McAllen ISD honors Counselors of the Year

Two counselors earned Counselor of the Year awards from McAllen ISD this month. They are jacqueline Cantu of Houston Elementary and Briana Rojas of McAllen High.

Cantu is McAllen ISD’s Elementary Counselor the Year and Rojas is the Secondary Counselor of the Year. They were honored at a special event held in McAllen February 7 during National School Counseling Week.

“Our counselors are in the forefront when it comes to crisis intervention,” Norma Cabrera, Director for McAllen ISD’s College, Career and Counseling Department, said. “We also do something that is unique to McAllen ISD which is the Counselor of the Year recognition, so they represent those programs for the entire year.”

Counselors are an integral component of schools and serve students in all grades.

“I was very excited,” Cantu said. “I’m very thankful to my principal (Ms. Jessica Lowe) and the leadership team, my elementary school, how they support me, and the counseling program along with all the other teachers and staff.”

McAllen ISD has at least one counselor at every campus ready to serve the academic or emotional needs of students.

“I love what I do,” Rojas said. “It’s an honor to earn this award. This award is not just for me, but all my team at McAllen High School because we work so well together. I could not be in my position and do what I do without them.”

About McAllen ISD
McAllen ISD is a three-time winner of the state’s highest rating, an “A,” and a four-time winner of the state’s Post-Secondary Readiness Distinction. In 2022, McAllen ISD was named the Best Large District in Texas through the H-E-B Excellence in Education awards. The district is home to 31 campuses and approximately 20,000 students.