“I soon realized, these were not the jobs for me,” he said. “I knew teaching wasn’t the right fit, but I wanted to work with students.”
When Nedd began coaching high school football, it was his athletes who suggested he become a counselor. After going back to school, Nedd and his wife began considering a move to Colorado where his parents lived.
When looking for the right school, Nedd said, “I wanted a position where [students] could see a person of color, in a position they could trust and be around.”
Since coming to PCHS, he started the Students Supporting Culture, a multicultural club whose mission strives to educate students and the community about different cultures.
Why Education?
After finding his place at PCHS, Nedd has worked to become a counselor students can count on.
“When I was in high school, I didn’t know my guidance counselor. The only time I really sat down with him was to discuss scholarships before graduating,” Nedd explained.
He’s finding success and sense of purpose in his new role, but Nedd is quick to credit the entire PCHS counseling team. “I’m a new counselor, and they’re teaching me.”
Before starting the multicultural club, Nedd said he had eight students piled in his office one afternoon. After they left, a fellow counselor asked him, “Are you okay? We’ve never seen so many students of color in an office before.” He explained, they didn’t have anywhere to go and so they sought out Nedd who could understand how they felt.
Educating and Inspiring Students to Thrive
Nedd has a strict open-door policy. When he’s not in a private meeting, he’s leaves the door to his office ajar so when students walk in, they’re surrounded by candy, snacks, and couch to relax on.
“I just want to be available to all students,” he said. When his door isn’t open, Nedd often remembers a scene from the movie, Dangerous Minds, where a student looks for help in a school’s front office only to be scolded for opening a closed door, and later dies when he didn’t get the help he needed.
Nedd said, “That scene has always stuck in my head. All my students have access to me however they choose.” The open-door policy became increasingly difficult amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nedd found a special way to connect with students.
After scoring two large bundles of toilet paper from the local Costco, Nedd told his wife, “I’m going to TP my student’s houses.” Thankfully, he wasn’t literal. Nedd had no plans of decorating his student’s yard with toilet paper, but instead he sent them an important message.
“I took a roll of toilet paper, some candy and put it in a Ziplock bag. I wrote a note on it encouraging students to keep pushing through even though times were tough.”
He wanted to remind students he was still available to them even though they couldn’t visit his office.
Rapid Fire Questions
What is your why?
“I feel like this is what I was born to do. I do this because I love it and I feel like it’s what students need. I do this because it’s who I am.”
What keeps you going on the hard days?
“Selfishly, it’s this environment. In other jobs, I’ve thought about calling in sick for work, but never here. The students keep me going, but also the people I work with. They’re always so ready and willing to help.”
What did you love to eat for lunch in school?
“Pizza. We used to have these pepperoni rectangle pizzas with eraser-sized pepperonis.”
What is your favorite school supply?
“I love mechanical pencils, even though I don’t use them much anymore.”
What character was on your lunchbox or backpack as a kid?
“I’m embarrassed to admit, I had a 101 Dalmatians backpack.”
If you could pick any theme song to wake you up, what would it be?
“In Da Club by 50 Cent. It was my alarm sound when I was in college.”
Is there a quote that inspires you?
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Ghandi
We are honoring our people through sharing their unique stories. This regular new feature, aptly named “Our People,” will shine a light on who they are, their passions and their contributions. The people who uphold our traditions of excellence. We hope you enjoy these stories and will nominate someone to be highlighted in “Our People.”
