It takes a special person to work with middle school kids. Is takes the absolute best of the best to be a counselor for middle school kids. Mrs. Wiidakas it exactly that, the best of the best. Her dedication to the students of Cresthill is unmatched. Not only is she a counselor, but she has also been a coach for multiple sports, ensuring that fun after school programs can continue. She is a mental health advocate, dedicating time to educate students as well as parents about the difficulties of being a teenager. Most importantly she sees the students as the individuals that they are. She connects with them on their interests and encourages them in their independence, always motivating them to develop their resilience. Most importantly, for us, when we mentioned that an event with one of our children made school particularly difficult she immediately took action. Her system to meet with each individual child on her team demonstrates how much she cares for each child. My son knows without a doubt that if he ever needs anything the Mrs. Wiidakas is one of his trusted adults. There is no way to adequately express our gratitude for how she has helped our child gain confidence in himself, strengthen his resilience when things get hard, and to feel loved. We will forever be grateful for Mrs. Wiidakas's role in our family's educational journey.