If Jaime Chavez had listened to his high school counselor, he would never have gone to college. “My counselor discouraged me because I wasn’t a straight-A student,” says Chavez. “Luckily, I had good role models in my brother and sister, who were in college and supported me.”

For the past four years, the 32-year-old Chavez has worked as a counselor at Eastlake High School. This year, the Sweetwater Union School District named him “Counselor of the Year.” His position involves one-on-one and group personal, career and academic counseling. He also develops and coordinates school-wide peer mediation programs aimed at teaching students about conflict resolution, drug education/prevention and tolerance.

Unlike his high school counselor, Chavez looks past the obvious facts on paper when dealing with students.

“I think that there are a lot of misconceptions about teenagers,” he says. “This is a time when they’re at a crossroad in their lives and making many decisions that affect their futures. It’s a crucial age to help young people.”

When not in school, Chavez volunteers with the San Diego Police Department Chief of Police Advisory Board and with the House of Puerto Rico (he is half Puerto Rican), where he serves on the board of directors.

“I like to lead by example,” says Chavez, an Azalea Park resident. “I push kids to work their hardest and I let them see that I’m doing the same. A lot of people like to complain about things such as the police. Instead, I do my part. That’s what I want the kids to see.”