Meet Mikel-Claire Penick, a social worker at Emily Griffith High School. She is currently in her second year working at DPS. Mikel-Claire previously worked as a social worker in various capacities, including group homes, residential treatment and more, mainly focusing on supporting children and families.
To Mikel-Claire, passion is the spark that fuels learning, creativity and service. It drives her approach with students and allows her to bring energy, insight and innovation to her work. Passion keeps her present, engaged and able to show up as her best self.
She believes that passion is needed in all facets of learning. Having passion in the arts, academics and even imagination teaches students different problem-solving techniques and continually promotes growth. Mikel-Claire believes that through creativity, students learn to think flexibly, make connections across subjects and explore multiple solutions. When imagination becomes part of learning, students gain the confidence to experiment, reflect and learn from mistakes, turning obstacles into opportunities for discovery and personal development. She sees the importance of being present with her students and makes an effort to celebrate all victories — no matter how big or small.
“No victory is too small,” Mikel-Claire said.
Celebrating and helping students create value in the little and big things they do allows them to believe in themselves and their potential.
“Sometimes we forget we can do all the things. Being reminded of that and showing that with students themselves is important,” she said.
Last year was Mikel-Claire’s first year in DPS. She helped coordinate Emily Griffith High School’s Black History Month event. It was the first time students were involved in all stages of the event, from planning to execution — a change she made because she was passionate about giving them ownership and letting them build confidence, collaboration and practical skills.
A biracial student, who was primarily raised by her Caucasian parent and therefore had limited exposure to the other half of her cultural identity, approached Mikel-Claire and said she really appreciated being able to identify with part of herself. It was not something she had the opportunity to explore in the past. Mikel-Claire watched this student spark a new confidence in the Black/African-American side of her identity. Mikel-Claire enjoys uplifting students to be themselves and not be afraid of learning more about themselves.
“Sometimes it takes courage to be yourself,” she said.
A lot of Mikel-Claire’s work is rooted in compassion and imagination. She creates a safe space for every student by building genuine relationships with her students through one-on-one interactions. Ensuring a safe space allows her students to be their authentic selves and explore their imagination. She feels it is important to motivate students to perceive things and view them from different lenses through reflection, so they can develop problem-solving skills, grow and realize how else they can grow. She encourages strength-based approaches rather than a deficit approach, as it empowers students to recognize their strengths and apply them.
Mikel-Claire pursued a path in advocacy, especially for students of color, because she recognized the need to advocate for her son early in his educational journey. Mikel-Claire looked at this with an equitable viewpoint and realized not every student has someone like her in their corner. It was a need she wanted to fill.
“‘It takes a village’ — but the village has to start with somebody,” she said.
She wants to ensure there are systems in place that can provide for every student.
“No one should feel overlooked,” she said.
All her life, advocacy was modeled for her by her grandparents — her grandmother, a counselor and principal within DPS, and her grandfather, a lifelong community leader who spent years empowering youth through organizations like Boys Inc. of Metro Denver. Their example of service and commitment to others inspired her own path, making it natural for her to pursue social work.
Mikel-Claire’s journey is a testament to the power of passion in education. She pours her heart into creating spaces where students feel seen, valued and capable of anything. She reminds those around her that growth begins with being understood and supported. Her work is a reflection of what happens when passion meets purpose and how one person’s care can spark confidence, courage and change in our students’ lives.