Morris Hills guidance counselor Ms. Lugo has been named Morris Hills Outstanding Educational Services Professional for the 2019-2020 school year. Having started as a member of the teaching staff, Ms. Lugo gradually transitioned into being an ESL counselor for Morris Hills. She is known for always greeting her students and colleagues with enthusiasm and energy. Senior Matt Kritz remarked, “She’s very friendly and caring, and she likes to see everyone has succeeded. She works really hard to ensure that all of her kids graduate, pass classes, and have everything they need. She is also really nice, so you can talk to her feeling comfortable about whatever it is you need to talk about.” 

She has also put a tremendous amount of work into not only being a member of the counseling department and coordinating parent events and overseeing her students’ affairs, but also translating School Counseling parent programs into Spanish to make school programs more accessible to all families. 

When asked about how she feels about winning educational specialist of the year, Ms. Lugo said, “I was very surprised and very humbled.” Ms. Lugo began her career as an educator as a member of the district teaching staff as a Spanish teacher before she became a school counselor. Ms. Lugo recounts, “I had been a teacher for over a decade when I decided to go back for my master’s degree in school counseling. The classroom was an awesome experience; however, I was excited to try something new while still being able to work with students.” Given all of her years of experience as an educator, Ms. Lugo advises Morris Hills students, “Your years at Morris Hills High School will fly by.  Enjoy time with friends, try a new club, sport or activity and challenge yourself to reach outside your comfort zone once in a while. There are so many opportunities that lie ahead so work hard and keep moving forward.” 

The great amount of work that Ms. Lugo has put into this school to make it a more friendly place for students, parents, and her colleagues is incredible, and she is more than deserving of this honor.