Sherly Gervais is new to the Robinson environment and brings positivity along great advice for students. Gervais has big goals this school year and strives to make the lives of students and teachers easier and less stressful with her guidance for AP classes and the AICE program.
“I’m looking forward to connecting with the students, getting to know the students [and] letting them know who I am. Really working with the AICE program, students who want to do dual enrollment, AP and supporting the teachers,” Gervais said. “The teachers are doing the heavy lifting and helping the students with all these programs so anything that I can do on my end to make their job easier, I want to do that.”
Previously, Gervais worked at Sumner and Strawberry Crest High School as a school counselor, and this will be her 19th year working for the school district. Gervais hasn’t had any other job outside the district after graduating from Fisk University for her undergraduate and Webster University in Jacksonville for her master’s degree. Gervais began immediately after receiving her masters working in Duval County in Jacksonville and moved over to Hillsborough County to be closer to family.
“Right after I graduated with my degree that summer, I got hired for the school district. I moved to Tampa because my family was here and I was lonely in Jacksonville, but then they ended up moving to Texas. Jacksonville wasn’t my favorite city, but I like Tampa better,” Gervais said.
While she didn’t favor Jacksonville, Gervais enjoyed her time in Nashville while she was at Fisk University as she was able to bear witness to the seasonal changes, something you don’t see in Florida.
“I love Nashville because I was able to see all four seasons, you could see the fall, the leaves changing, that was awesome,” Gervais said.
Since Gervais’ move, she has continued and picked up many new interests. Her nomadic personality has brought her to many destinations alongside her family.
“I love going to the movies [and] I love live music so going to places where there’s a live band playing. I love trying new restaurants, I love to travel. I’ve been to several different places and traveling is a big pastime of mine. The last place I’ve been is San Diego. I went to Paris, Germany, Spain and London. [I go] with family,” Gervais said.
“Barcelona, I think if I had to live in another country that’s where I would live. It was the lifestyle, the buildings are gorgeous, the architecture is beautiful. I just feel like everybody was calm, there’s not that hustle and bustle that you see all the time, it makes you want to relax, and I love that feeling,” Gervais said.
Gervais prefers the smaller environment as she made such a large switch from bigger schools to one of the smallest in the district but has no complaints.
“I like the smaller environment. I love the students no matter what, but the smaller environment is kind of nice,” Gervais said.
The smaller environment is better because it makes it easier to find the students who are in these programs. This program provides for optimal resources and maximum education and assures that these students are given a chance to exceed further than most. It gives them a chance to do something that not a lot of people get the chance to do.
“In my position I get to work with the AICE program, students who want to take AP courses and students who are taking dual enrollment. So, as a counselor that’s the piece that I love the most helping my students excel and reach their goals to figure out what it is that they want to do after high school,” Gervais said.
Gervais enjoys her new role at Robinson and believes students can strive to be better and accomplish their dreams and expectations that seem impossible as she’s seen it been done.
