EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A Clint Independent School District counselor has been named a finalist for a Texas School Counselor of the Year award, according to the school district on Tuesday, May 20.
Evelyn Garcia, a counselor at Carroll T. Welch Elementary, is a finalist for the 2025-2026 Lone Star State School Counselor Association Texas School Counselor of the Year award.
According to the news release by Clint ISD, this is the first time in the school district’s history that a counselor is named a finalist for Texas School Counselor of the Year.
Garcia has served as a school counselor for eight years and an educator for 19 years, according to Clint ISD.
In addition to having a finalist, Clint ISD announced they also have a semi-finalist school counselor.
Perla Esparza is a counselor at W.D. Surratt Elementary School and has been named a semi-finalist for the 2025-2026 Lone Star State School Counselor Association Texas School Counselor of the Year award.
The Lone Star State School Counselor Association honors “outstanding professional school counselors in Texas. Through an extensive outreach process, school counselors, teachers, administrators and others are encouraged to nominate professional school counselors who run exemplary school counseling programs,” according to the news release by Clint ISD.
“I am thrilled and excited to celebrate two of our very own outstanding school counselors who
have been recognized for their dedication, leadership and heart-first approach to student support. Both Evelyn and Perla have shown a commitment to creating safe places, using data to drive their programs and explicitly educating our students regarding brain science and how to
regulate to learn using our Zen Zones, classroom lessons, small groups, and circles. These tools
not only teach students how to self-regulate but also foster relationships and a sense of
belonging,” School District Director of School Counseling Angelica Bailon said.
“At Carroll T. Welch Elementary, we use circles as a school-wide tool for safety, connection, and regulation skill practice. Evelyn has wholeheartedly embraced our initiatives and stepped into her role with an open heart and mind. She has contributed by working with student ambassadors and empowering them to be Circle Keepers at the campus. Her wealth of experience helped her hit the floor running from day one, as the school is a 93 percent economically disadvantaged campus. Both of these school counselors exemplify what it means to put students first, and we are beyond proud of the powerful impact they are making in our district,” Bailon said.
The winner of the Texas School Counselor of the Year will be named by the end of May.
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