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“I don’t even know how she learned to draw mermaids like that!” gushed new counselor Heather Hogan over a drawing on her wall done by her daughter. A week into her new job at the school, Hogan’s office was already decorated with framed photos of her two daughters, ages one and six, their artwork and even a mini zen garden on the desk. The devoted mother and Seattle native hopes to create a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere to help students navigate the struggles of high school.
Hogan has always been involved in counseling, beginning in high school when she was a member of a peer resources program called Natural Helpers. Hogan participated in the program for all four years of high school, eventually training new entrants as a senior.
A negative encounter with her own high school guidance counselor also motivated Hogan to enter the field. “He told me I would never amount to anything and to not bother turning in my college applications,” she said. “I knew I could do a better job.”
Hogan aims to outdo her own counselor and support students through the trials and tribulations of high school. “High school feels like yesterday to me,” she said. “It can be very real and intense. I hope to be here for students.”
Hogan enjoys counseling students on various adolescent issues. “When you’re an educator, you sort of pick your group — I’ve always liked high school students,” she said. Hogan also wants to help students learn to solve their own problems without her assistance once they go to college.
Hogan ended up working with the high school students of Lowell after moving from her hometown of Mercer Island near Seattle, Washington. “My extended family is from Seattle,” she said. “I’m the only person who’s ever left.”
Hogan enjoys spending time with the newly founded San Francisco branch of her family. “Kids are so funny,” she said. “They say the craziest things.” She can often be found going on walks with her children and attending her older daughter’s soccer games. Hogan’s daughter may have inherited her enjoyment of soccer from her mother. “I actually met my husband while playing soccer,” Hogan said. “I love running around during the game.”
In addition to her mothering skills Hogan explores her athletic and creative sides in her alone time. When her husband is watching the kids, Hogan likes to mountain bike. “I’m looking to find a new partner to bike with,” she said.
Hogan is not only active. She also has a less publicized artistic hobby: writing, and she hopes to publish a book. “That’s something a lot of people wouldn’t know about me,” she said. “My biggest fear with it is failure. Some people are lucky enough to get published, but most aren’t.”
When her daughters become teenagers, Hogan’s ability to stay in the loop might come in handy. Though new to the school, Hogan’s finger is already on the pulse of student life. “Somebody should tell the students with lockers near my office that I can hear all of their gossip,” she said with a laugh.
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