{"id":132701,"date":"2026-01-14T04:21:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T04:21:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/132701\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T04:21:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T04:21:47","slug":"a-decade-of-growth-school-social-workers-strengthen-student-support-in-kern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/132701\/","title":{"rendered":"A Decade of Growth: School Social Workers Strengthen Student Support in Kern"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the last decade, the field of School Social Work has expanded dramatically in Kern County, changing the way schools support students, families, and communities, and marking a significant shift toward whole-child wellbeing. That growth was on full display Monday and Tuesday as Bakersfield College hosted the California Association of School Social Workers (CASSW) Annual Conference for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels great to be here,\u201d said Luis Garcia, Senior Director of Social Emotional and Academic Support with Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS), who helped bring the event to life. \u201cTen years ago, a lot of our local social workers didn\u2019t have the opportunity to be part of this association; now we\u2019re hosting them here for the state conference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Rebecca Banke and Luis Garcia.<\/p>\n

In 2016, Kern County welcomed its very first School Social Worker by title, when the Kern High School District hired Rebecca Banke. At the time, School Social Work was well established in larger cities across the nation, but largely absent locally. Less than 10 years later, Kern County is now home to more than 150 School Social Workers serving students across the county\u2019s districts.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s so awesome to see how tremendous the growth truly has been,\u201d Banke said. \u201cIt took time, it took perseverance. It took determination to get into the schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

School Social Workers support students through individual and group counseling, help them cope with grief, family changes, and trauma, connect families to food, health, and employment resources, and coordinate access to higher levels of care when needed. They also reduce common barriers to mental health services, such as cost, transportation, language, and stigma.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen services come from the school, families are much more willing to accept support,\u201d Garcia explained. \u201cSchool social workers eliminate a lot of obstacles and make sure students don\u2019t feel invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n

That work was celebrated during the CASSW Annual Conference. The event brought together School Social Workers from across California for two days of professional learning, collaboration, and networking. The conference theme, Voices for Justice: School Social Work Leading the Way, highlighted the profession\u2019s expanding role in school districts.<\/p>\n

The conference featured numerous breakout sessions focused on student mental health, social-emotional learning, restorative justice, mindfulness, attendance and engagement, and supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Keynote speakers included the CASSW President and KCSOS\u2019s Salvador Arias, who emphasized the importance of School Social Workers in alternative education and leadership. The event also included a performance by Mariachi Los Osos from Arvin, raffle prizes, and a well-attended lunchtime awards ceremony.<\/p>\n

During that ceremony, five Kern County School Social Workers were recognized as CASSW School Social Workers of the Year. In previous years, the state would recognize only one social worker who went above and beyond to serve students in their area. This year, CASSW expanded to six categories: Intern, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, District, and Administrative. A social worker from Kern County won in five out of the six categories.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Winners<\/p>\n

Intern: Celia Villarreal, Bakersfield City School District (BCSD)<\/p>\n

Elementary School: Tiffany Jones, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District (PBVUSD)<\/p>\n

Middle School: Gabriela Lopez Rodriguez, Moreno Valley Unified School District<\/p>\n

High School: Eric Finch, Centennial High School (KHSD)<\/p>\n

District: Micha Saenz, KHSD<\/p>\n

Administrative: Luis Garcia, KCSOS<\/p>\n

For many recipients, the recognition came as a surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you so much for your kind words. This is a pleasant surprise,\u201d said Celia Villarreal, a student intern. \u201cI am very grateful to those who nominated me and to CASSW for selecting me. I am humbled and truly appreciative of the recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eric Finch with Centennial High School (KHSD) echoed that sentiment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow \u2014 I don\u2019t even know what to say. I am in shock,\u201d Finch said. \u201cThere are so many deserving candidates, and to be chosen for this honor feels truly unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Garcia, who received the Administrative School Social Worker of the Year award, it was humbling and affirming to be recognized. He remembered back to his early days in social work, when his supervisor told him to prove the value of this work in the community and not just be the \u2018flavor of the month.\u2019 Ten years later, local social workers are becoming leaders and getting recognition for their success.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt makes my heart happy knowing that we\u2019re not the flavor of the month,\u201d Garcia added. \u201cWe are really establishing ourselves as a stronghold for school social work.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

The CASSW Conference featured engaging breakout sessions, keynote speakers, lunch, raffles, awards, and a special performance from Arvin High School\u2019s mariachi band. <\/p>\n

School social workers bring a unique and vital skill set to campuses. In addition to holding a master\u2019s degree in social work, they must earn a Pupil Personnel Services credential in school social work. That credential is not available locally and must be obtained outside Kern County. Despite that barrier, the profession has continued to flourish over the past decade. Garcia says they\u2019re hoping to bring a credentialing program to Kern.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at all we\u2019ve done without the program. Imagine what we could do if we grow it more,\u201d Garcia shared. \u201cThat speaks to the tenacity of the social workers. Our schools realize there are real mental health needs that our students have, and school social workers can serve those needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Kern County continues to respond to the lasting social and emotional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing community challenges, School Social Workers have become an essential part of education.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve come a long way,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cNow it\u2019s important to continue to move the work forward, help other social workers coming into the profession, and practice the same quality of care that is needed more so now than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

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