Meet Lauren Capano, the new Carmel High student support counselor that hopes to make an impact at Carmel High School.
“Hopefully, I will be able to help,” Capano says. “I’m hoping that whatever issues are going on in the population or the community here, I’ll be able to help out.”
Capano is a native New Yorker, has a highly energetic, positive and upbeat personality, and speaks both Spanish and English. Capano enjoys hiking, running and exploring new places. She has always had an interest in social work and decided to pursue this as a career early in her life.
“I’ve always liked helping people, problem-solving and working in the community,” Capano says in her New York accent. “I just never knew it was a profession.”
So Capano got a bachelor’s of social work and a master’s of social work, both from New York University.
Afterwards, Capano moved to California because it has the highest standards for LCSW licensure, and she figured it would give her more options.
“I worked in San Jose at Outpatient Mental Health Clinics,” Capano says. “Here, I worked with foster kids and in Title I schools, which are schools with disadvantaged students.”
Capano has already been in five different schools, where she did school counseling with a social and clinical aspect.
“It was sort of like one-stop shopping,” Capano says. “I tried to do my best. Some of the difficulties would be the paperwork, finding balance and working within the limitations of different systems.”
Jennifer Goodbody, CHS’ freshman and sophomore class counselor, believes that Capano will fit in nicely.
“She is very professional, personable, and it’s great to have both of those things together,” Goodbody says. “I could see that she had all those personality traits right away… I think that she will be a really great fit in our school.”
If you ever have to talk to our new student support counselor, Lauren Capano, her office is in the administration building, second door on the right.
-Ryan Lin
