April Celestino: 'I'm absolutely having an impact on someone's life'
April Celestino
Health Assistant
Monte Vista TK-8 School
Health Assistant April Celestino was recently asked by a student at Monte Vista TK-8 School if she had an impact and changed people’s lives. She paused for a moment to think about the question and replied, “I’m absolutely having an impact on someone’s life.” She went on to explain to the student that one can have an impact without realizing it.
April has been positively impacting the lives of students and those she works with at the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District since 2013. Today she serves as the full-time health assistant at Monte Vista TK-8 School. Prior to MPUSD, April was a certified health assistant working at a local urgent care facility. When she saw that MPUSD had an opening 11 years ago, she immediately applied and found it was a wonderful way to be more present in the lives of her own children who were attending schools in the district at the time.
Giving back and making sure that our kids are taken care of when they are away from their parents inspires April to do what she does each and every day. “I love talking to the kids and helping them,” she says. “There are some things kids come in here (for) that need that extra love or extra hug. Some students take medications. Building those relationships and breaking those walls down, that means a lot to me.”
April serves a wider range of needs on various levels, particularly at a transitional kindergarten through 8th grade school site. “We have a higher need at this particular school site in general. When (you) integrate TK-8, you have the varying pre-teen things you have to deal with and navigate little kids who need attention.”
If anything, April hopes that they (students) “remember that there is always going to be somebody that they can turn to. It might not be a teacher or it might not be their parents. It might be someone at the school site that they know.”
April and her family are products of the school district. She attended the former Manzanita School, Del Rey Woods Elementary School, the former King Middle School, and Monterey High School. Her wife was a teacher at MPUSD. Her two sons and one daughter attended Ord Terrace Elementary, Seaside Middle School, Walter Colton Middle School, and Seaside High School. In fact, they are an MPUSD family through and through as one of her son’s is a health aide for the district and the other is a supervisory assistant at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School of the Arts.
April actively volunteers her time. During COVID and the fires, she supported All in Monterey with making and delivering food. She also adopts a family during the holidays to bring joy to others. She is an active member of the California School Employees Association leadership, serves as vice president and participates in the new hire orientation for classified members.
Outside of work, April enjoys spending time with family outdoors or traveling. She is even part of a co-ed softball team with the City of Monterey. Soon she will proudly have her bachelor of arts degree, which she has been pursuing since 2021.