My name is Erica and I have been a school counselor in the Mount Vernon City School District for the past 7 years. This is my first and only job in this career and it has been a rewarding and challenging experience. I work at Lincoln School, which is a K-8 building. My goal as my students' counselor is to provide them the support they need to feel successful academically, socially and emotionally as a young individual. I always tell my students that I am not here to make them dependent on me, but to make them independent. It is a great feeling to see my students grow and overcome obstacles they may have had in the beginning. As they prepare and leave for the high schools my hope for my students is that they have built more self-confidence in themselves and feel prepared for their future aspirations.

Ms. Jones has committed to a number of school-based intervention programs throughout the years to further increase her networking and engagement with peers and coworkers. Nikia Jones is currently on the Positive Behavior Intervention Support team (PBIS). Response to Intervention(RTI). No Place for Hate team, Attendance team, and Health and Safety team. Ms. Jones is also a Dignity for all students ACT (DASA) coordinator within her school. Her theoretical orientation to counseling is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It is the best approach to use because it analyzes behavior by looking at the process of children and understanding their needs. Nikia Jones is also in the process of launching her own non-profit organization to assist girls with anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. (Girls, Anxiety and Depression). Another goal she has is to complete courses to take the Mental Health Counseling licensure exam. Ms. Jones has worked very closely with her students and families ;however, her ultimate joy is her two children, Bryce and Aaliyah. More recently, Ms. Jones has been training her mind to think of "positive vibes" daily. She has learned and believes that thinking positively and remaining optimistic is life-changing for herself and her new after school social-emotional program.

Professional Associations

American School Counseling Association

New York State School Counseling Association

I look forward to embarking on this journey with you!

I have been a School Counselor with the Mt. Vernon City School District for nearly a decade! Throughout my time in district, I have worked with all grade levels from Pre-K to 12^th Grade. In addition to a Master’s Degree in School Counseling, I hold a Certification in Career Development. I am also an Adjunct Academic Advisor at Westchester Community College and bilingual (Spanish).

Aside from my regular high school counseling duties (9^th – 12^th grade), I am the Site Direct for The Liberty Partnership Great Potential Program that runs out of SUNY Purchase College and the Advisor to all 11^th Grade students in the Smart Scholars Program. Smart Scholar students will graduate MV STEAM Academy with a multitude of college credits through our partnership and dual enrollment with Mercy University. I am also the Vice President for PPS with the Mt. Vernon Federation of Teachers Union.

My counseling style is unique in the sense that I follow an honest and person-centered approach. My job and goal as a counselor is to meet the needs of the students and supply them with all the information that they require to make educated decisions. I assist in preparing our students for their next post-secondary steps, whether it be college, workforce, military, or vocational schools.

One thing that any of my students will tell you, is that Ms. Vélez will ALWAYS “tell you like it is”! With that approach in mind, I ALWAYS encourage my students to envision their futures and go for it. My students leave with an understanding that they matter and they are capable of anything that they work for. I stress the notion that the sky is not limit, it is merely their view!   

New York State Permanent Certification - School Counselor Provisional Certification - School Administrative Supervisor LMHC – Licensed Mental Health Counselor since 1998

He was the lead peer mediator at his previous building. He led restorative circles and provided training for both students and adults in peer mediation techniques. This experience has further deepened his commitment to fostering positive school environments and helping students develop conflict resolution and social-emotional skills. He is now entering his 5th year as a school counselor and remains deeply committed to supporting young people in reaching their full potential. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and staying active by playing sports.”

In addition to college and career counseling, I also work individually and in groups. In 2017, I began the “HOPE group” which is a grief counseling group which helps students deal with a family members terminal illness. This group was developed based on the needs of my students and has been a major support for our students. I implement art therapy into our group counseling sessions which allows students to express themselves creatively.   

In 2018 I achieved National Board Certification in School Counseling which was one of my professional goals. I continue to volunteer my time working with students completing their college applications and helping them develop their personal essays. I enjoy working one on one with the students to help meet their college and career expectations and goals. As Department head of Lincoln High School, School Counseling, I work closely with my colleagues so that we can educate ourselves with resources that are available for our students and families to ensure their success. 

Looking forward to meeting you!

Attached is my resume.

Thank you

I am eager to meet everyone. See you Wednesday!

I am very excited to meet you all! Attached is my resume.

I looking forward to meeting you all.

This is Setta, and I look forward to seeing you all at the event. Here is an attachment of my resume. See you all soon!

*School Counselor for 17 years

*Experienced PK-College

*Junior Achievement Liaison for 7 years

*Formally trained in Restorative Circles by Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility

*Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees from Fordham University

*Glad to be a School Counselor :)

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you. I look forward to connecting and getting to know eachother.

Then in 2012, Evelyn Padilla was given an opportunity to work as a school counselor in the Mount Vernon City School District. She provides counseling services for students in grades pre-K to 8. Her role in the school is not limited to only counseling as she as been involved and/or has led in the following: 

-DASA (Dignity Act for All Students Act) coordinator

-Testing coordinator(NYS, Regents)

-Student council program

-Parent Involvement Day

-STEM coordinator( after school & summer)

In 2017, with the encouragement of her school principal, she received a Master of Science in School Building Leadership with distinction from Mercy College. Evelyn Padilla has supervised a counseling graduate student from the College of New Rochelle in 2019 and is looking forward to working with a Mercy College graduate student for 2025.

I earned my bachelor's degree in psychology from the esteemed Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA, and my master's degree in Counseling and Guidance from New York University (NYU). I come from a family of educators who have always placed a strong emphasis on the value of education. This foundation has instilled in me a deep commitment to supporting students as they strive to reach their fullest potential.

I am passionate about helping students grow academically, socially, and emotionally, and I look forward to the opportunity to mentor and supervise future school counselors, continuing to give back to the profession that has shaped my career.

My name is Gabrielle Thomas. I have a Master’s Degree in School Counseling and I have been a School Counselor in the Mount Vernon City School district for about a year now. This is my first job as a School Counselor and I have found it to be at times challenging, but even more rewarding. I started at Denzel Washington as the Middle School Counselor, and now this year my caseload is students 6-12.

I am the Site Director for The Liberty Partnership Great Potential Program, on our Schools MTSS Team and a DASA Coordinator here at DWSA.

All that being said, it is my absolute joy to be able to live out what I always knew I was meant to be, a School Counselor. The long stressful days are all made up by how rewarding it is to be able to watch my students grow, succeed and become incredible people in the world.

If I can help just change one students' life, I know where I'm meant to be.

I can't wait to get to know everyone and embrace this journey!