LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Alfonso Casias

Position: Middle School Counselor
School: Del Norte Elementary/Junior/Senior High School
School District: Upper Rio Grande School District
City, State: Del Norte, CO

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Music that Describes Alfonso

Alfonso Casias was nominated by his colleague, Elise Lovato.

"I have known Mr. Casias for twelve years. We had classes together in our undergrad, and he was one of four in our cohort for school counseling. After we graduated with our master's degrees, Mr. Casias was given a position with the Alamosa School District in Alamosa, Colorado. There, he worked as the Gear Up coordinator and helped students work towards their dreams after high school," said Lovato.

"For the last three years, I have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Casias in the Upper Rio Grande School District in Del Norte, Colorado. He was hired by the district as part of the School Counselor Corp grant as a behavorial coach. During this time, I've seen what a difference Mr. Casias makes within our students' lives. He works with students in grades 5-8. For some of us, this can be such a difficult age group to work with due to all the life changes that take place during that time. To make matters more chaotic, we have had to face life with the COVID-19 pandemic," said Lovato.

Mr. Casias has worked extremely hard to make sure students' needs are being met. He has implemented a social-emotional curriculum with the help of the local behavioral health office. Through this program, students learn about mindfulness, healthy relationships, coping skills, etc. Mr. Casias also works one-on-one with many students.

"It has been during these times when I've seen the most change in many of our students who are going through difficult times. Whe these students are asked who one of the most influential individuals in their life is, they always mention Mr. Casias. They not only know he'll help them through whatever they are being faced with at that time, but they also know that he will be honest in a caring manner with them," said Lovato.

"Recently, Mr. Casias has begun putting together activities for our staff after noticing how burnt out they are. These activities provide a time when staff can get together and play a game of volleyball, charades, cards, etc. It has been wonderful to see our staff come together and laugh and smile, something that has been minimal this school year. As an individual, I have gone to Mr. Casias for collaboration or ideas on how to handle some of my more difficult students in my Senior Seminar course that I teach. He always has great ideas to help students become more engaged and have fun in class," said Lovato.

"I am extremely thankful to not only call Mr. Casias a colleague, but a friend, as well. I feel we need more individuals like him in our lives. With that, I believe he is extremely deserving of this award," said Lovato.

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Comments (10)

Dylan Ledford Posted over a year ago

Alfonso has a heart for kids and he does a great job of making them feel heard. When my students need to talk about hard things, they seek out Alfonso Casias. I'm grateful that he is on our team.

Emi Baca Posted over a year ago

Alfonso is an amazing individual. He always has students’ best interest at heart and goes above and beyond in all the he does. Alfonso is a great listener, friend, leader, and counselor/educator. Alfonso has made a huge impact at our school district!!!

Maria Posted over a year ago

Along with being a generous and kind man, Alfonso Casias is also a very thoughtful colleague who considers as priorities the well-being of Del Norte Tiger students as well as the Del Norte Tiger staff. I have personally benefited from the fun activities Mr. Casias has planned for the staff. When we get together to laugh and enjoy each other's company, the weight of the challenges of serving our students becomes much lighter and more manageable. It feels good to be part of a team that looks out for each other in the way that Mr. Casias has been looking out for us. I am very grateful for the work that Mr. Casias is doing here for us and for our students.

Taylor Ledford Posted over a year ago

He is kind. He is an excellent listener. Kids respect him and trust him. I know personally that action was taken when my own child came to him in confidence. He was my son's first person he wanted to go to when the problem rose.

Aaron Horrocks Posted over a year ago

Mr. Casias is a wonderful counselor and colleague. He is a thoughtful individual who truly seeks to support those who surround him. I have watched him build strong and purposeful relationships with students and in many ways have student lives changed in my schools as a direct result of his work. Mr. Casias teaches classes, meets with students individually, supports families, seeks out support from multiple agencies, supports his colleagues, and most importantly builds a positive culture in the schools.

Connie Murrelle Posted over a year ago

Very dedicated to all students and is always flexible and available for Staff/Faculty when needed. He is a good listener, problem solver and has been a great friend/counselor for the Del Norte Schools. I appreciate the kindness he has shown and lucky to have a friend like him. Alfonso is someone that can be looked up to and trusted.

david grabowski Posted over a year ago

He is an outstanding counselor for middle school students because he builds positive relationships with them every day with every interaction. He goes above and beyond to make sure all student needs are met. He meets with administration and junior high teachers during MTSS to help support all students in their learning and mental health support. He partners with community agencies to get additional support for students and families.

Nikki Horrocks Posted over a year ago

Alfonso is a kind, compassionate, intelligent, and strong person who has a clear sense of direction and purpose. He has dedicated himself to enriching the lives of students and faculty around him. A positive school culture is the underlying reason why the other components of successful schools are able to flourish. Because of Mr. Casias impact on our schools culture, the Upper Rio Grande School District is flourishing academic community.

Bill Sauvigne Posted over a year ago

The way he interacts with students, but more importantly, the way students interact with him, is something to behold. The kids trust him and know he has their back.

Amy Duda Posted over a year ago

Alfonso is a school counselor dedicated to students, staff and parents in our school. He creates positive, meaningful relationships with his students and in turn students feel comfortable speaking with him. Mr. Casias has worked this year to ensure our school has a culture and environment supportive of everyone's needs. He is an advocate for student and staff mental health and wellness. He has lots of great ideas to support everyone at our school. Alfonso's calm demeanor puts everyone at ease. He is willing to take a few minutes to listen or help anyone in our school. He is most definitely a life-changer! We are lucky to have Alfonso as our school counselor!