“Receiving recognition for mental health leadership is truly meaningful to me because it represents the heart of what our school community stands for: care, connection, and finding your genius. As a school counselor, I see it less as a personal honor and more as a reflection that our students’ emotional well-being is valued and nurtured every day.”

Evelyn Trejo is the sole K–8 counselor at a charter school in Beaumont, California, where she’s built a student-centered counseling program from the ground up. Now in her fourth year, she leads individual and group counseling, classroom lessons, and campus-wide SEL initiatives. Evelyn created a scaffolded middle school curriculum focused on career exploration and high school readiness, and responds to real-time needs with targeted SEL instruction on topics like grief, friendship, and self-regulation. As her school’s first counselor, she’s forged strong partnerships with the local district to ensure students have access to crisis support and smooth transitions. Her proactive, whole-child approach reflects both leadership and care—making her an emerging force in school mental health.