EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) - A Socorro Independent School District (SISD) counselor from Chester E. Jordan Elementary has been named a national finalist in the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) 2025 School Counselor of the Year awards program, the district announced in a news release. SISD said Rosa I. Rodriguez, a school counselor for 11 years, is one of the five finalists named for the national award that "honors exemplary school counseling professionals who devote their careers to serving as advocates for the nation’s students." “I just can’t believe it. I guess because you do a job and you feel like you are doing a great job, but you just don’t know what other people are doing,” Rodriguez said about being chosen as a finalist among the many other nominees. “I never realized that what I was doing would be enough. To know that I am doing great things for kids, and they are recognizing it, that means the world to me.” In May, Rodriguez won the Lone Star State School Counselor Association 2024 Texas School Counselor of the Year, which put her in the running for the national honor, according to SISD. Socorro ISD counselor named Texas school counselor of the year ASCA will announce the school counselor the year in late fall, according to the ASCA press release. Nominations for the school counselor of the year awards program were submitted by ASCA-affiliated state/territory school counselor associations. “Ms. Rodriguez is an outstanding school counselor, and we are fortunate to have such a passionate and dedicated professional at Chester E. Jordan and in Socorro ISD making a difference for our students every day,” said SISD Interim Superintendent James Vasquez. "With the excellent work that she has achieved for many years as a counselor and the positive impact she has made at her campus, the honor is well deserved. I am proud that she is representing her school, the district, and the entire state of Texas. We are all in to cheer her on at the next level of the awards program.” Rodriguez said her two main focuses are to "ensure Social and Emotional Learning is strong at her campus and she adequately manages her time to fulfill her duties as a successful school counselor." “I am truly blessed to work with an incredible leadership team,” she said. “They are always the first ones to jump in to get things done. I learn from them as well and they inspire me to keep doing a great job because they all work to do good by the students. Their main goal, our main goal is to be sure what we do is going to benefit the kids.” Rodriguez also said counseling work is a team effort, and the recognition is “not a me award, it is a we award.” The most important thing is the support and care that is provided to the students. “One of the biggest things I always want to make sure that the kids know is that they are loved,” Rodriguez said. “I tell them, ‘Always, remember, your counselor loves you.’ No matter what, I want them to know that there is always going to be someone who gives them unconditional love.” SISD said an in-person celebration for the ASCA finalists is planned in Washington D.C., on Jan. 30, 2025.  The School Counselor of the Year and finalists will be celebrated in a series of virtual events during National School Counseling Week, Feb. 3-7, 2025, according to SISD.