Houston High’s RISE Award Winner: Nurse Celeste Waldrup

At Houston High School, the word “safe” means more than locked doors and secure buildings. It means having someone who sees, hears, and cares for every student who walks through the clinic door. This year, that spirit of care is embodied in Celeste Waldrup, who has been named Houston High’s RISE Award winner for the 2025-26 school year.

Principal Hallie Ross describes her best saying, “Nurse Celeste is phenomenal at blending medical expertise with heartfelt care. She consistently creates a safe and welcoming space for students, supports staff, and responds to every situation with calm, capable leadership. Our school truly wouldn’t be the same without her.”

Waldrup’s path to HHS reflects a lifetime of caring for children and families. After majoring in psychology and religious studies, she began her career in group homes and treatment centers before becoming a nurse. She worked in pediatrics and psychiatric nursing before stepping into school health clinics as a volunteer when her children were young.

“I volunteered to run the health clinics at Germantown Elementary and Germantown Middle,” she explained. “When my kids were little, it gave me a way to be involved in their lives without committing to a full-time job. About 12 years ago, I started working as an employee in school nursing, both private and public, and I absolutely love it.”

At Houston, she finds her greatest joy in two areas: walking alongside students managing chronic conditions and serving with the Extended School Year program. “I love working one-on-one with kids who are learning to manage diabetes, seizures, anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorders, and learning disabilities. It’s about helping them stay engaged in school, supporting them, and making sure their teachers and parents understand how their health condition impacts their educational experience and activities of daily living.She said. “And every summer, I get to watch students in ESY take new steps, literally. A child who wasn’t walking the year before may take their first steps. Another may start talking. Seeing that progress is incredible.”

Colleagues describe Waldrup as the steady presence every school needs. Assistant Principal Austyn Scruggs noted how Waldrup often guides students through situations where health and choices intersect: “She doesn’t just offer medical advice; her approach is nurturing. She encourages healthier choices and communicates in a supportive, almost motherly way. There’s always a balance of professional expertise and genuine care.”

Scruggs also praised her ability to think beyond the clinic walls. “She created a clothing space in the clinic for students who might need a change, whether from an accident or a dress code issue. She talks with them, helps them pick something they feel comfortable in, and even connected with our PTSO to expand it. That’s just who she is. She is always thinking of ways to love kids.”

Perhaps most importantly, Scruggs pointed out Waldrup’s decisiveness saying, “She never hesitates to do what’s best for the student. If that means calling an ambulance, she does it because safety comes first. She’s always calm, and it’s always the same, always focused on the child.”

Assistant Principal Paul Ross echoed that sentiment with, “Celeste comes to work with a smile every single day. She’s exceptional with our special needs population, dependable, and truly embodies everything we want an employee at Houston High School to be. She is one of the best of what we have.”