Nora Guerin is earning a doctorate in education for herself and her students - and Lambeau is with her every step of the way
Nora Guerin, Achieve’s career and college readiness (CCR) senior coordinator at Edison High School, is earning her doctoral degree in educational leadership (Ed.D.) thanks to Capella University and Achieve Twin Cities.
“I would never be able to afford this without the full-tuition scholarship that Capella has awarded,” Nora says with gratitude. “It has opened the door for me to expand my learning in a way that will improve my leadership both in my school and within Achieve Twin Cities.”
Capella Fellows Program Scholarships are offered through community-based organizations to people who believe in giving back and changing lives. In addition to an application, a letter of letter of recommendation from the organization’s CEO or executive director is required – in Nora’s case, Achieve president and CEO Danielle Grant. Nora’s application rose to the top, and she’s now started her graduate studies while continuing to guide students at Edison High School.
Nora joined Achieve almost two decades ago and has served as the coordinator at Edison for 16 of those years. She says this is her dream job, because she adores working with students and guiding them through the process of making life choices. “Students give me energy, and that’s what I love,” she says with joy. “They keep me young and teach me the trends.”
Nora says 106 languages have been spoken at Edison over the past 100 years. It’s a diverse school with many different stories and life circumstances for its students. “We call our Career & College Center ‘The Room of Your Future’ because it gives students a space to dream, plan and execute their life plan,” Nora says. “I tell my students, ‘You get to be you in this space and it’s all about what you think and want’. Together we figure things out, from filling out the FAFSA to searching for colleges or helping parents accept their career choices.”
My Life Plan, the Minneapolis Public Schools career and college readiness curriculum for students grades 9-12, is a graduation requirement that Nora and her Edison Achieve colleague Katie Lorenz-Walraven also implement with the Edison counseling team. “This four-year curriculum helps students determine who they are, what they’re interested in, where they’re going, how they’ll get there and how they’ll function from there,” Nora explains. “Our goal is 100% of Edison seniors having a plan after graduation.”
Nora’s mobility assistance dog, a black lab named Lambeau, is always close at hand to keep an eye on her. “I have MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and I’ve had concussions caused by falls,” Nora says. At school, Lambeau travels with her throughout the building, accompanies her on classroom visits, pushes accessibility door paddles and picks up her cane or other things she’s dropped on the floor.
“He also helps students who are nervous around dogs to feel more comfortable,” she says, “and he teaches both students and adults about how service dogs work, especially the importance of not talking to or interacting with service dogs.” Lambeau already had his name when he came to Nora, and it couldn’t have been a better fit. “I’m a life-long Green Bay Packers fan and even have a Packers tattoo on my leg – so we’re a perfect match!”
Nora and Lambeau recently graduated from the Can Do Canines service dog program and ready to take on whatever comes their way. “I won the lottery last August when I received my Capella scholarship and Lambeau both in one month,” she says. “It changed my life!”
Nora is confident that earning her doctorate in educational leadership will strengthen her service to her students as well as the organization she cares about. “I’ve already learned so many things in my graduate classes that can help me support students and be a stronger leader without having a higher-level leadership position. It's very important to me to stay on the ladder with my students rather than climbing it.”
Congratulations on your scholarship and wonderful Lambeau, Nora – and thank you for your many years of dedication to Edison students!
Learn more about Nora and her assistance dog Lambeau in this Star Tribune feature story.