LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Samantha Cortez's nominator would like to remain anonymous.

As a former New York City Public School student, Ms. Cortez's personal experiences in a classroom and school setting were not the most desirable. She was born and raised in East Harlem among five other siblings. Her mother was the sole provider she relied on for food, clothing, and other necessities. She loved writing poetry and reading.

As she progressed into high school, she had to learn how to apply for college and fill out financial aid forms while looking for a job to help her mom with bills. She finally found a position that was within the Department of Education (DOE). Working as an office assistant taught her a lot about special education students and what an IEP, social, and psychological history consisted of in the school setting.

A year after, she began working closely with the high school guidance counselor. She would assist with various students who were gang-affiliated, sexually assaulted, abused at home due to their sexuality, or who were promiscuous. Students would confide in her and ask her for advice regarding their situations; thus, she built a secure connection. She would also sit with students in their senior year and help them apply for college, financial aid forms, and jobs.

Then, she began working as a paraprofessional at an elementary school in the Bronx. During this time, the students developed a bond with her. If abuse took place at home, the student would show her bruises and disclose to her how the abuse took place. As a mandated reporter, she took proper action and informed the School Counselor.

She decided to enhance her skills as a paraprofessional by choosing to leave elementary school and join the community at a new middle school in Manhattan. She bonded with the students who graduated class this past spring and called her Ms. Frizzle. 

These experiences led her to pursue a career as a school counselor. She knew what it was like to have a parent struggle financially, deal with emotional distress, and make informed decisions. She can empathize with children, listen to them, help them make proper decisions in dealing with their situations, and guide them through their decision-making process to ensure they do not hurt themselves.

She has spent the past few years broadening her skills to develop relationships with students, communicate with them, and support them. In working towards her Master's degree in school counseling and clinical mental health, she always talks about finding resources and developing connections within and outside the community to help support the students she works with. She advocates and ensures that systems are put in place to allow students an equal chance of success. During the pandemic, she has worked full time while interning, attending graduate school, and helping another counselor with outreach for Saturday school. If a vast population of students is struggling, she would suggest programs such as lunch support, individualized support, or Saturday school to ensure all students receive the same support and opportunities as their peers.       

She believes educational equality is non-negotiable, regardless of the injustices that exist within society. All students should receive support from building stakeholders, regardless of their socioeconomic situation, race, gender, or sexual preference.

Ms. Cortez is a first-generation high school, college, and soon-to-be graduate student. She is a Holmes Masters Scholar at Touro College in New York City. She has worked in all school settings with various students from trauma, abuse, attention deficit disorder, autism, anxiety, and depression. Ms. Cortez always speaks highly of her students and finds ways to work with and support them.