Recognized, But Unfunded—Help These Counselors Get to ASCA!

Hi everyone, my name is Vannessa Guillen, and I’m reaching out to ask for your support in helping my husband, Brandon Gernux, and his incredible co-counselors, Fatima Pineda and Noemi Alvarado, attend the 2025 American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Conference in Long Beach.

Madison Elementary’s school counseling team has achieved something remarkable—they have officially earned Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) status, a national distinction that only of school counseling programs receive. This recognition reflects years of dedication, resilience, and a commitment to building a comprehensive school counseling program that serves all students.

But here’s the heartbreaking part: Despite this incredible achievement, they have not been given any funding to attend the ASCA Conference, where they would be formally recognized and accept the award on behalf of Madison Elementary. Madison is the 12th school in Santa Ana Unified to earn RAMP, but due to mass layoffs in the district, they are the first team not to receive financial support to attend. Even worse, all three counselors received layoff notices, meaning they won’t even be returning to the school they worked so hard to serve.

Despite these setbacks, they are determined to celebrate this milestone. Brandon, a 2024 Orange County School Counselor of the Year, has been fortunate to have his conference registration covered due to his role on the ASCA planning committee. Noemi, a 2025 Orange County School Counselor of the Year, receives a discount for the conference since she is presenting a session on AI and School Counseling.

That still leaves:

• Fatima Pineda’s full conference registration

• The remainder of Noemi Alvarado’s registration

• Tickets for all three counselors to attend the RAMP Recognition Dinner, where they will accept the award for Madison Elementary

This team has poured their hearts into their students and this program. They fought to improve their counseling program after their first RAMP application was unsuccessful, putting in even more time, energy, and documentation to meet ASCA’s rigorous standards. They deserve to be recognized for the impact they’ve made—but they need your help to get there.

Anything you can give will go directly toward making sure these incredible school counselors get the recognition they’ve earned. If you can’t donate, please share this with your network. Thank you for supporting the people who have spent their careers supporting students!