Before the end of the 2024-2025 school year, Jeremy Wang, a guidance counselor at Townsend Harris High School for the past ten years, retired. After his many years at THHS, members of the school community reflected on the differences he has made in that time.
Mr. Wang’s role extended far beyond course programming or academic check-ins. He supported students through personal struggles, mediated conflicts, and worked closely with families on everything from illness to chronic absences.
“A lot of things happen behind the scenes,” he said. “We work with parents, help students who are struggling with attendance, assist teachers in resolving classroom issues, and even recommend students for scholarships and summer programs.”
Assistant Principal of Guidance Jessica Graf described Mr. Wang as “an integral part of the team,” highlighting his leadership role in organizing events like college visitations, grade-level meetings, and school-wide presentations. “He was always very thorough and diligent,” she said. “His ability to connect with students and families, to listen, and to follow through on commitments made him an extremely effective counselor.”
She added that his interpersonal skills and organizational talent set him apart. “He had this magnetic personality that drew students in. That’s something we’ll seriously miss.”
Students rarely saw the full scope of his responsibilities, but according to interviews with various students, they often felt the effects of his calm presence and steady support. Junior Akida Chowdhury described him as “understanding, patient, and always ready to listen.” Sophomore Alessio Volpe said Mr. Wang “guided me as a lost freshman and helped me learn.” Alessio recalled a small but meaningful moment when Mr.Wang corrected the formatting of an email he had sent: “Instead of ignoring it, he used it as a teaching opportunity. It’s something I still think about.”
Originally an English teacher in China, Mr. Wang discovered his passion for counseling early on. “The most rewarding part wasn’t the academics, it was working directly with students,” he said. That realization eventually led him to roles at MS 216 from 1998-2006 and Stuyvesant High School from 2006-2015. He joined THHS in 2015, serving as a guidance counselor for a total of 27 years.
Coincidentally, Assistant Principal Abid Chowdhury had Mr.Wang as a guidance counselor at both MS 216 and later Stuyvesant High School. When he first got a job teaching at THHS, Mr. Choudhury said that he was pleasantly surprised to find Mr. Wang once again with him at his latest school.
“He was always on top of me and didn’t let me slip,” Mr. Choudhury said of his time as Mr. Wang’s student. “He treated me as a real person, not just a statistic. I remember him helping me navigate the high school application process. Then, when I saw him again at Stuyvesant, he helped me with the college admissions process as well. That consistency had a big impact on me.”
Fellow counselor Sara Skoda said Mr. Wang’s transition to Townsend Harris was seamless. “He just fit,” she said. “From day one, he brought this depth of knowledge. It was not just about the counseling process, but about how to truly connect with students.”
She described their years of collaboration as both steady and enriching. “He was one of those people who could hear a student’s name once and immediately remember their whole story,” she said. She also recalled meeting him years earlier at a college counselor event, before he had worked at THHS: ‘We had this easy, thoughtful conversation. So when he joined our office, it felt like reconnecting with someone I already knew.”
Over his ten years at THHS, Mr.Wang saw firsthand how the school environment shaped his work. ‘It’s a close-knit, supportive community where counselors actually get to know their students and share in their success,” he said.
Unlike other schools where guidance counselors may not write recommendations because they don’t know students well, Mr. Wang said, “Here, we get to watch them grow up.” He added that the school’s culture set it apart: “In my ten years…It’s been a peaceful, respectful place.”
But the job came with challenges. “Working with people is never simple,” he said. “There are always competing perspectives.”
Still, the impact kept him going. “When I realize I’ve made a difference in a student’s life, that makes this work worth it,” he said.
As he prepares for his next chapter, his colleagues say they will feel his absence deeply. “He made our team stronger,” said Ms. Skoda. “Whether it was thoughtful insight during meetings or making students laugh during hard times, he brought balance, empathy, and warmth.”
