After nine years of helping students move on from Akins, Sarah Simmons is making a move of her own.

 In mid-September, Simmons, the school’s college and career counselor since 2010, announced that she would be taking a new job with the College Advising Corps. 

Simmons said her new job would allow her to work for a national nonprofit committed to college access for first-generation, underrepresented students.

“She helped me develop a better understanding of what colleges want, and that really got me where I am now,” alumna Bethany Bissell said.

She has made an incredible impact on many of our students during the nine years she worked at Akins. As a counselor, she had the chance to meet and spend time with each and every student on the path to college.

“Her passion for seeing her students succeed was amazing,” alumna Sana Naiyer said. “Mrs. Simmons was one of the most dedicated mentors during my time at Akins.”

From past to present, many students say they treasure memories of countless encounters shared with Simmons

“When I was no longer a student at Akins, she helped me fill out the FAFSA every year during my undergrad,” alum Yolonzo Moore, Class of 2011, said. “She brings out an excitement and energy that is unmatched.”

Bissell, who just started as a freshman at Louisiana State University, said she is excited about Simmons’s future.

“I think Simmons will be a good addition to their team,” she said.