New Year, New Counselor! Ms. Theodorou joins school counseling staff

A swarm of students wait, some at the school counseling office’s three tables, others hovering by closed doors. Every ten-or-so minutes is punctuated by the new ID scanner’s beeps. It’s scheduling season, and brand-new to the lineup is NHS’ newest counselor, Erin Theodorou.

“If I were to introduce myself, I’d say that I’m a school counselor, a counselor in private practice, and a mom, most importantly,” Theodorou said. “I love taking photos that I never develop; it’s a running joke with myself and my friends. And I love traveling. Traveling is my passion, no doubt.”

Theodorou’s arrival to the department has gone very smoothly. “Mrs. Theodorou is a fantastic addition to the NHS counseling department,” said Victoria Lewis, a current guidance counselor. “Her work ethic and dedication to her students are admirable.”

This position is actually quite personal to Theodorou, and well within her expertise. “I’ve been a guidance counselor for eight years going on nine,” she said. “I chose to work at NHS because I actually graduated from here, and I had a wonderful experience.” 

The student body has also received Ms. Theodorou well so far, with many students meeting her for the first time through their scheduling meets. “I’ve only known Ms. Theodorou for a few days, and I was nervous switching guidance counselors,” said Kehara Leon, a freshman who recently had her sophomore-year schedule arranged. “But she was very sweet and welcoming, and she clearly cares about her students.”

“I met Ms. Theodorou through an email she wrote. She encouraged people to come visit her on her first day at the school,” said Yuna Mehdizadeh, a senior. “She was really nice! She’s given me a safe space when I wasn’t feeling well, and she’s very accepting as a person.”

Career focuses aren’t new to Theodorou - she has an expansive résumé beyond her counseling experience. “I majored in Political Science at school, and I worked as a paralegal in a law firm first,” Theodorou said. “I realized that the day-to-day life wasn’t for me, and nothing really resonated, so I went back to grad school. I also worked as a teaching assistant there, in the Special Education department. That’s why I always encourage students to job shadow and get involved with different careers firsthand.”

Leon has certainly experienced this herself. “I’ve asked Ms. Theodorou a lot of questions about my chosen career field,” she said. “She’s told me which classes to take for my future career goals.” 

“Ms. Theodorou has given me lots of great advice,” Mehdizadeh said. “Sure, I was hesitant about the big change at first, but change is always intimidating, and I’m glad Ms. Theodorou is so nice!”

Theodorou’s impact on her students is not going unnoticed by the school counseling department, making her a positive influence for both students and staff. “It is so wonderful to see her jump right into her new role with excitement and enthusiasm,” Lewis said. “I am happy to have her as a co-worker and hope to get to know her better.”

“The high school team and the guidance department have been so welcoming to me,” Theodorou said. “They’re so helpful and supportive. They’re like a well-oiled machine.”

Students may be nervous - some about the counselors changing, others about the school counseling department itself. However, it seems that there’s little to fear in that regard. “Sometimes, students think that they can only talk to us about grades and college, but we can talk about anything!” Theodorou said. “We’re always here to help.”

The NHS community looks forward to getting to know Ms. Theodorou more, and she looks forward to meeting us, too. “I want to show the same care for the students here now as what I got when I was a student,” she said. “I had a wonderful time growing up here, and I want to pay it forward.”