Mr. Jonathan Somarriba, hired after Ms. Judi Moien retired at the end of last school year, is a new counselor this year.

Before coming to Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Mr. Somarriba received his bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park. He then attended Liberty University in Virginia, where he received his master’s degree in school counseling. After college, he worked as a case manager at High Point High School in Beltsville, MD.

Mr. Somarriba said he enjoys counseling Roosevelt students in particular because of how “the students are career driven.” He says that he “[loves] that students are thinking about college, even in 9th grade”. He also said he enjoys counseling because it “reminds [him] of when [he] was in high school.”

Senior Martin Rosales said Mr. Somarriba is “super nice and supportive” and a “compassionate person” who is “always willing… to help you or give you advice.”

Another senior, Natalia Rincon, also adds how his “bilinguality is a huge advantage which has helped.”

As a counselor, he has a large role in helping seniors through the college application process. Mr. Somarriba said he “doesn’t want to add to [the students’] stress”. He advises younger Roosevelt students to “start a mock application and start writing [their] essays,” and to narrow down their school choices “to a top five, so they’re not overly stressed.” He also added that “colleges don’t change their essay topics from year to year, so start early… so you’re not in a rush.”

Mr. Somarriba said he’s “happy at Roosevelt” because “most of all, it’s fun.”