After two decades of dedicating her life to helping students, Cori Castro has become a well-known figure at San Rafael High School. She is not only recognized for her commitment but also for the warm spirit she brings to the school. Whether she’s helping out in the front office or walking through the halls, Castro is known to many students as a guide and mentor. Her career has been filled with unique roles that show her devotion to supporting students in a welcoming environment.
Raised in a close-knit family, Castro’s journey was shaped by the values she acquired from her grandparents, who arrived in America from Mexico, Spain, and Ireland. Growing up she would spend weekends with them, learning about the sacrifice and resilience they’ve overcome. “I was raised by my grandparents. They worked hard to create opportunities for their families, and that made me who I am,” Castro recalls. Her appreciation for family inspired her to work with students.
Castro has a strong bond with her sister who has also made a big impact on her career working with students. Her sister, who has dyslexia, struggled with reading and doubted her intelligence. Castro helped her sister with subjects that were challenging to her.
“My sister had a learning disability, she was dyslexic. It wasn’t because she wasn’t smart, it was just that her brain saw things backward and she had no control over that. That has nothing to do with how smart you are.” Helping her sister with these challenges was also a factor that influenced her decision to help students.
Castro’s path at SRHS began as an instructional assistant, where she found joy in helping students over the years. Her role grew and she moved to the district office as a facilities specialist, wanting to do more than just help students when she took the job. “I didn’t expect my job to evolve the way it did,” she reflected. “But helping the school through projects like the show 13 Reasons Why or coordinating large-scale events for the Special Olympics ended up bringing benefits I hadn’t even imagined.”
Her role as a facilities specialist was one she enjoyed, managing the school facility rentals and generating substantial revenue. In just one year, she helped raise half a million dollars for the district by organizing rentals for various events such as commercial shoots, Metallica video shoots, and TV productions that were all shot on campus. This boosted the school’s exposure.
“The community loved seeing familiar places on the show,” she says. “But it was also a financial boost, which I’m proud of.” Her dedication to the job made her well-known to the community, and that helped her establish key contacts for events like the Metallica shoot.
Castor’s dedication to supporting students goes beyond just simple academics and help. During her role as a facilities specialist, a swim program came to Castro to see if they could use the SRHS pool for local children helping children learn how to swim and build water safety skills. She didn’t want the program to pay and wanted them to use the pool free of cost. “These are our kids, our future students,” she explains. “We didn’t want kids around our pools who didn’t know how to swim, and we wanted them to be active, not sitting out during PE.”
The program allowed high school students who knew how to swim to get community service hours while giving younger children essential skills, making it a win-win so the school let the program use the pool free of cost.
“Ms. Castro is a gem,” says Ms. Porter. “She looks for ways to support students. She advocates for them, but more importantly, teaches them to advocate for themself.”
One of her proudest moments was letting the Special Olympics host their games here at San Rafael High School, a community event that she helped coordinate with local high school students. “Seeing our students come together to support these incredible athletes was amazing,” Castro recalls. “It was a memorable experience for everyone.” Events like these helped build a stronger community among the students.
Certain students from San Rafael High know Castro as someone they can turn to for support, advice, or simply a comforting smile. Her years at the school have made her a familiar figure, and her ability to connect with students has become a key feature of hers. “Every morning when I don’t feel like going to work, I remember there are kids I need to help,” she says. For Castro, the job is about making a difference in students’ lives, a mission that keeps her motivated, even on tough days.
“Whenever I need help, she is there to help me with work I either don’t understand or just need some assistance with. Though I don’t ask for help regularly, she has never said no and always has a smile on her face,” says Madelyn Hoffens, one of the students who works with Castro.
Her influence goes beyond just helping students with homework and googling definitions. “I want every student to feel like they can succeed,” Castro explains. She shares her own experiences and hardships to show students that challenges are a key part of life and that they have the capability to overcome them. “I always want students to know they are capable, it’s just a matter of getting out of your own way.”
As retirement approaches, Castro is looking forward to the next chapter in her life, where she hopes to pursue another passion, rescuing senior dogs. “I want to adopt all the old dogs that nobody wants,” she says. She envisions a quiet life up north, spending her days helping animals and continuing her legacy of compassion.
