Although most teachers have their own classroom, guidance technicians Anali Conde and Michelle Dorado share the College and Career Center by the lower library. But Dorado doesn’t view this as a disadvantage.
“I couldn’t think of someone better who I would want next to me all day,” Dorado said. “We complement each other because our personalities work well together. So it’s really nice to have someone that’s reliable and that you can count on.”
It’s because of opinions like this that Conde received the Classified Employee of the Year award. In February, FUHS staff members voted on a colleague to receive the award.
Conde says she didn’t expect to receive the award, but assistant principal Steve Garcia argues her award is well-deserved.
“Ms. Conde is the heartbeat of the school,” Garcia said.
Michelle Dorado believes that Conde’s dependability and patience helped her stand out when being chosen for the award.
“She works really well with students that need additional support,” Dorado said. “Patience is her biggest strength, whether it’s after-school tutoring or sitting with special education kids that just need a little bit more attention.”
As a guidance technician, Conde’s responsibilities include facilitating after school tutoring, college application day, and events like Commitment Day. She also helps students navigate the Naviance website and schedules college visits during lunch.
Conde’s ability to relate to FUHS students motivates her to ensure that they have the right tools and resources to apply to the colleges that are right for them.
“I was a first-generation everything,” Conde said. “I was the first in the family to graduate from high school. I was the first in my family to apply to college and actually graduate. From that perspective, I know that this process can be very intimidating for students.”
Conde admits that she struggled as a high school student, but she was able to succeed with the help of her guidance counselors.
“They made sure that they placed me in the right classes and that I was involved in AP classes, honors classes,” Conde said. “They told me how to balance my schedule to make sure that I wasn’t taking on too much but still be able to participate in activities like sports.”
After graduating from Pioneer High School, Conde pursued higher education at Cal State Fullerton and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. Conde worked with special education students for seven years as a career vocational assistant before moving to Fullerton two years ago.
“I want to make sure that I provide opportunities,” Conde said. “I want to make sure I’m following up with them, building a relationship and making sure that they’re staying on track. That’s what was given to me in high school and it helped.”