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When Malik Watkins began working as a school counselor at London Towne Elementary, he reconnected with the fifth-grade teacher who helped inspire his career in education.
Watkins searched school websites to find out whether Chrissy McLaughlin was still working in the school system. After he emailed her, the two met for coffee.
“She was definitely part of the reason why I went into education,” Watkins said.
McLaughlin, now a school-based technology specialist at Navy Elementary, had made Watkins feel heard and supported as a child. He hopes to provide that same experience for his students.
“She was very inspirational, very uplifting,” Watkins said. “I was like, oh, maybe I can have that impact too.”
Watkins said his work is rooted in the belief that every child should feel seen and heard—an approach he remembers McLaughlin demonstrating in her classroom.
The reunion was meaningful for McLaughlin as well. She said former students sometimes assume she will not remember them, without realizing how important they were to her or how deeply they affected her life.
School counselors support students through classroom lessons, group sessions and individual counseling. Their contributions are being recognized during National School Counseling Week, observed February 2 through 6, 2026.