GUIDANCE: Mrs. Nava joins the staff responsible for advising students, bringing with her plenty of experience, achievement and ambition.
By Matt Kaye, Editor
For the past several years, the same faces have composed the Poly Guidance Department. Five counselors have long handled the roughly 3,000 students of Poly’s ninth through twelfth grade classes, offering them advice predominantly in course selection but expanding into the realms of extra-curricular activities, family, work life and the almighty college application.
Now, a sixth counselor, Mrs. Yuridia Nava, completes the staff with quite an interesting and intricate background.
While still in high school, Mrs. Nava began a part-time job with the Superintendent’s office at the Fontana Unified School District (FUSD), the district in which she attended. She stayed in the school district system after graduation, broadening her familiarity with different schools, becoming a full-time employee and taking part in the opening of the district’s new middle schools, a year or two out of high school. Having a full-time job at the age of 19, she decided to pursue her dual-Bachelor’s degree at CSU San Bernardino while continuing her work. After four years there, she sought her M.A. in School Counseling at the University of Redlands, graduating in 2008.
Complete with her education, Mrs. Nava sought her current role as a guidance counselor for secondary (and briefly primary) students, a position in education she always wished to hold. However, the economic recession of 2008 created a tough climate for new hires, with many current employees, including counselors, affected by layoffs. One of few, Mrs. Nava found new employment at Notre Dame High School, a local Catholic high school in Riverside. “I think that it was a message of fate for me […] I was very lucky that I was hired at Notre Dame because I was the only one in my program to find a job,” Mrs. Nava reflected. After working there for five years, Mrs. Nava confirmed her dream of working in education and student guidance.
Although she enjoyed her time at Notre Dame and learned plenty from the experience, Mrs. Nava had her heart set on counseling public-school students. “Public school is my passion. I went to public school, I’m a product of public school and I believe in the kids that come here,” Mrs. Nava stated. While no public high school was hiring after her five-year term at Notre Dame, she did find a counseling job back in Fontana, her home district. Working at an elementary school this past 2014–2015 school year, Mrs. Nava was able to accomplish more feats under a different kind of guidance. “I went from college applications to recess and jump ropes,” she joked. At that school, she set up a student-led college fair from an elementary-aged group, a fun and successful event. But Mrs. Nava still held on to her strongest desire, which was working with high school youth.
Poly listed an opening for a counseling position, and she was ready to settle into a new school just down the road from her former employer. Coming to Poly was a huge step for Mrs. Nava. “It has definitely been one of the biggest and most wonderful welcomes that I’ve ever received,” she commented. From the school’s recently reformed administration to the longtime staff members and their dedication, Mrs. Nava enjoys the environment that Poly promotes. “Poly is just super pro-student, and that is my passion too…I feel truly blessed to be with such a great team of educators that…want the best for [students] and work really hard,” she expressed.
This year, Mrs. Nava has received the Donald G. Hays Professional Recognition Award for Outstanding Counselor of the Year. Furnished by the California Association of School Counselors, the prestigious award is given to one guidance counselor in the state of California.
Mrs. Nava has been a welcomed addition to the Poly Counseling Department and will continue to integrate her love of advising students with the culture of excellence at Poly High School. Mrs. Nava can only add to student success and satisfaction as she is undeniably a member of Poly’s finest.
Mrs. Nava will be honored at the Riverside Convention Center for her award on Saturday, October 10 at The California Association of School Counselors’ 2015 Conference and Awards Luncheon.