New Santa Fe Counselor Kelli Cook shares her perspective

Leah Parkhurst, Howler Staff Writer

Kelli Cook, an avid OU fan and mother of four, has joined Santa Fe becoming one of the many new staff introduced in this 2021 school year. 

While it is her first year here, Mrs. Cook has a long history in the education field. She worked for 17 years in the school system. She was a counselor at Putnam City North for three years before moving to Santa Fe.

“Everybody is so friendly and welcoming,” Mrs. Cook said. “It’s a great, positive environment. I’ve wanted to work here for a while.”

 She started her work at the high school in 2021 during the midst of a pandemic. 

“I think it’s just the uncertainty of what the pandemic is doing,” said Mrs. Cook. “It’s just hard for consistency and stability. It’s unfortunate but just were going with the punches there” 

Like most of the staff, Mrs. Cook also has a life outside of school. In her free time, she enjoys watching OU football and relaxing with family. Her home family consists of her husband, three dogs and an 18-year-old son. She also has three other graduated kids, two of which went to Santa Fe.

Her office is full of personal pictures, creating a very comfortable mood. It is clear how much she cares about her work here at Santa Fe and how much she loves working with students.

“I love watching this time frame between freshmen and senior year,” Mrs. Cook said. “Watching them grow, seeing them really become more serious about what they’re doing in their future.”

The counselor is also working to become a professional, private therapist. After she gets her license she is planning to continue helping teens. 

Mrs. Cook wanted to leave our readers with an impactful quote; Ater saying she heard it at the perfect time, she noted how important it is to remember:

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” -Eleanor Roosevelt