§ Melissa Earls is a counselor in her fourth year at HSPVA. A native Texan, she graduated Cum Laude from West Columbia High School in West Columbia Texas. She holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from Houston Baptist University. Mrs. Earls began her career in education at Sam Houston High School in H.I.S.D. where she served various functions including Head Womens Basketball coach and Team Leader of the U.S. History Department. Before coming to HSPVA, Mrs. Earls taught U. S. History Advanced Placement at Hightower High School, in F.B.I.S.D., where she also was an assistant coach in Womens Basketball, Track, Volleyball and Softball. A certified school counselor with 10 years of education experience, she is also a licensed psychotherapist. She fuctions as the Scholarship Coordinator, Campus Lead Mentor and serves on the SDMC at HSPVA. She is a member of the Texas Counselor Association, Houston Association of Black Psychologist and the Houston Counselors Association.