Why should a student contact you?
I am the SAP (Student Assistance Program) counselor [at Wakefield], so I act as a school social worker.
What specific situations do you handle at Wakefield?
I deal with students who are in transition [between housing], different agencies that assist families who are in transition, teen pregnancies and mental health. [I also] work with different agencies to assist students with therapy, [introducing] them and coordinating care.
How long have you worked at Wakefield?
This is my fourth year at Wakefield. I have been doing this, in some capacity, for about 20 years.
Is there a memory from your time assisting students at Wakefield that stands out to you?
[What stands out to me is] going out to [help] families during Covid-19 and trying to locate families that were experiencing difficulties [before the pandemic.]
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I’m unconventional, [so] I went to La Guardia Community College in New York, then I transferred to City College after completing that program. Then I relocated here and went to [North Carolina Central University] for my graduate degree. I have a master’s degree in counselor education.
What was your dream job growing up?
At one point, I wanted to go into the service [for 20 years] and retire.
What can students do to make your job easier?
Reach out for help if you need [it]. I do the SOS, which is signs of suicide for freshmen and seniors, but there’s that gap with the [mental health screening for] juniors and sophomores.
If you had to teach a subject here at Wakefield, what would it be and why?
[I would] say Art.
Why should a student contact you?
I am the attendance clerk at Wakefield High School
What specific situations do you handle at Wakefield?
I handle absences for any reason, I code attendance and our Infinite Campus program. [Additionally], I handle suspensions, take care of the sick room, administer medication and write tardy slips in AllTimely.
How long have you worked at Wakefield?
“I’ve been here since Sept. 2023. I first started out as a special education IA, and I’ve been the attendance clerk since May of this year.
Is there a memory from your time assisting students at Wakefield that stands out to you?
I used to be assigned to this kid and I remember one time we were in his art class, and he had to re-create a famous painting called “Wanderer over Sea of Fog”. He was drawn to it, and I recognized it from somewhere, so I was on Google, and turns out I’ve seen that painting in Minecraft. And that’s something both of us kinda bonded over.
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I went to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, I studied psychology and right now I’m going to Liberty University for my master’s in school counseling.
What was your dream job growing up?
My dream job growing up [was] a therapist.
What can students do to make your job easier?
Going to class on time [rather than getting] a bunch of tardies. [I want students] to try to stay out of lunch detention and ISS. I hate writing these passes knowing that [their] consequence could be one of those.
If you had to teach a subject here at Wakefield, what would it be and why?
I would [teach] math because I’m really good with numbers, and I never forget a single detail. I’m really good with birthdays, students’ ID, names and faces.”
Why should a student contact you?
I am Malik Bazzell’s secretary. I am the lead secretary of the school. I make sure we’re all taking care of what we need to, that [the staff] is taken care of, and that we all are working as a team to [ensure] the school is supported the best.
What specific situations do you handle at Wakefield?
I handle payroll for all of the staff, leave and all of the sub-coverage. [I do a lot of] HR, like workers’ compensation and leave days. I help staff with any questions or benefits. If [staff] is going to be out or taking a day off, I handle it.
How long have you worked at Wakefield?
[I have worked at Wakefield] since April 9th of 2025.
Is there a memory from your time assisting students at Wakefield that stands out to you?
I don’t interact as much with the students, but yes! One of our students did not want to get out of his car to go to class. I happened to see him in the hallway, and I talked to him. He was shy, but he followed me and we went right into his class.
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I went to Wake Tech, and I didn’t finish. But I studied nursing. Then I got my CNA.
What was your dream job growing up?
[When I was younger] I wanted to be a teacher. As I got a little older, [I wanted to] be a sign language interpreter because my best friend growing up was deaf. I learned sign language from her, and I’ve gotten to do some sign language interpreting, but I never got fully trained. Then I wanted to be a nurse in the mission field, taking care of countries that need more help. Helping people was my ultimate goal.
What can students do to make your job easier?
[Students] can obey the rules so Mr. Bazzell doesn’t get stressed, since I take care of him, as well as the rest of the staff. Stop fighting during lunch and wear the appropriate clothing. The [Assistant Principals] work so hard to keep [this school] safe and a fun place to come to. The more students fight against that, the harder it is for them to do what they need. The less teachers are stressed, the less they need to be taken care of.
If you had to teach a subject here at Wakefield, what would it be and why?
I love math and science. They have always been my favorite growing up, so those would be fun. Anything having to do with finances would be fun, too. I have a heart for helping people get out of debt and take care of their finances.
Why should a student contact you?
I’m a discipline/clerical assistant and a women’s head basketball coach.
What specific situations do you handle at Wakefield?
[I handle] lunch detention, ISS, the industrial printers, all the bloodborne pathogen and health [issues], Wake County paperwork, emergency red bag situations and the women’s basketball program. My team, my staff and I do a really good job with the girls.
How long have you worked at Wakefield?
I started at Wakefield in 2019 [in] Special Education. I moved into the clerical/discipline instructor role in 2022.
Is there a memory from your time assisting students at Wakefield that stands out to you?
Seeing a freshman almost drop out and watching them graduate. That is very important to me. I had a lot of the kids who have a little bit of issues, discipline-wise, and seeing those kids graduate, seeing those kids move on to become adults is very heartwarming.
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I went to Fayetteville State University, and I studied sociology, criminal justice, business, psychology and communications.
What was your dream job growing up?
I got it, high school basketball coach.
What can students do to make your job easier?
[To] follow directions instead of coming to my office to ask me to make their lunch pass and waiting for me to call them down. Unless I told you I was going to call you 3 weeks ago and I never called you, then you can come see me.
If you had to teach a subject here at Wakefield, what would it be and why?
Sociology and history because of my memory.
Why should a student contact you?
I am the Career Development Coordinator. Which I tell people is just a fancy title for a Career Counselor. My role is to help students have a plan for after they graduate.
What specific situations do you handle at Wakefield?
What that looks like is [pretty] vast in what I do. I meet with students individually to talk about their career goals and college goals. I [also] help set up field trips and job shadowing opportunities or internships to help them explore some of those different career pathways.
How long have you worked at Wakefield?
I have been at this school for 21 years. I started as a business marketing teacher, and I taught business and marketing classes until 2010, then I started being a CDC.
Is there a memory from your time assisting students at Wakefield that stands out to you?
Last year, I helped a student get into an EMT program, and she became an EMT. My old office was next to the sick room, and there was somebody who had an allergic reaction in her class and she walked them down to the office. She basically acted as an EMT. She was an EMT apprentice and [was] taking [the student’s] pulse and keeping her calm while we were getting an EpiPen, It was just cool to get to witness that and see that.
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I went to NC State, and I majored in Business and Marketing Education. I was a teaching fellow, which is a scholarship that [NC State] has. It’s a full ride, but you have to teach at [NC State] for 4 years in order to pay it back.
What was your dream job growing up?
I really did not know what I wanted to do. I was really good at math, so everyone told me I should be an engineer, but I didn’t know I liked to help people. [I like to tell students] you don’t always need to follow a path that somebody suggests just because it’s something you might be good at in terms of aptitude. You also have to be happy with your job, and that’s the goal. But my mom was an English teacher and my dad was an engineer, so I knew what it was like to be a teacher and engineer to some extent. I didn’t really think it would be that fun.
What can students do to make your job easier?
When I come to your classroom and talk to you about the opportunities listed. Don’t put your head down or zone out. Make an appointment with me so I can get to know you better and help you.
If you had to teach a subject here at Wakefield, what would it be and why?
I would probably go back to what I taught in the classroom. Accounting was one of my favorite classes to teach. I love teaching entrepreneurship. We did not have virtual enterprise when I was a teacher, but I would have loved that class. I think that class is super cool.
Why should a student contact you?
I’m the Registrar and Student Services Clerk.
What specific situations do you handle at Wakefield?
I handle all the new enrollments and new students that come in. I’m in charge of records. And then up here in Student Services, I oversee who’s going and coming with the counselors. [I handle] the calendars and assess whether students need to be seen right away, or if they can make an appointment. I’m also the backup for the nurse.
How long have you worked at Wakefield?
It will be seven years in December.
Is there a memory from your time assisting students at Wakefield that stands out to you?
I don’t know that there’s one that stands out to me. I was in attendance when I started off. Last year I was Registrar, so I had an office on the backside. I didn’t really see students. So this year, I’m enjoying getting to have student interaction again.
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I went to college at Elon University. Then, I got a master’s [in counseling] at Longwood University.
What was your dream job growing up?
It’s still my dream job. I have always dreamed of having a dog ranch. I wanted to board dogs, and I also wanted to take in dogs that were in high-kill shelters. [I want] to train them and give them a good place to live, and then find them homes.
What can students do to make your job easier?
Today, I would have to say stop fighting. I wish everyone would just get along because in all my years here that I have worked, I have never had a problem with a student. They bring so much joy to me, and I wish they would just stop fighting and get along.
If you had to teach a subject here at Wakefield, what would it be and why?
Animal science because I love animals. I absolutely love them. That would definitely be my course of study. I’d be out there walking the goats all the time.
Why should a student contact you?
My name is Vianka Andrade- Modesto, and I am the bookkeeper here at Wakefield High School.
What specific situations do you handle at Wakefield?
Well, I handle all the accounts for the budgeting accounts for the school.
How long have you worked at Wakefield?
A: So this is my second year, going on my third year. I started at Student Services and then became the bookkeeper.
Is there a memory from your time assisting students at Wakefield that stands out to you?
I had a lot of memories with students when I was working in Student Services. I don’t get [to help students] a lot here, working as a bookkeeper. [But my favorite memory is] working with students.
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I went to Wake Tech to get my Billing and Coding Certificate, which I didn’t finish, but I tried [to].
What was your dream job growing up?
My dream job… I really didn’t have a dream job. But I really like this job. I like working with numbers, so a bookkeeper is a really good job for me right now.
What can students do to make your job easier?
I don’t consider my job hard. So I think what they’re doing is really good right now. So as long as they keep it as is, I’m comfortable with that.
If you had to teach a subject here at Wakefield, what would it be and why?
I would say math, because I like working with numbers. So that would be a subject that would be good.
