Vista Grande counselor gets national recognition

RIO RANCHO — Rio Rancho Public Schools announced last week that Vista Grande Elementary School counselor Angel Brown is the recipient of the 2024 New Mexico School Counselor of the Year Award.

This award is given annually by the board of The NM School Counseling Association (NMSCA) to one counselor for outstanding dedication to NMSCA mission, which is “to promote excellence in the profession of school counseling and the development of all students,” according to the NMSCA website.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive this award,” Brown told the Observer in an email. “We have had other counselors in our district receive it in years past, and I am honored to again represent Rio Rancho Public Schools on a state level.”

Brown said the award is especially meaningful because the Counselor of the Year Award is decided by the NMSCA, but even more special to Brown, her nomination was selected by her peers, colleagues and supervisors.

“I am forever blown away by the phenomenal professionals in our district and am so grateful to be working at Vista Grande Elementary under exemplary leadership,” Brown said. “I am proud to be an RRPS employee and a [Vista Grande] Grizzly!”

The NMSCA School Counselor of the Year awards began in 2015. Brown is the third RRPS counselor to win.

“We are proud to recognize such a dedicated school counselor in our state,” said NMSCA representative Katie Doss, who won the Counselor of the Year award in 2017, also while at Vista Grande. “We have such amazing school counselors in our state, and we are proud to have [Brown] recognized for her hard work and dedication.”

Along with Brown and Doss, Eagle Ridge Middle School counselor Elesha Fetrow is also a past recipient, having won in 2020.

Brown hasn’t reached the pinnacle yet, however.

“I will now go on to represent New Mexico on a national level for the 2025 School Counselor of the year,” she said.

Next, she will send her application to the American School Counselors Association for consideration for the top school counselor award in the country. The official date for the 2025 School Counselor of the Year award winner's announcement has not been set, but past award ceremonies were held in early February.