Park Center Counselor Honored by City for Student Outreach
The city of Brooklyn Park honored a Park Center Senior High School counselor with her own day in late November.
To the people who know her, “Emily Juaire Day” is well-deserved recognition.
Students that need a pick-me-up can step into Emily Juaire’s well-decorated office at Park Center.
There, her so-called Pirate Pantry is stocked with necessities for those who need it most.
“I have always said that my position here is who I wanted or needed when I was in high school,” Juaire said.
Juaire’s position is unique — she’s officially the Student Assistance Counselor, but that work goes far deeper than its title suggests.
For part of her job, she works on substance abuse prevention.
For the second part of her role, she works as the school’s homeless liaison, supporting 150 homeless or highly-mobile students within the school.
But in reality, she estimates she’s helping 300-400 students with different needs. Those needs are sometimes emotional, but often they’re material.
“If I can take that away and let them just be a student, a teenager. A mom can just worry about a different bill. That’s why this is so important,” Juaire said.
The Pirate Pantry, located in her office, offers kids access to food, hygiene supplies, and even clothing and backpacks.
Juaire said it started during the COVID-19 pandemic with a $5,000 grant from Franzen Financial, but now, it’s sustained by the community.
Another project Juaire does is the Holiday Backpack Project.
Students nominate their peers to receive backpacks personalized to them. They have different essentials for winter break, including a special heavy-duty Park Center sweatshirt designed by students.
She said just recently, the class of 2005 donated an array of gift cards as well.
“These kids go on holiday breaks, and it’s two weeks of unpredictable time for them,” Juaire said. “If I can give them something exciting, and have them go into holiday break feeling like they are seen, that is my goal.”
She also hosts an event called Pick Your Fit, formerly known as Say Yes to the Dress, where students can shop for free formalwear for prom. That event collects donations from the community.
Emily Juaire holds up a sweatshirt that will go in the holiday backpacks. Those backpacks will be gifted to nominees ahead of winter break.
City-wide Recognition
Juaire’s been in this role for 11 years. As it turns out, her dedication isn’t going unnoticed. During their Nov. 24 council meeting, the city of Brooklyn Park recognized that day as “Emily R. Juaire Day.”
Mayor Hollies Winston read the proclamation aloud to the council, sharing a range of her achievements.
“Emily’s work exemplifies the highest ideals of public service, and represents the profound difference one person can make when they lead with heart, purpose and compassion,” Winston read.
Brooklyn Park Council Member Shelle Page nominated Juaire for the honor.
Page said she’s one of many on a list of community changemakers who she hopes to recognize.
“Her impact on the community is so huge,” Page said. “It’s so deserving, because she helps everyone in our community.”
Juaire was there to receive her recognition. She said once her coworkers caught wind of the award, they decorated her office with colorful copies of the proclamation.
In this screengrab from the Nov. 24 Brooklyn Park City Council meeting, Council Member Shelle Page and Mayor Hollies Winston thank Emily Juaire for her work.
It Takes a Village
But Juaire said she doesn’t do this for that recognition, and threw the credit back to her Brooklyn Park neighbors, who often respond to requests for donations within the day.
“Social media’s been a huge part of my ability to get what I need, or these events out, and they’re a huge part of how it happens,” Juaire said. “Brooklyn Park is the most responsive I’ve ever experienced with when I need things. When kids have needs, when families have needs, if we’re low on stuff here, if I put it anywhere, it’s fulfilled within that day no questions asked.”
And she said the impact of the community’s generosity goes right back to the kids. Kids whose memories, stories and photographs decorate her office.
“I’ve been told numerous times by families that this is a saving grace for them,” Juaire said. “If I can take that away and let them just be a student, a teenager. A mom can just worry about a different bill. That’s why this is so important.”
Because for Juaire, it’s not about the work she herself does. It’s about the people she picks up along the way.
“People make this a very big deal, and it is,” Juaire said. “But it’s small to me in reference to what they’re all going through. If I can give you this little bit of something, and that helps you so much, it seems little to me. But I know it’s very big in their family.”
