LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Libby Micela was nominated by her colleague, Rachelle Sears.

"If you're ever looking for Libby, here are some helpful things to look for: someone walking around campus with a beautiful, welcoming smile, and probably a t-shirt that says 'Bee Kind,' 'Positive Vibes,' or 'Dream * Believe * Achieve *.' No matter what, she’ll greet you by name, make eye contact, and make you feel like the most important person in the world," explains Sears.

"I met Libby Micela when she was hired as a kindergarten teacher. She was wonderful with her students, parents, and colleagues. For the first time, I had a friend and colleague. We collaborated, attended PLC meetings together, ate lunch together, and shared much light-hearted laughs. She has a way of making you feel like you are the funniest, smartest, or kindest person. She lifts the other person up. Clearly, I adore her, but that is not why she should be a nominated."

Mrs. Micela attended Arizona State University, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (K-8). She also attended Ottawa University, where she received her Master's Degree in School Guidance Counseling (K-12). Since she holds full state certifications in both (as well as endorsements in Early Childhood, Reading Specialist, and SEI), she has options in what she can do in a school setting. When asked at the end of the year if anyone was interested in changing positions, she’d mention she could help in areas of counseling. She did not expect to move from kindergarten, but made the offer since she is accommodating.

Prior to 2019, Las Sendas Elementary never had a school counselor. As a matter of fact, at that time, Arizona stood at 905 students for every counselor. For the 2019-2020 school year, Mesa Public Schools took steps to reduce that ratio. They hired Mrs. Micela as a counselor, and this school year will mark her third year as a school counselor. If you ask anyone on campus, they will instantly say, “We do not know how we ever survived without a school counselor!”  With a campus of around 800 students, having a counselor is the glue to the community. She advocates for the children and is supportive to the parents and staff.

Weekly, she teaches social/emotional lessons. Since learning is social and emotional, Mrs. Micela takes a whole-child approach to education, moving beyond a focus on academic achievement alone to incorporate life skills. She is building relationships. She teaches children how to manage emotions and make responsible decisions. Mrs. Micela has found her gift, and that gift is connecting to students and giving strategies to help children.

Las Sendas Elementary is a K-6 school, so you can imagine the range of social-emotional challenges that come from 5 years old to 12 years old. On any given day, you can find Mrs. Micela teaching a little one how to “belly breathe” when he needs to calm down, or inviting a group of 6th grade girls to eat lunch with her. She does that to be a safe place for the girls and to talk through friendship issues in a real scenario. In a school this large, Mrs. Micela not only teaches classes, but also needs to be available to manage 800 students, and there can be plenty of challenges. She has changed lives by being available every day in a full-time capacity.

Not everyday is teaching SEL lessons for Mrs. Micela. Some days, she has to tackle hard topics such as suicide concerns, self-harm, and children who have had a death in the family.

Outside of her School Counselor role, you can find Mrs. Micela volunteering to help field trips, organizing book drives, presenting at staff meetings, helping the principal and the office professionals, or loading up food items after a food drive. She will always help others!

"A person who enjoys advocating for children and is approachable and kind is very deserving to be nominated for LifeChanger of the Year. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this special honor," said Sears.