relationships.
  Counselors, like Humberto, provide so much for our students. Not only 
do they help with career and college choices, but they are often the 
ones who help students cope with serious and common challenges of 
growing up, including peer pressure, bullying, mental health issues, 
trauma, disciplinary problems, and more. Unfortunately, the average 
student-counselor-ratio is 442-to-1 nationally which is almost double 
the American School Counselor Association recommended ratio of 250-to-
1. Our students deserve to have the support of school counselors, and 
school counselors deserve our support.
  That is why I am proud to introduce a resolution to designate the 
week of February 3, 2020, through February 7, 2020, as National School 
Counseling Week. I ask that all Members join me in recognizing the 
extraordinary work and dedication our school counselors have done to 
better the lives of young students.

[[Page E121]]

  

                          ____________________