Wellness Center welcomes new interns, aids students in mental health counseling

Angelina Chung, Staff Writer

October 3, 2024

Chris Saporito, Wellness Center Coordinator, working at his desk at the Wellness Center.

Established in 2019, the Wellness Center has been a vital space on campus for Gabrielino students to receive counseling or seek a place to relax during school hours. Drawing inspiration from La Cañada High School’s Wellness Center, Chris Saporito put together a proposal for former Principal Heinrich and Superintendent Jim Symonds to approve.

The proposal was approved; however, as the pandemic struck, Saporito used the extra time to build the Wellness Center.

“That year during COVID, we spent it planning and building the Wellness Center and putting a system in place to support students after the pandemic, Saporito stated, “Then we came back from Covid and there was so much focus on mental health because kids were struggling, we all were.”

From counselor to Wellness Center and Intern Coordinator, Saporito has played a critical role in expanding the Wellness Center to meet the needs of students. Having interns at the Wellness Center was a major factor in this expansion.

“When we came back [from the pandemic], I really grew the intern program and we had five interns the year we all returned to campus,” Saporito added.

Most of this year’s Wellness Center interns are from Cal State LA, where they undergo interviews with Saporito hoping for a match. Yet this year, all the interns will be receiving stipends for their time at Gabrielino.

“The most rewarding part of having interns is knowing that we are training future counselors and seeing them move on and get jobs and attend schools with the skills that they learn here, is really great,” Saporito commented with a smile.

This year, the Wellness Center selected five interns: Erik Valdez-Diaz, Meghan Flores, Tonantzin Hogan, Andrea Medrano, and Brianna Villanueva.

Wellness Center Interns

Erik Valdez-Diaz working at the Wellness Center. (Angelina Chung)

Erik Valdez-Diaz

Erik Valdez-Diaz begins his first year interning at a high school level. In deciding which school was his perfect fit, he ultimately chose Gabrielino because of its thriving Wellness Center.

“I didn’t go to a high school that had mental health resources for students, so I wanted to learn from it,” Diaz said.

Diaz’s personal experiences in high school led him to pursue counseling. He enjoys counseling because it is as if time slows down, allowing him to reflect on the bigger picture, while questioning how our actions align with our values.

“I wanted to be someone who was able to check in with students outside of academics, something I didn’t have growing up,” Diaz said sincerely.

Meghan Flores working at the Wellness Center. (Angelina Chung)

Meghan Flores

Meghan Flores, who derives her passion for counseling through family influences, fell in love with the Wellness Center along with Saporito’s kindness. After graduating from Chapman University, Flores is undergoing the second year of her master’s program at Cal State LA to pursue a career in counseling.

Flores’ connection to her family led her to strive for a career in counseling.

“My sister’s on the autism spectrum, which has been a big impact on my life, just seeing how her disability has affected her life and our relationship,” Flores shared, “My mom is a neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine so I’ve always been really interested in the brain.”

Although it has been some time since Flores has been in high school, she is beginning to find a routine on campus.

“I feel like just today, I started getting more adjusted to calling three students per period, emailing teachers, and communicating with staff,” Flores said.

This new journey in school-based counseling is challenging yet rewarding. Flores’ student experiences make the most of her time here.

“In our program, you learn that students can experience so many things in different aspects of life; it is crazy and amazing to see the strength all these kids have,” Flores stated genuinely.

Tonantzin Hogan working at the Wellness Center. (Angelina Chung)

Tonantzin Hogan

Tonantzin Hogan, who aspires to do private counseling in the future, enjoys how open Gabrielino is to mental health and the resources offered to students. Hogan’s drive for counseling is distinguished by her personal experience growing up with anxiety.

“I didn’t know what it was, and I couldn’t label it,” Hogan stated. “I thought I was a failure since other people were living, and they didn’t struggle with this.”

Through her curiosity, she pursued her psychology degree at San Diego State University and now attends Cal State LA. She is interested in seeing how school counseling goes for her as she begins to settle into campus.

“We have morning meetings, and it’s nice to know exactly what I need to do and it’s a very communicative staff so I am very lucky to have a schedule that I pictured in my mind,” Hogan stated proudly.

Hogan hopes to be a catalyst for students if they need someone to listen and act as a safe space.

“These students need that advocacy and for people to listen and take time because for a long time they flew under the radar, and taking the time to check in with them is meaningful,” Hogan concluded.

Andrea Medrano working at the Wellness Center. (Angelina Chung)

Andrea Medrano

Andrea Medrano, an SGUSD parent and alumna, finds familiarity in counseling within the area she grew up in. Her drive for counseling was influenced by Jacqueline Borja, her former counselor at Gabrielino.

“Having her as a counselor and seeing what she did for me was amazing, so I always wanted to be like her towards other students,” Medrano shared sincerely.

As an SGUSD parent, former volleyball coach, and having siblings who attend Gabrielino, Medrano is currently learning to balance work and personal life.

“It has been difficult to navigate this journey because of motherhood,” Medrano shared,“I am learning a lot and it’s really fun but completing 800 hours of field work while being a mom is very difficult.”

Returning to Gabrielino and settling in has been going well with Saporito’s guidance and support. Meeting with numerous students of diverse backgrounds with unique experiences has emphasized Medrano's personal values while being able to interact with her brother, a current Peer Helping 3 student.

“You leave work stuff at work and once I check out, I focus on my kid and school, but it is a lot to handle while I am here,” Medrano concluded.

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About the Contributor

Angelina Chung, Staff Writer

Angelina Chung is a first-year staff member of our school newspaper. Her interests include SoulCycle, traveling, and trying new restaurants with her family. Angelina's passion for journalism stems from her interest in public health and medicine. She aspires to bridge these two fields by writing articles on health communication, which drives her towards a career in health journalism.