During the regular meeting of the Chelsea School Committee last week, Chelsea High School staff member Rachael Whitney received a Name, Strength and Story Award in recognition for her dedication to the students of Chelsea High School in her role as School Counselor.
Whitney was nominated for the award by Chelsea High School graduate Cecilia Melendez Perez ’22 who recently returned to Chelsea Public Schools to work in the school district’s Human Resources Department as an HR Specialist. Melendez Perez wrote a detailed nomination for Whitney detailing how Ms. Whitney grew to know her by name, strength and story, and that it was through Ms. Whitney’s determined efforts that encouraged her to apply for college.
Melendez Perez spoke at the School Committee Meeting to share the impact that Ms. Whitney continues to have on her life.
“Ms. Whitney sees her students as more than names on a list or grades on transcripts,” Perez said. “She sees their actual potential, understands where they have challenges where they might not feel comfortable talking about then, and makes sure they know that somebody is in their corner. She cares about her students in a way that goes beyond her job description.”
Whitney’s dedication to Chelsea students is shown through Melendez Perez’s story, which included how Ms. Whitney persistently worked to meet with her to encourage her to apply to college. Those meetings led to daily support during Melendez Perez’s senior year at Chelsea
High School after she started the college application process one month before they were due.
Melendez Perez shared that it was through the belief that Whitney instilled in her that she ended up applying to a variety of colleges including Ivy League schools, and eventually enrolled in college with a full scholarship.
She also shared how their relationship has not ended after high school graduation, and that it was Ms. Whitney herself that encouraged Melendez Perez to apply for the role that she currently serves in the school district.
Melendez Perez concluded her testimonial about Ms. Whitney by saying, “She deserves to be recognized for the love she gives her students, the time she invests in them, and the ways she continues to support them long after they leave her office. She has made a lasting difference in my life, and I know she has done the same for so many other students. Ms. Whitney will always know her students by name, strength, and story, and I will always be proud to be one of those
students whose stories she helped change.”
Her story exemplifies the type of relationships that Whitney builds with Chelsea students, and her impact as a School Counselor is felt by many graduates of Chelsea High School and current students alike.
