A Map of the Guidance Suite

Not all guidance counselors were featured in this article and will be mentioned in part two.

Stuyvesant’s hectic hallways never cease to be crowded with the bustle of students. However, the guidance suite provides a tranquil pause from this, consisting of a hardworking bunch nestled into a cozy alcove. A tour of the space reveals the many compact, personalized cubicles - the working areas for the guidance counselors. However, the geography of any place is made all the more special when one has a map of the people that give it life. It is vital to consider the staff who aid students through various aspects of their personal and academic lives—from commuting to working papers to advice—and to appreciate their stories.

Myles Sebastien:

School aide Myles Sebastien is the first face one encounters upon entering the guidance suite. He prefers going by his first name rather than the traditional use of last names. As the office’s receptionist, Myles ensures that the suite runs smoothly for both students and staff. 

Myles found his way to Stuyvesant through an acquaintance of his mother: a former Stuyvesant intern who relayed information about an available desk job position. This offer had come at a very opportune time: “I got interviewed by [Assistant Principal of Counseling and College Office Casey] Pedrick, [Assistant Principal of Safety and Security Brian] Moran, basically all the head people, and then I kind of got hired on the spot which was great,” Myles recalled.

Since his arrival, Myles has undertaken various important responsibilities: after students graduate from Stuyvesant, Myles is in charge of verifying to employers that they attended the school. He directs the distribution of OMNY cards and LIRR passes and issues working papers—duties that fit his “Transportation God” image. One of his pet peeves includes people continuously losing their OMNY cards. “I hate when you guys lose your OMNY card. I prefer it not to work than you guys losing it,” he relayed. “When we run out of cards for the people that didn’t lose them, it just doesn't work because I don’t have any left.” In an effort to tackle this problem, Myles has started to keep a running record. “I’m keeping a book [of] how many times a person loses it. So if they lose it so many times, their parents will be contacted,” he disclosed.

Though Myles enjoys his time at Stuyvesant, his professional goals deviate from a school setting. He initially pursued a degree in political science. “I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, but that didn’t happen,” he shared. Myles is currently an aspiring nurse and has acquired his certification to work as a Certified Nurse Assistant. Although Myles wants to be an ICU nurse, he believes that he would be a better fit as an ER nurse, since ER nurses do not require as much organization or orderliness as ICU nurses would. “I’ve watched TikToks that say that ICUs are for Type A people. I try to be Type A but I’m not,” he stated.

Every other weekend, Myles devotes his time to a nursing home, among other activities for leisure. “I like to hang out with friends, check out new restaurants, and watch YouTube vlogs.”

“I may seem like I don’t do anything, but I actually do a lot for you guys,” Myles jokingly remarked—a sentiment that we do not feel we can argue with. 

Words of Advice: “Undergrad isn’t everything. I think it’s more about grad school. And definitely enjoy life.” 

—Myles Sebastien

‘Cecilia’ Lok Man Yang: 

Visible upon entry, Room 236H’s fluorescent lights illuminate the cozy space, adding a flair of brightness. In this room, guidance counselor Cecilia Yang is busy at work trying to make everyone feel welcome, a goal that stems from her family-oriented lifestyle.

Yang was not always a high school counselor. “I started as a math teacher, and then I really [wanted] to form a closer bond with my students, so I went back to school,” Yang revealed. “Then after work, I took the train and went to Hunter College to study full-time for my master’s degree [in counseling].” 

One of Yang’s main qualities as a counselor is that she is bilingual, which is ultimately what pushed her to become a counselor at Stuyvesant. “I wanted to look for a job where I [could] use my skill. There happened to be a position here [since] the two previous bilingual counselors left to different schools. There was an opening, and I came to find myself here, ” Yang said. 

Yang is also a very talkative person, something her students and even colleagues may not be aware of, but it becomes of immense value in a counseling setting. “When I’m in a crowd, in a group, I tend not to say anything, because I get anxious, I get nervous. But when I’m one-on-one, I can get very comfortable. Even if I know people very well in the group, I still don’t tend to say anything,” Yang explained. 

Yang’s work matters to her because she feels that her own experiences will allow her to connect to her students and their parents on a personal level. “I have been in their shoes. I have been through this same process. I also [had] my education here. I wasn’t born here, [so] I can connect myself with their parents, because a lot of the parents did not have a U.S. education,” Yang shared. “So I feel like I’m able to understand the difficulties, and I am glad that I can use my language advantage to help bridge the gap between the school and the family, and also run workshops in their own language.”

Yang’s personal goals for Stuyvesant are advantageous to her students: “I hope to be able to improve myself in terms of communication skills, being able to set up a vibe where students feel very comfortable coming in to speak to me. So I always smile at them when I see them, [giving] them a big smile,” Yang explained. “On the school level, I try to help every one of my students be more engaged in extracurricular activities, not just academic-wise.” She expressed how crucial it is to branch out and gain various experiences from different programs, such as in public speaking and leadership, before heading off to college. 

By far, Yang’s favorite part about Stuyvesant is the kids and their parents. “They're all very, very serious learners. [The] parents, they are great supporters. Whenever we encounter a problem with the students, whether it’s academic or emotional, we know we can always reach out to the parents,” Yang explained. “We try to take every student seriously, and then we do a lot of meetings with them, a lot of check-ins, so I really enjoy the time that we spend together. It’s the amount of dedication and commitment everyone, every staff [member] shows for the student,” she added.

Outside of school, Yang devotes much of her time to her kids, bringing them to practice lessons for piano and swimming and visiting her mom frequently. “I tend to default more time to them and just be with them all the time. Bring them to new places, eat out, relax, and then plan my vacation days. In my alone time, I go online, shopping, and then just [watch] dramas. Check in with friends and eat out with them,” Yang said. 

 As someone who has first-hand experience in both China and the U.S. and a passion to help her students, Yang serves as an exceptional counselor who can connect with the vast majority of the students at Stuyvesant High School. 

Words of Advice: “You shouldn’t be worried about speaking up due to any form of retaliation [...] I absolutely hope that all my students will learn how to speak up for themselves, work together as a team and not just complain and not do anything about it. It’s a learning process.”

—‘Cecilia’ Lok Man Yang

Sarah Kornhauser:

Attached to the door of room 236J is a sign reading “Ms. Kornhauser” in an eccentric, colorful font, matching the personality of the counselor sitting inside—one committed to brightening up the worlds of all the students she works with. 

Guidance counselor Sarah Kornhauser has been a New York City counselor ever since 2004. She is a guidance counselor by day at Stuyvesant and a therapist by night; she sees clients after school hours to help even more people. Kornhauser has worked at numerous schools in an attempt to find the best fit. She ultimately ended up at Stuyvesant due to a long-lasting acquaintance with English teacher Megan Weller. “When a position opened up in guidance, I had known her for so long from my past. And she had said, ‘I know someone who might be a great fit at Stuy,’” Kornhouser explained. “She encouraged me to apply. And I’m so glad she did, because I really do think I’m a good fit at [Stuyvesant]. And I don’t know if I would have even known there was a position available. So I feel very lucky for that connection.” 

Kornhauser believes she was meant to be at Stuyvesant to emulate the life-changing experiences with her own counselor in high school. “I came to guidance [and] school counseling because I had an exceptional school counselor in high school. I wanted to be like her. She helped me feel like a person that mattered when I was a kid. I was so confused and overwhelmed by options. I didn’t know what was important and what wasn’t, and she really helped me figure out how to prioritize things, figured out what was special about me, and encouraged me to be myself,” Kornhauser recalled. “I’ve really created my career in the spirit of her career. She was so important to me. So, I know that guidance counselors can be really important.”

Overall, Kornhauser believes that being a counselor means helping kids get through high school. “It’s free available counseling and support where you can walk in and someone’s going to listen to you and help you if you want it. There’s a lot of parts of high school that are hard to navigate. It’s important to steer kids in the direction of their greatness and offer them support in this really challenging journey,” she said. 

Kornhauser even noted that her favorite part about the school is its students: “[They are] so inspiring, impressive, independent, motivated, [and] different from each other. You’re such a varied group of people coming together every day, and I feel very honored to be with you [and] to walk with you through high school. It’s a true pleasure. And I mean that,” she explained. Kornhauser aims to make her kids feel less alone in their journey through high school. Speaking to this goal, Kornhauser said, “My goal for my work at [Stuyvesant] is to start working with students in groups more so that kids can feel less alone. Because a lot of times, kids come to me with issues thinking that they’re the only one, and they really aren’t. So I’ve been working with kids in small groups, [...] And it’s been so meaningful. If I can continue to schedule ongoing groups with multiple kids, that’s my goal.” She hopes to continue this effective style of counseling, to not only help her students but also familiarize them with their peers. 

Aside from work, Kornhauser emphasized her love for the outdoors, animals, cooking, reading, weekend road trips, being a Brooklynite, and playing the piano. Although she does not play much anymore, Kornhauser used to be very good at the piano, having taken lessons for 17 years. “I didn’t always enjoy it. But towards the end, I started to really enjoy it,” Kornhauser added.  

Ultimately, Kornhauser’s experience and variety in hobbies make her an exceptional guidance counselor who not only speaks to but also works towards the success and betterment of the students she works with. 

Words of Advice: “Lean on the people who can support you. You do not have to do everything alone. The world is kind of complicated, and sometimes it can be unfriendly, but there’s always people out there who support you.”

—Sarah Kornhauser

Kristina Uy: 

A few doors to the left of the front reception desk is room 236L. The outside windowsill of the office is decorated with a colorful assortment of turtle figurines, and guidance counselor Kristina Uy is often found working in the softly-lit cubicle, which houses multiple fidget toys and pictures of Uy’s family. 

Uy vacillated between multiple careers and trajectories before she settled on being a mentor for students. She started with hopes of going into pre-med and earned an undergrad degree in biomedical engineering from Columbia, but this career path ended up not being for her. “I realized I didn’t have it in me to go to school for so long, and I didn’t love it enough to want to do it,” she said. Eventually, the counselor pursued a master’s degree in math education and ended up teaching mathematics at a middle school for almost a decade. “I coached volleyball in middle school and enjoyed my interactions as a coach and building relationships. Since I wanted to stay in the school system, I switched to being a counselor,” she added. Uy’s roundabout experience with her purpose in life makes it easier for students to connect with her and feel comfortable sharing aspects of life that confuse them. Moreover, during her time teaching at a middle school, she saw that important skills such as organization, time management, and self-control weren’t being taught. Presently, she enforces these skills in her own work as a counselor.

Uy’s ability to build solid bonds with her students stems from her overall goal in every approach: giving them a sense of hope. “I think a lot of times when I see students, they feel hopeless or just feel really down, and I want to show them that there is more,” she elaborated. The counselor mentioned, “I always talk about sleep because I just think sleep is so important. So just trying to reinforce how much life can be improved if you prioritize sleep.”

In her free time, Uy enjoys traveling and running. In fact, last year, Uy participated in the NYC marathon; she had a great experience while running alongside her friends, family, and colleagues. Along with running, Uy is an avid reader who dabbles with both nonfiction and fiction but prefers fiction. “I managed to read 50 books, and this year I’m trying to read 60,” she said. “I’m happy to take any book recommendations that people have!” The Christian faith is another important part of the counselor’s life. “I spend a lot of time with my church doing different activities and volunteering,” she stated.

Uy is a person who is very easy to relate to, much like a kindred spirit. She would be happy to converse about any seemingly minuscule aspect of her students’ lives and encourages them to stop by and just chat. 

Words of Advice: “You shouldn’t just do what you think is going to give you the most money [...] You don’t have to be in these cookie-cutter positions. Just because you say you’re going to be something as a high schooler doesn’t mean that’s what you have to be in the end.” 

—Kristina Uy

Sandra Brandan: 

Sandwiched between rooms 236L and 236J is 236K, which opens up to reveal a pleasant space filled with a soft glow from a tall lamp. The light emanating from the open computer casts a slight spotlight on the inhabitant of the office, guidance counselor Sandra Brandan. In addition to being a guidance counselor, Brandan is a full-time mom and the cross-country indoor and outdoor boys track coach. In addition to coaching track, she enjoys running and bingeing reality TV.

Brandan shared that counseling is in fact her third career. “I didn’t always want to go into education. I started as a business major. I was an engineer, and I worked for corporate America. I ghost wrote for [numerous] famous artists that you may have heard on the radio. I was very well known in the music industry,” she explained. To add to the versatility of her education and experience, the counselor revealed that she has three undergraduate degrees under her belt: one in psychology, one in sociology, and one in anthropology (and a minor in dance). “To become a counselor, you need a master’s degree in applied psychology with a concentration in school counseling,” she explained. 

Brandan’s entry into Stuyvesant was spontaneous. Pedrick reached out to her regarding her resume on the open market and scheduled an interview. “I just came in to see what Stuyvesant was all about, since I was already a school counselor at a middle school. And we just hit it off, I was glad Pedrick was impressed by my credentials, and then offered a position at Stuyvesant,” Brandan recalled. The aspect of Stuyvesant that reeled her in and continues to appeal to her was the students and her colleagues. 

As a school counselor, Brandan hopes to have made a difference in the lives of at least one of her students. “One child’s life is our goal,” she elaborated. Brandan knows her work is effective when a constant stream of students comes in and out of her office: to the point where she doesn’t have a chance to eat lunch. “I would be worried if I would go a day without a student visiting me,” she said. 

Words of Advice: “I hope that all students are able to meet with their school counselor, whether it’s in person or by email. If it’s more comfortable for [students] to have an email relationship, I’m okay with that, but at least come visit me once so I know who you are, what you look like, and you know what I look like.” 

—Sandra Brandan

Undine Guthrie:

On the left-hand side of the suite room, 236B comes into view. A quick glance reveals a large plant poster hung on the back wall of the room as guidance counselor Undine Guthrie tends to her students with an enthusiastic attitude. Being a guidance counselor is such a focal point of her life that she believes her outside life to be similar to how she operates at work. “In my relationships, I’m still like that counselor or that person who motivates other people,” she shared.

Guthrie is very interested in everything related to health and wellness, and a great deal of her hobbies relate to books, seminars, and other content in this area. Guthrie began as a health teacher and was recommended to Stuyvesant by an individual from a school she student taught at. As a part of her interview process, Guthrie had to perform two demonstration lesson plans, for which she received a standing ovation and was instantly hired. She transferred over to the counseling department because her masters in counseling would have expired if left unused. “I was like, ‘Wait a minute, I’m teaching. Now, I want to see what it’s like to be a counselor.’ I feel like health and counseling go hand-in-hand,” she said. Guthrie mentioned that she had a yoga certification, along with her masters in counseling. As for her occupation, she believes counselors are necessary to ground students, make them feel heard, and offer the tools needed for success. “We need some people who are objective, who are not necessarily our friends or our family to kind of weigh in on life,” she explained. To form well-rounded decisions, multiple perspectives should be considered, and counselors can definitely assist in that process.

Working at Stuyvesant, Guthrie has come to love the diverse student body. She adores the conversations she is able to have and feels proud to see how her students manage to overcome their struggles, describing the student body as a huge think tank. Previously, Guthrie attended the United Nations International School, a private school in New York, where she came across a diverse student body, explaining why she views Stuyvesant’s variety of students to be so special to her. 

The most admirable of Guthrie’s attributes is her dedication to evolving herself to give back to her community. She expressed that she has so much to be grateful for and is taken by a desire to come to the aid of others and spread her vibrancy with those surrounding her. “I’m just so invigorated by the journey of just learning and growing as a person,” she added. Guthrie revealed that her mother has inspired her to be the best version of herself. “She was like a light, and I feel like she’s passed that on to me,” she said. “She wasn’t a gossiper and always had something positive to say. I looked at her like, ‘Wow, how can you live in this world and you just always see the good in people and situations?’[...] It just was amazing to see the way she lived,” the counselor stated in an ending remark.

Words of Advice: “The hardest project you’ll ever work on is yourself. If you aren’t working towards improving yourself, your mindset, your level of compassion, gratitude, how you occur within yourself, your inner self, as well as others, then you’re missing out on a big chunk of life.”

—Undine Guthrie

A dive into the lives of people who help us every day reveals so much about their motives and goals. It makes it easier to understand why they use the methods they do. Most importantly, a life story adds slightly more soul to the work of the counselors and aids; there is the manifestation of the idea that people define their work and not the other way around.