At Para Los Niños Charter Schools, a child’s emotional wellbeing is just as crucial to their overall success as their academic abilities (and often are a prerequisite to their academic success). This is why, in addition to striving for excellent, STEAM based academics, a team of social workers supports our scholars and their families throughout the school year. This Social Workers Month, we want to uplift the work this team does by highlighting one of its stellar members.

Jessica Fernandez is in her third year as a social worker for Para Los Niños’ Charter Elementary School (CES), after receiving her B.A. from University of California, Irvine in Psychology and her Masters in Social Work from California State University, Fullerton. “I always knew I wanted to work in a school. I found PLN and liked that they focus on the whole child,” says Jessica.

PLN social workers focus not only on students’ issues as they arise, but also on proactively addressing the common struggles adolescents face. Part of this work includes bringing together students with similar experiences to create social connections. For example, Jessica co-facilitates a group for students who have recently arrived from other countries. Simply switching schools can be a deeply difficult transition for any child, even more so when the new school is in a completely new country. As the daughter of two immigrants from Mexico, Jessica understood the unique challenges these students might face in their new environment. “This is a space where students can feel that their culture is valued, that their language is valued, and where they can share their immigration journeys,” she said.