Oxbow Academy Honors Mickell Sorensen Staff Excellence
The last couple of months this staff has stepped up to the plate over and over again, going way above and beyond. We are excited to honor Mickell Sorensen as our staff in excellence. Mickell has been incredibly reliable as a staff and has a great rapport with the students. I also started as a staff at a residential program, and know first hand how much time and interaction staff have with each student. The staff is critical to the work we do, helping facilitate change amongst our boys. Having valuable and dedicated staff is essential to our progress here at Oxbow Academy.
Many of our employees have offered kind words about the great work that Mickell does for our company. Kathy Harward, our East Campus Residential Coordinator, speaks highly of the work she oversees Mickell do with the boys: “I love working with Mickell!! She is always on the go, and if there is anything that needs to be taken care of, she is right there making sure it is done. She jumps in whenever there is help needed without being asked. She is always willing to go above & beyond! In her interactions with the boys, she is both soft and tough, she holds her lines, but the boys know she will do anything to help them. She has a way about her that will get students to open up to her and seek her help when they are struggling. Mickell is literally my right-hand woman! I value her honesty and her directness! I love that she is willing to learn and to help others learn. She listens to feedback without taking it personally and does her best to always keep improving. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her and all she does for everyone at East Campus!! Love you Mickell! Hope you know how appreciated you are and how much I appreciate all you do!!”
Even at school, Mickell’s work does not go unnoticed with the students as our Academic Director, Cindy Lindsay, states: “Mickell is extremely valuable to the Oxbow Academy organization. She is constantly looking after the boys. She has their best interest at heart. You know that she really cares, and I admire the balance she is able to keep between being there for the boys and being the disciplinarian that she needs to be. She has earned the respect that she deserves and has proven to be a competent leader. I have watched her cheer the boys on and pull for them in the hardest moments. I’m very grateful to have her a part of the Oxbow Family!”
As a therapist, it is incredibly valuable to have a staff that you can rely on to help follow through with interventions we assign to the boys, as we really dive into the work with them clinically. Two of our therapists have great things to say about Mickell’s reliability: “Mickell is a great member of the Oxbow team. Her dedication to the clients at Oxbow Academy is clear, as she continuously works to build relationships with each of them. The time that she spends with Oxbow clients is seen as an investment to her– she takes her relationships seriously. She models openness, accountability, and dedication on a regular basis. Mickell is easy to work with, making herself available to help in any way possible. She is a naturally friendly and loyal woman who exudes optimism.” (Rachelle Hamill, Therapist) “Mickell has a genuine love and concern for the boys, and always tries to work with them through their struggles and challenges. She has a fantastic sense of humor and is able to laugh with the boys, or get them laughing, even through difficult times! She is also incredibly patient through those times that humor just won’t diffuse things. Her hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm are amazing!” (Maria Lewis, Therapist, and Research Director)
Debbie Dahl, our West Campus Office Manager, also notices the hard work that Mickell puts into her job: “Mickell has a super sense of humor. She is one of our staff who cares about the students and mixes her special talents of love and compassion for the students. She is energetic and spirited, fun to be around. She is such an asset to Oxbow!”
Lastly, our Family Services Director, Julie Anderson, who gets to work with both the boys and their families, sees the impact Mickell has on our team here at Oxbow: “Mickell is an amazing member of our staff! She is always willing to go above and beyond when helping our students, staff, or administration. She is always so cheerful whenever I see her! She has a heart of gold and truly wants to help our students progress and succeed in their treatment. I really appreciate her willingness to go the extra mile in all she does! Thanks for everything, Mickell! Hugs!”
We are grateful for staff who day in and day out are able to keep pressing forward with our great cause to helping these boys heal and gain a greater sense of self-worth again in their lives. Having staff who are able to show their care and concern, while holding important boundaries to help guide these boys, is essential to the work we are doing here at Oxbow Academy. Thank you, Mickell, for all you do at Oxbow Academy!