Some people find their path early, and for Crystal Roach, the road to becoming a high school counselor began with a passion for teaching and grew into something even bigger: a mission to support students at every stage of their school journey.
“I always wanted to be a teacher,” Roach said, so that’s exactly where she started. She taught at the junior high level for six years before deciding to pursue a master’s degree.
“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” she explained. “I was between a principal and a counselor. So, my college advisor helped me determine to become a counselor.”
Roach earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A\&M Texarkana. After working in elementary and junior high counseling, she eventually made her way to Hooks High School, where she has been for the past four years.
“I love Hooks,” she said. “I decided to give high school counseling a try because I have done elementary and junior high counseling. Then I decided to attempt to master the high school kids. I’m still working on it.”
Roach says her favorite part of the job is, without a doubt, the students, even if they tend to be a lot.
“It’s the kids,” Roach smiled. “Y’all are in here all the time and being not busy. There is something new every day.”
Her love for school goes all the way back to her own high school experience. She genuinely enjoyed her time as a high school student, so it wasn’t too hard for her to readjust.
“I loved high school,” Roach said. “I was involved in everything, and I was in STUCO.”
Now, she continues to encourage student involvement by serving as the STUCO advisor.
When asked what advice she’d give students, she kept it simple: “Take it one day at a time.”
As for a quote that she lives by, Roach chooses one that reflects her compassionate approach to both life and work: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”
Our school is lucky to have someone like Crystal Roach—a counselor, advisor, and supporter—who shows up every day with a smile, a kind word, and a commitment to helping students thrive.
