Candice Alvarez from Copper View Elementary School was selected as Arizona’s School Counselor of the Year by the Arizona School Counselor Association (AzSCA). 

Alvarez has been a school counselor for the past 12 years in Southern Arizona. She became a school counselor to work with students and help them realize their goals in life. 

Alvarez has developed a complete comprehensive guidance curriculum for all students K-5, as well as, creating and running various programs to benefit the students at Copper View Elementary. Alvarez has a passion for post-secondary options and has established a Career Day at Copper View. She discusses with students the options they have, including college, military, tech schools and careers. Students research, interview, and present on different careers. Her work has helped to create a culture of future-mindedness among the students.

Alvarez works diligently to support the school-wide Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) program through the collection and communication of data. Additionally, she implemented the Girls on the Run program at Copper View, the first in the District. Girls on the Run is dedicated to the social, physical and academic development of girls grades 3rd-8th. Alvarez runs two sessions each year.  Her involvement and outreach through multiple programs at Copper View lend to getting to know the students and their families better. 

Alvarez also serves on the Board of the Arizona School Counselor Association and co-chair of the AzSCA Professional Development Committee. She has coordinated the Southern Arizona School Counselor Symposium bringing together school counselors, administrators and community members from around southern Arizona for the past 8 years.

Alvarez is honored to have won this prestigious recognition, but she emphasizes that the biggest reward is the work she gets to do with the students at Copper View Elementary School on a daily basis.