Kelloggsville — West Kelloggsville social worker Brian Garcia-Palacios sat at a table with Young Fives student Calvin Broden, showing him how to use scissors to cut out a paper apple while Calvin shared about his day.
Garcia-Palacios listened attentively, offered suggestions, and reminded Calvin to reach out to his teacher if he needed anything.
Being a supportive presence for Kelloggsville students is important to Garcia-Palacios; it is the very community that nurtured him throughout his education.
“I was always trying different clubs and activities in and outside of the district, and everyone was supportive of me doing that,” he said. “For that reason, I wanted to give back to the district, support the students and staff who assisted me along the way.”
Building a Rocket & Blasting Off
Growing up in a bilingual household with roots in Mexico and Guatemala, Garcia-Palacios started his K-12 education at Kelloggsville’s Early Education Center.
‘It was my Kelloggsville community that enabled me to branch out and do what I am doing, and by building that community and fostering teamwork, we can do the same for the next.’
–- West Kelloggsville social worker and 2018 graduate Brian Garcia-Palacios
He made the most of his time in the district, participating in TEAM 21 during his elementary years and then later, band, football and basketball.
“The counselors I had, they took time to talk to me, listen to me and let me try new things,” he recalled, noting that his counselors were middle school counselor Laura Kuperus and current middle school Principal Chad Morrow. “The interaction was always positive and supportive.”
His parents were supportive too, and instilled the value of education.
“They showed us that there were two routes: working or education, (the latter of) which they believed had more resources and opportunities,” Garcia-Palacios said. “They encouraged us in creating a dream and letting us know that there was other stuff out there as well, jobs out there where you could make a difference.”
With those words in mind, Garcia-Palacios said he strived to do well at school. He graduated from Kelloggsville High School in 2018.
A first-generation college student at Aquinas College, he made connections through Aquinas’ Student Services that made him “feel welcomed and encouraged, and that helped me thrive academically.”
His intention was to earn a degree in exercise science because of all the activities he had been involved in at Kelloggsville, but a psychology class — “I really loved it,” he said — changed all that.
He discovered a passion for being a school counselor while serving as Aquinas’ basketball manager. As a pre-game motivator, he had “hard discussions” with players, he recalled, while guiding them and being a listening ear.
The Rocket Comes Home
Garcia-Palacios, who calls himself a “lifelong Rocket,” said he always had the goal to return to Kelloggsville.
“It brought a sense of community (to me),” he said about the district. “I grew up here, and this is where I belong and can make a difference.”
He returned to Kelloggsville in 2022 as instructional support staff, and the following year was appointed an academic intervention specialist, where he quickly connected with students.
“I really enjoy working with the lower elementary. You see a lot of growth and progress with these students, whether it’s learning their colors or numbers, or gaining confidence in communication.”
Garcia-Palacios was appointed school counselor at West Kelloggsville this fall and is set to graduate from Western Michigan University in December with a master’s degree in education counseling.
Now, as a counselor, Garcia-Palacios said he is passionate about serving as a bridge for Latino and Hispanic families, ensuring they have the resources and support they need.
“I want to show students that their dreams can extend beyond what they see,” he said. “There’s a whole world of possibilities waiting for them.”
Garcia-Palacios is also committed to creating a sense of community within the school, drawing from his own experiences as a student. This fall, he organized West Kelloggsville’s first community walk that included food, books and community resources.
Because of his experiences coming from a Spanish-speaking home and being a first-generation college student, Garcia-Palacios said he hopes to serve as a resource for families and an example to the district’s students of the varying opportunities available to them.
“If we only go by just what we see and what we grew up with, we can’t expand out,” he said. “It’s why I am building a sense of community. It was my Kelloggsville community that enabled me to branch out and do what I am doing, and by building that community and fostering teamwork, we can do the same for the next.”
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