TOWAMENCIN- Everyone knows what it’s like to be new at something. Whether it’s traversing the winding, never ending hallways of a new school, or the frustrating struggles of perfecting a sport, it’s hard. Being a new student during a school year riddled with inconsistency and distance makes it some much more complicated for students to find their group, discover hidden interests, and truly experience their high school years. 

Who better to talk to than a guidance counselor who is experiencing those very emotions this year? Look no further than junior home office K025.

Ms. Bianca Adams is North Penn High School’s newest guidance counselor for juniors, replacing Mrs. Annamaria Manalo, who retired last year. It is also her first year as a counselor after graduating from West Chester University. 

Contrasting her bubbly and welcoming personality, Adams was very nervous entering this school year, not only because it was a new experience for her, but also because of the pandemic and the new struggle of a virtual/in-person year.

“Coming out of grad school, I was looking for a job, and the pandemic hit,” Adams explained. “There were limited jobs and limited space, and during that time I kind of overcame all of that just by believing in myself. I did hours of research of different schools and communities that I could be a part of, and eventually found North Penn.” 

“My experience has been great so far and everyone has been super supportive,” Adams expressed. “I have a great mentor, Mrs. McGuriman, and she has really helped me out and walked me through step by step of how to do things around here.”

Adams looks forward to getting to know all of her students this year, even in a virtual setting. A central element of being a guidance counselor for her is to be a person that students can go to for whatever they need; whether it’s just a quick talk or talks about their future.

“When I was in high school, I had a great counselor, and he really helped me find my path,” Adams reflected. “He was someone that I really connected with. I thought that if he could have an impact on my life, why can’t I have an impact on some of my students’ future lives.”

It is one of Adams’ main priorities to make sure her students feel comfortable coming to her when they have a problem, even though she is new to them. In a way, it makes them connect even more. 

During Adams’ own time at school, she was a very involved student, and participated in a variety of extracurriculars. She attended Abington Friends School where she played basketball, soccer, and softball, was a diversity facilitator, a cleric of black student union, and was in the Hispanic affinity group. At North Penn, she hopes to bring some of her knowledge from her own high school experiences to better connect with her students.

“Being half African-American and half Hispanic, race is very important to me,” Adams expressed. “I think a lot about inclusion and diversity, and I think that it’s just such an important topic these days for people to acknowledge.”

“It’s so important to acknowledge that everyone is unique in their own way, and I believe that each person should be able to be open with who they are no matter what,” Adams said.

For her first year being a mix of full virtual and hybrid learning, Adams, along with the entire guidance department, have had to adapt to the situations. Virtual conferences via Google Meet and alternate methods of communication with students and their families have taken the place of face to face conversations; while it is not the same, it works.

But this year has not bothered Adams too much, considering her job is a more spontaneous one; she could go into the day thinking she’s going to accomplish one thing, and end up accomplishing something completely different.

Adams is extremely grateful to be able to do what she does, and is hopeful with her future at North Penn. She describes her job as the ‘perfect fit’ for where she wants to go in life and who she wants to help. She looks forward to possibly coaching soccer at some point, though not anytime soon, due to the circumstances and stress of this year.

Currently, Adams is a girls basketball coach at her old high school as well as a travel league coach outside of school. In college, Adams was a member of Gwynedd Mercy’s girls basketball team and actively expresses her joy for the sport, even though she doesn’t play anymore.

“Being on a team, you learn to work with different people who share similar opinions and those who don’t,” Adams reflected, on how her time as both a player and a coach has impacted her ability to interact with her coworkers and her students. “I’m going to be working with students who I may share the same views with, and those that I may not, and I have to be able to serve all my students the same way.”

Overall, Adams is very happy and excited to work in such a diverse and opportunistic environment, where she has the power to direct students’ futures in positive ways. 

“I get to do a whole bunch of things everyday that a lot of people can’t, and I like that about my job,” Adams said.