Home on the range: Counselor helps new students feel welcomed

Manteca High School counselor Wayne Cheung poses with his degrees from Cal State Sacramento and Cal State Stanislaus. A former English Language Learner, Cheung is proud of his accomplishments and career in education. (MOISES RAMOS/The Tower).

By SAGE TITUS
The Tower

Imagine being a new student on a large campus without any idea what to do or where to go. Often, counselors are the first people you meet at a new school, and the first thing you would want is a good-natured counselor.

Manteca High students are in luck.

A new face himself, Wayne Cheung has been an amazing addition to the counseling staff in Manteca Unified School District. Now in his second year at Manteca High, Cheung strives to give students the opportunity to thrive academically, while also building a schedule that allows them to enjoy their high school experience.

His first step: Make sure students feel comfortable, whether that is helping them with classes or being there for students to talk to. He is very personable and easy going, and his door is always open.

Cheung operates from a place of empathy. It was long ago that he was an English Language Learner trying to find his way on a district campus. He admits his first years at East Union High School were challenging, but as he found friends and built a support network, he started to enjoy his time and find his place in the community.

The Tower reached out to Cheung to speak with him about his career path as a counselor.

The Tower: Why did you choose to be a counselor and MHS?

Wayne Cheung: I was born in Manteca and went to East Union. After graduating, Manteca gave me confidence to move and get my master’s degree. Coming back to my community and giving back to the students here, seeing them excel here is my number one priority.

Open-Door Policy

No matter how busy he might be, Manteca High School counselor Wayne Cheung’s door is always open to students who want to discuss their schedules or need someone to talk to. (MOISES RAMOS/The Tower)

TT: Do you enjoy being a counselor at MHS?

WC: I love being a counselor here. Seeing students perform at a great level in social and academic life, seeing students comfortable in their own skin over joys me. Here at MHS, we try out best to make sure that you can be whoever you want to be and be proud of it.

TT: How do you try to make school better for students here at MHS?

WC: Definitely being a nice person. There is so much going on in the world right now, so I love to make it easier for students by giving them a warm welcome. My door is always open for them to ask me questions. There is lots of pressure going on in high schoolers’ lives right now, so I would like to be a role model for them and answer any of their questions they have.

TT: What is a difficult part about being a counselor?

WC: A difficult part for me is seeing kids in school struggling now and seeing the pressure put onto kids. There is social media now and kids have trouble with trying to fit in the crowd. Students are always worried about looking the best or fitting into groups. Seeing students feel that way makes me sad for them. I try my best to let them know it’s going to be okay and everything will turn out in the end.