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My Unwavering Passion to Help Others

March 24, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

Guest entry from YES Prep SE Student Support Counselor Dymisha Richardson...

One of my mentors, who ran the community center in the neighborhood that I grew up in, discouraged me from becoming a social worker because he said that they worked too hard and didn’t make much money. Despite the fact that he, himself was a social worker that had practiced for at least 25 years, and the fact that I knew deep down inside that I wanted to be a Social Worker; I went to college to major in Business on a full four-year scholarship. I spent four years of my life studying to become a “big time” corporate woman- miserable. When the time came to apply for MBA programs, I went with my heart, and not my desire to work for the money, and applied to the Masters in Social Work program at the University of Houston.

My unwavering passion for helping others is what brought me to YES Prep in 2007. For the past three years, I have learned so much from our students. They continuously make me a better Student Support Counselor and a better person. The best part of my job are those private moments of success that the students have, when they realize how strong they are, or how they overcome obstacles that no one should have to endure. Our students have a myriad of experiences and lifestyles, yet, they are still able to all come together and work towards a common goal.

Every day, I am fulfilling my desire to be a dedicated Social Worker and provide support to our students, parents, teachers and staff. Being a Student Support Counselor goes far beyond stopping kids from crying, it is a job that requires one to whole heartedly work with a student to feel empowered, to help students set personal goals and attain them, to help students move from a very dark place in their lives, to a more bright and clear peace of mind; to work with parents who need assistance supporting their child, and to provide intervention and prevention services and programs. This list is merely a snippet of what we as Student Support Counselors do on a daily basis. We are continuously improving and are always working to change the world, one kid at a time!

YES Prep Southeast Student Support Counselor Dymisha