In honor of Alisal’s 60th Anniversary, this is the 19th in an ongoing series of staff/alumni profiles.

Working in education, it definitely helps to be able to relate to the students. For counselor Jessica Nunez-Alcaraz, she can relate because her story is their story. 

Nunez was born and raised on the East side. She grew up near El Sausal Middle School and attended Alisal. Seeing students walk home from school reminds her of her own high school experiences. “Sometimes I would have to walk to school in the morning and then back home…So when I see students walking all the way over there…I remember that feeling,” she said.

Nunez graduated from Alisal High School in 2012. “I was a good student,” she said. “I was like a straight A student throughout all my 4 years.” Although she didn’t take many advanced AP classes like other students, she always made sure to stay on top of her work. “I always liked getting good grades, so I made sure of that,” she said.

During high school, she stepped outside her comfort zone by joining track and field her junior year, competing in shot put and discus. Her motivation came from wanting to try something new and be more social. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and try something new…so I could make new friends, do something after school, and not just go to school and go home,” she said. 

She gained important skills from the experience, including communication and time management. “I gained social skills, communication skills…and I also learned more about time management,” she said.

During her senior year, she got involved in Fashion Club, Leadership, and ASB. In Leadership, she was part of the publicity department. “Anytime that we had events…we would make posters…and then also we were in charge of doing the morning announcements,” she said. In Fashion Club, members organized runway-style events to showcase outfit ideas for dances like Prom and Winter Ball.

Although balancing school, sports, and club responsibilities was challenging, it didn’t discourage her. What mattered most were the relationships she built along the way. “At the end of the day, for me, it was, I’m doing a sport and I’m making new friends,” she said.

Senior year stood out the most to her. “I really enjoyed my senior year,” Nunez said, explaining that she became more involved and pushed herself to participate in activities like morning announcements and halftime performances.

After graduating, Nunez attended Hartnell College. “Honestly, when I was in high school, I was kind of lost,” she said. She initially chose to attend Hartnell because she wasn’t ready to leave home. “I felt like I was a bit scared and nervous…being away from home, being in a new city,” she said. 

While at Hartnell, she joined the TRIO program, which provided extra support and guidance through dedicated counselors. “It was a good program because they would always check in with us [students],” she said. “Just like we do it here in high school.”

After she earned her associate degree, she transferred to California State University, Long Beach, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in sociology.

Her interest in counseling began to develop during college, inspired by her own counselor at Long Beach. “They kind of inspired me to become a counselor too…maybe like in high school,” she said. Since there wasn’t a specific counseling major for undergraduates, she chose sociology because it was broad and flexible.

After graduating from Long Beach in 2016, she explored different career paths. She worked for a nonprofit organization called JDT Consultants, providing one on one support to students with behavioral or mental health challenges. 

During this time, she considered pursuing social work and even began applying for a master’s program but stopped before completing it. “I was leaning more towards social work…but I didn’t even finish my application,” she said.

Eventually, through her experience meeting with students with behavioral and mental health issues, she realized her true calling. “I think I see myself working at a school…I actually do want to do counseling,” she said. She later earned her master’s degree in counseling and credential through UMass Global.

One of her strongest motivations comes from wanting students to feel supported in ways she sometimes didn’t. “I don’t ever want to make a student feel the way that I felt, stressed and overwhelmed…I want to make sure students feel comfortable and that I could provide a safe space for them,” she said.

Returning to Alisal was always part of her plan. “I can’t picture myself working at another high school…I need to go back to where I came from…to give back to my community,” she said.

Coming back, however, felt strange at first. “Not gonna lie, it was kind of weird at first,” she said. Coming back and working with a former teacher felt weird at first for her, “You were my teacher and I was your student, but now we’re colleagues,” she said. 

Over time, she adjusted and gained a new perspective on the work educators do behind the scenes. “Now as a staff member, I get it now…all the workload and everything that goes behind the scenes,” she said.

She also noticed both similarities and changes in the school. The strong sense of community remains, but the campus has expanded with new buildings and more classrooms. She believes student culture has shifted as well. “I feel like they kind of lack a little spirit…maybe COVID…and technology too,” she said.

As a counselor, Nunez sees her role as both caring and honest. “It is being someone that is understanding, caring, that listens to the student’s needs without judgment,” she said. At the same time, she believes in accountability: “I’m telling you all these things…because I want you to listen so that you’re able to do what you need to do to graduate,” she said.

What keeps her going on difficult days is taking things one step at a time and relying on her team for support. “One thing at a time,” she said. She especially enjoys connecting with students. “Just listening to their story…connecting, building relationships,” she said. 

Updated 2/27 @ 2:20 pm