College and Career Center Coordinator Andrea Gorman has been a bright light at Los Altos High School for the last five years. When Gorman’s grandson was born last summer, he became the light of her life. Realizing that she needed to make more time for family in her life, Gorman has transitioned to working at the center part-time.

“In a word, I feel ‘bittersweet,’ which is typically how our seniors feel when they are graduating from LAHS,” Gorman said. “On the one hand, I feel sad that I will not be on campus every day helping students. On the other hand, I am looking forward to spending time with my son, his wife and my grandson John.”

Inspired by her own high school counselor, Gorman’s goal as a coordinator was always to create a welcoming place for students to explore their plans beyond high school. She enjoyed guiding her students as they discovered their own passions and forged their distinctive paths.

“I am a first-generation college student, and my high school counselor was so patient and helpful to me,” Gorman said. “I always wanted to be able to give all of our students the same kind of support that I received when I was in high school. In my position, it was so fulfilling to help a student make a decision about their future.”

For many graduated upperclassmen such as Elena Atluri, ’20, Gorman was their go-to for all types of upper education advice or just to chat.

“The College And Career Center is an amazing resource for all students—from being able to check out test prep books that I otherwise would not have been able to afford, to the numerous college visits, to being able to talk with Ms. Gorman about anything,” Atluri said. “In a high-pressure environment to get into a top school, Ms. Gorman helped me internalize that it didn’t matter where I ended up going to college. I remember telling Ms. Gorman about my first college acceptance and her happiness for me really made my day.”

Even though Ms. Gorman greatly impacted the lives of the students she worked with, she was also deeply touched by the personal connections she formed with them during the process.

“I was honored to be there every day to support and guide students as they learned about themselves, their skills and interests,” Gorman said. “Hopefully I was able to spread some kindness and make your day a little brighter. Thank you very much for being a part of my life.”