Counselor Clarity

Phuoc Loi, Staff Writer

Shenir Dennis, the DCAC (Destination College Advising Corps) advisor also known as Mx. Shenir is starting her first year at Gunderson High School and Counselor Angel Winn begins her 17th year at San Jose Unified School District as an academic counselor.

Dennis is located in room D of the library right beside room C where Winn’s office is. Dennis graduated while majoring in English Ethnic Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies.Dennis participated in a college enrichment program called SEL(Social & Emotional Learning) Scholars while she lived her time as a high schooler in New York. 

Dennis started assisting fellow peers of hers as she received help from SEL. Then she translated her knowledge toward friends who needed help getting to where they wanted to be.

Dennis now works as a DCAC advisor, a profession that she has practiced its roles since her teenage years.

During high school, Winn took the liberty to visit her school’s 3 counselors at Andrew Hill High School, who led her to the path of furthering her education. Admiring the work of her counselors, Winn followed their paved road.

“I admired what they did and the impact they made on myself and other students,” Winn said. “So I decided I would follow in their footsteps.”

Dennis’s works are aimed at students who are unclear about which path to take after high school. Specifically towards underrepresented low-income and first-generation college students, but her line of work still encompasses all Gunderson students.

Dennis also works with her own cohorts of students as well. Though her stay will most likely only last two years with her work consisting of a partnership with the University of California Berkeley Office of Education Partnerships, where she would continue her education to become an academic counselor.

However, even with many options available, many students don’t seek out help while they can. Both agreed that students tend to gloss over all the accessible options online or in person. The pair of them spoke that students should check out Naviance and the College & Career Center courses on Canvas first if they wanted to stay informed. 

Winn also encouraged students to try out tutor.com. A twenty-four hour seven days a week service of live tutoring for any subject. 

“I highly encourage you to participate, even if it’s just you know, five or 10 minutes a day,” Winn said. “Just to get that help that the district is providing.”

Patricia Lopez, another academic counselor at our school explained the process of getting into tutor.com. 

“They have to be identified by a teacher or counselor as a student that needs it,” Lopez said. “Then we refer them to our coordinator Ms. Winn and then she meets with the student and gives them access to it.”

Both the academic counselors & DCAC advisor fellow have been doing college presentations throughout college week. They will continue for the next few weeks in November for college workshops. They will also give presentations for sophomores & juniors in the spring.

According to Dennis, who is also in charge of organizing events and planning the presentations, another good way to meet her is through the presentation and workshops that are being prepared for the incoming future.