They have the jobs of organizing your schedule, dealing with the daily student schedule complaint or question, being bombarded annually at the first day of each new school year, and most importantly, keeping you on track to graduate and succeed. But they’re here for more than just schedule organizing. Your well-being and plans for college matter to them too. Whether you’re a new face on campus or haven’t given a second thought to them, they’re your VHS counselors and they’re real people too! 

Ms. Roberts has been a counselor with VHS for 14 years and currently runs the college and career center on campus. What she enjoys most about her job is working with students and helping them make connections for their post-secondary plans. In her free time, she enjoys hiking (she even climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro this past February!) as well as traveling and reading. 

Ms. Raney has been a counselor with VHS since 2013 but started her teaching career here back in 2003, right out of college. She loves getting to know the students she serves and helping them achieve their goals, claiming that VHS is lucky to have such exceptional students. 

Ms. Richards began working as a school counselor and psychotherapist intern in 2006 and has been with VHS for 14 years. In terms of being a counselor for a high school, she enjoys talking with the students as well as being able to support, encourage, and inspire them. Not having experienced such support in her own high school, she immediately decided to become a counselor when the opportunity arose for her to change her career. Being an educator for the majority of her life, she enjoys mentoring young people within the community and in her extended family. Over the past 12 years, during spring break, she has planned and organized trips for high school students to visit some of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) that reside on the east coast as well as in some of the southern states. 

Mr. Favero is currently in his second full year as a counselor at VHS. Before that, he was a long-term sub for one of the prior counselors and performed some internship hours with Mr. Castillo. He states he enjoys everything about his job. “It is the first job that I have had that does not feel like work because it captures all the things I enjoy doing, like helping others, and no day or situation are the same. Like I tell everyone that comes into my office, my door is always open.” In his free time, Favero enjoys cooking and wood working. 

Ms. Dath counsels students with last names Goo-Lop. Her office hours are from 7:45am to 3pm on most days. She can be reached at [email protected] or 805-641-5116, ext. 1030.

Mr. Castillo counsels students with last names P-Sc. His office hours are from 7:30am to 2:45pm and he can be reached at [email protected] or 805-641-5116 ext. 1020.

Ms. De La Cruz counsels students with last names Se-Z. Her office hours are 7:30am-2:30pm Monday through Thursday and 7:30-3:45 on Fridays. She can be reached at [email protected] or 805-641-5116 ext. 1022.

Ms. Frijas counsels students with last names A-Coo. Her office hours are 8:15am to 3:30pm and can be reached at [email protected] or 805-641-5116 ext. 1029.

As always, your VHS counselors are here to assist you with your schedule, college plans, and most importantly, guide you toward a successful path. Given that counselors are often busy, contacting your counselor through email is the best way to plan a meeting with them. Nevertheless, the counselor doors are always open for any student needs.