With all the faculty members on West’s campus, it can be difficult to recognize each of the contributions they make to the students and the school. It is best that both our instructors and educators are recognized for the dedication and hard work they put toward the students of West Forsyth. With that being said, this month is dedicated to Sean Sandag, a guidance counselor who continually works with students in order to help them succeed in their academic and social lives.
Prior to his job at the school, Sandag didn’t know what career he wanted to pursue, starting as a representative in a financial services company. However, it wasn’t the right fit for him.
“When I was in high school, I had a pretty difficult time figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. I went to mass communications as my undergraduate major and when I went to college, I wanted to do public relations, but I didn’t do anything in that. But then I started working at Charles Schwab as a registered representative with stocks and that sort of thing, but that was miserable because I was stuck in a little cubicle all day answering phone call after phone call, it was like my soul was being sucked out of me,” Sandag said.
After quitting his job as a financial aid, Sandag started bartending, as he enjoyed the freedom of it, but he soon realized that his passion was towards being a school counselor.
“I did some soul-searching and found that being a school counselor would be a good fit for me because it goes back to what I wanted and needed as a high school student and I felt very passionate about that. When a student comes in and says ‘I don’t know what I want to do with my life’ or has any big questions, I want to be that person for the students. With my school counselor, I don’t feel like I was ever listened to or given the time of day, so I wanted to be the person my counselor wasn’t for me,” Sandag said.
Sandag notes that one of his most rewarding experiences as a school counselor is watching students succeed.
“What is so special about being in this position and a big privilege is that you get to see so much success and triumph through adversity and those little sparks just keep you going. Going back to my Charles Schwab days, I feel like if I was there every day, grinding it out through the same-old routine, even though I’m helping people, you don’t get that same spark like when you see something really good happen for a student,” Sandag said.
As a counselor, Sandag aids students in a variety of different areas, including their in-school and out-of-school welfare.
“In broad terms, the counselors at West Forsyth provide help to students in academic, social-emotional and career or college areas. I work with students on scheduling, personal concerns and figuring out what to do after high school, but there is so much variety about what I talk about with students each day. Some things that come up are problem-solving tasks, but other issues cannot be solved easily or might not be able to be solved at all,” Sandag said.
The multifaceted counselor also helps students with their emotional well-being, having the overall goal of ensuring the creation of a safe environment for students to feel comfortable and supported in.
“The most important aspect of my role as a counselor [that] I hope I am providing to students is my ability to be a non-judgmental trusted adult [that] students can come to at a time of need. It is my responsibility to show empathy and compassion for all students in every situation with fidelity while maintaining confidentiality. My goal is that regardless of the outcome, students feel like they have a safe place to share their thoughts, feelings and emotions with someone who truly hears them and cares about them. Sometimes a counselor can create game plans and action items to solve problems. Other times, having the opportunity to be heard may be what a person needs to figure out what they need to do,” Sandag said.
During this time of the year, Governor’s School applications have come piling in, with Sandag being the first person in line to help students by submitting their work and notifying them of any important dates or details in the process.
“I serve as the coordinator for Governor’s School at West. My responsibilities include promoting the Governor’s School program, nominating qualified candidates and supporting the candidates and recommenders throughout the application process. Throughout this process, I check to make sure the applications are completed correctly, answer candidates’ questions about the application and provide feedback. It is such a wonderful experience for me because I get to see brilliant students share their incredible ideas and insights through their essays. It is a privilege to interact with students who I know will make a difference in the world and it provides a lasting feeling of hope for the future,” Sandag said.
Another one of Sandag’s roles on West’s campus is being a leader in the Mindfulness and Meditation Club, a group centered around improving students’ wellness and sense of calm. In order to have a more active community in this club, he invites students to contact him if they’re interested.
“Although we have not been active recently, I am the club sponsor for the Mindfulness and Meditation Club. I help by advising the club leaders as necessary and providing the club with what it needs for its meetings, activities and events. The content of the meetings is organized by the incredible club members who provide an amazing service to students. Not only do the students teach each other valuable lifelong techniques to benefit their mental health, but they also benefit in their growth by learning mindfulness and meditation on a deeper level as they present and instruct the information,” Sandag said.
Sandag’s role as a counselor has let him look into many different perspectives of the students and staff at West, giving him insight into what other people’s lives are like and how to help them grow and evolve as a person.
“Everyone has their bad days, but you just have to assume each person is doing the best with what they got. Helping people each day is an awesome way to spend your time in a career. When you put out kindness, it will always come back to you. Sometimes it takes a while for those seeds to grow, but at some point, we all get to share in the positive impacts we make,” Sandag said.
Now that you know of his support around the school, be sure to thank Mr. Sandag for his constant hard work around campus and his persistence in keeping West a safe and comfortable place for students and staff members.
If you or anyone you know would like to talk to Sandag or join the Mindfulness and Meditation Club he sponsors, you can contact him at [email protected].
