Kelley Madden
Position: School Counselor
School: Rocky Mountain High School
School District: Poudre School District
City, State: Fort Collins, CO
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Kelley Madden was nominated by the Colorado School Counselor Association.
Ms. Madden was named the Colorado School Counselor of the Year. She is a huge advocate for the counseling profession, as well as her student services department at Rocky Mountain High School. She is often the counselor who will volunteer to have an intern. Ms. Madden loves showing her interns all the aspects of being a school counselor. She models excellence. She is a fierce defender of all populations, and she helps others understand when they might be creating barriers. Ms. Madden works through ways to ensure students have access. Her commitment and professionalism serve as a model to her fellow staff and students.
What an awesome woman! Made great contributions to my daughter's high school experience!
Ms. Madden has truly made a life-long impact on me. I am a part of the Peer Counseling program at Rocky and I can say without a doubt that through my work with her, there is no one more loving, caring, and devoted to this program and our school than she is. She is always willing to be apart of something greater than herself and encourages us to do the same. She is always encouraging us as students and will do anything that she can to help us reach our goals and ambitions. She puts other's needs before her own and has always been willing to stop anything that she is doing to help her students and the people around her. The dedication and commitment that she has put into me and the Peer program is amazing, especially since it was all online so far. She has been such a role-model for me and my life has been forever changed from getting the chance to work with her closely this year.
Kelley Madden has been an incredible mentor as I have navigated my own professional choice to move into a school counseling role. I first connect with Kelley when I was considering a career transition from a role I have held in higher education for over 15 years. The joy and enthusiasm she shared about her relationships with students and the impact school counselors have in their work, was just what I needed to hear to “take the leap”. I was lucky enough to have her as an internship supervisor in my first semester in the school counseling program. While interning with Kelley she provided me with the opportunity to engage in the varying dynamics she navigates in her work. I was able to witness Kelley create a space where students felt supported and heard.
Through her leadership and support, I have been able to grow as a professional. Through processing my own insecurities and being supported to engage in the work with her at my side, I was able build upon my foundation to support students with very different challenges that were outside of my comfort zone. Kelley possess the traits we look for in our mentors; she is kind while still challenging others to do better, she is genuine with her own challenges allowing people an opportunity to relate their own experiences, and she has an ability to make others feel welcome through her laughter and optimism. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from Ms. Madden. I am a better counselor because of my internship with her.
I am so grateful to have been impacted by the light of Ms. Kelly Madden. Her care for and investment in her students surpasses any graduation date. I had the pleasure of being a student as she began to take over the Peers Program at RMHS. Her approach is open minded, willing to buy into the passion of her students. Years have passed since graduation and she continues to be a friend and an influence in my life, as well as many others. She loves, inspires, and guides with a passion that is rare and powerful. SHE is a life changer.
Kelley Madden is so deserving of this award. This year in a middle of a pandamic she took on an additional job as dept. lead for Student Services. While being a counselor to everyone; parents, kids & staff plus a teacher for the PEERS class she has had to learn how to lead a dept of 13 plus. Kelley is an amazing dept. lead & has been open to open & honest conversations with all. I appreciate the time we have met & worked out whatever differences there was & the support I have gotten from Kelley, both professionally & personally. She is a great advocate for our dept & is always finding new ways to support the entire dept. She is always thinking of others & nominating them for awards & I think she is the one who deserves the award. Kelley is an amazing mom, co-worker & boss lady & we are very lucky to have her here at Rocky.
Ms. Madden has been such a great support for many students at Rocky and myself included. She makes everyone feel so valid and heard. I am so glad to have been mentored by her in order to serve my best in the Rockys PEER program which strengthens our student body. She has a lasting impact on my life and many others. She is such a great advocate and role model and I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to teach me some of the amazing skills I have learned.
I've had the pleasure of knowing Kelley as a counselor colleague within our feeder system as well as my daughter's peer counseling facilitator. Kelley is a charismatic, optimistic, and compassionate leader and role model. I've heard her lead peer counseling meetings during a pandemic via zoom with the same dedication and positive energy as she radiates in person. She handles challenging situations with grace and respect for all.
Kelley has been an amazingly helpful counselor for my daughter. We met with her before my daughter came to Rocky because she is a dancer and had been doing online school for the past two years since she was dancing so many hours a week. She worked with us to build a schedule that would meet graduation requirements and still allow her to have 3 classes instead of 4. She is now a junior, and Kelley has helped us several more times as we had to tweak her schedule so she could get to dance by 415 pm. She has always been friendly, helpful, and prompt and has taken our requests with a willing and kind heart. She's the best!
Ms. Madden is such a kind and understanding person and really cares about her students. I am so grateful to be a part of the peer Program this year and learn so much from her. She is such a supportive and caring person and have really made a huge impact on my life and many others. I am so glad to get to know her this year and have her as an amazing role model in my life.
I have been in the peer program led by Mrs. Madden by 2 years now, and I can say without a doubt that there is no one more deserving of this award. Mrs. Madden is someone who leads with the needs of others in mind, and inspires us as peers to take charge of the group while also offering us guidance. She is one of the most influential models that I have ever had in my high school career, and she has inspired me to want to continue the influence that she has made on me. Aside from being an amazing leader and role model, Mrs. Madden is an outstanding counselor. She has helped me explore opportunities in and outside of school to explore my passions, and she wholeheartedly supports every single student that she interacts with. She has impacted me in ways that will last through my entire life, and I could not think of someone who deserves this award more :)
Kelley Madden works relentlessly to create positive impacts in her students’ lives. Although she has around 300 students on her caseload, students feel free to pop in to say hi and are happy to greet her as they pass in the hallway. Consistently, Kelley knows their stories and asks for specific updates in their world. Those connections help create the family environment our students often speak about with pride. When they struggle, Kelley's students seek her out to find more resources or simply to find an empathic ear and encouraging word.
In addition to her full-time work as a counselor, each year she trains another 30+ students each year for our Peer Counseling program, teaching the Peer class and continuing to support and mentor Peers all year (and even long after they graduate). Her leadership has helped bring cohesion to the various peer programs throughout our district so that all students get the sexual assault prevention training and other support that Peers provide, regardless of the school they attend.
Kelley works hard to avoid the inevitable pitfalls of our ever-changing education world. When she runs in to a tough situation, rather than hiding it, she shares those struggles so we can create better systems to support our students and maintain the highest legal, moral, and ethical standards.
We are lucky to have this Life Changer, Kelley Madden, on our team at Rocky Mountain High School, sharing her big heart, work ethic, and knowledge with our Lobo community!
Kelley is an amazing person, an amazing counselor, and an amazing leader. In addition to training and leading our upper-classmen peer counselors, she took over as head of our counseling department this year and has done an amazing job of uniting and guiding us through this very challenging school year.
Ms. Madden is an amazing teacher, leader, and role model! I am so grateful to be a part of the peer program this year and have the opportunity to learn so much from her. She is so kind and understanding, and I feel like I can always reach out to her if I am struggling. She has made a great impact on my life and I'm sure many others would say the same.
I have only known Mrs. Madden for about a year but as soon as I met her I knew she was an amazing, welcoming, passionate and compassionate person. She has made the Peer program at Rocky the best it could be given the circumstances and I could not ask for a better leader. She has been super supportive during these times and has been optimistic while still staying true to herself and us which I really value. I am very happy to know her and have her as a role model in my life.
Ms. Madden is one of the most outgoing and considerate people I’ve ever met. I am yet to see her back down from a challenge or only do the bare minimum of work. She is constantly striving to support her students, family, and community in ways that will leave lasting impacts. In the time I’ve known her I have seen Ms. Madden embrace vulnerability as a tool to break down the barriers of fear and to help conquer the challenges of those around her. I can honestly say that Rocky would be a different school without her and not for the better.
Mrs. Madden brings so much joy and honesty into the lives of people she knows. I am fortunate enough to be in the peer program which is run by her. She does a splendid job keeping everything organized and has such a caring heart for students. When we first began our training for peers, Mrs. Madden claimed that she was not a teacher. However, she has managed to teach me (and definitely many others) lessons far greater than any I have learned in different classes. Everything she has taught me will follow me throughout my life and I am so grateful to have learned from such a wonderful person like Mrs. Madden.
Mrs Madden is the most amazing role model! She has taught me so much about how to help others and pursue things I am passionate about. Being a part of the Peer program has been an amazing experience and I am so grateful to have a teacher and counselor who cares so much about her students and community!
This is my first year at Rocky Mountain High School as a School Counselor and Kelley's mentoring and guidance has been instrumental in helping me to do my job and "learn the ropes" of a new school! Kelley took on the role of lead counselor this year within our department and despite the extra time and duties involved with this role she has always had time to answer my plethora of questions and is available when I need assistance. She is an advocate for students and for her profession. She is a joy to work with and goes above and beyond in her job. She has made my transition to a new school during a very tough time in our world a much smoother process.
Mrs.Madden is such an amazing person. She runs our Peers group and has taught me so much, even from a difficult platform (online). She has such a big heart and always wants to help anyone she can!! She is so giving and has added so much to my life and the rest of the Peers!
I have known Kelley for over 11 years. I have worked with her as a subordinate, colleague and in friendship. There is something really special about Kelley. Over the years I have seen her great commitment to her jobs and her loving, sensitive care in working with others. She is very thoughtful and reflective in her decisions and actions. She is also the most organized person I have ever seen and has always been able to juggle a demanding workload. She connects with others in a way that you remember and always feel her kind, caring, loving heart.
Kelley Madden in AMAZING. She has been an great resource and support lifelne for my 2 girls as well as myself for the past few years. With the loss of the girls grand mother, their mother, teenage "life" and a PANDEMIC, she rose to the top to be available for us...
Keep it up!!
One word: PASSION will explain what quickly comes to mind when I describe Kelley! She uses her skills, instincts and kindness in so many ways to support students, staff, community and family.. As a co-worker, she reminds us about the importance of our self care while in this helping profession. She knows by making time to care for herself she is able to then reach out and be a genuine, amazing counselor, teacher, friend, mother. She is a gem!
Mrs. Madden is the main advisor for the Peers Program, and I have been most fortunate to be a part of the program for the last 2 years. She is so supportive and provides so many insightful points of view. She has been extremely supportive of my endeavors and future college career plans. She has been an incredible guide and role model for me; I think she is one of the most hard working people I have met, and I really aspire to be as kind hearted and open as she has been to me. Thank you Mrs. Madden!!!!!!
Kelley cares deeply about her work, and helping support future counselors. She supervised me as an intern during my graduate school, and as well leads the peer counseling group at RMHS. She develops close relationships with the students she mentors, and works to help support them get where they need to go. She works to help her student leaders to feel welcome, valued and supported.
Mrs. Madden was one of the most influential role models that I had when I was in high school. She was an amazing counselor, teacher, and friend that supported me and cared for me whenever I needed it. I was lucky enough to be a Peer and work closely with her for two years. I’m going to be honest and say that that group changed my life in so many positive ways all thanks to her leadership and support. I became more compassionate towards others and really understood what it meant to be open and vulnerable with people. Mrs. Madden truly helped me grow into the man that I am today. She has touched and impacted so many lives with her passion for helping others. I am forever grateful for Mrs. Madden and she deserves all the recognition in the world.
Kelley is the consummate caregiver- caring deeply for her students, colleagues, neighbors, friends and family. A heart so big, and so giving, she inspires us all to reach further, dig deeper and listen a little more. There isn't a day that she isn't pushing herself to be more. And the results are the students around her who go on to strive for more in their own lives, the community around her that has received food through the countless meal trains she's organized, not to mention support and a kind ear, and the loving family she has created. I'm lucky to have her as a sister, and an grateful she's our in the world sharing her talent with everyone she encounters.
Kelley was key in my daughter Lina’s bounceback after a major life event. My husband of 18 years had left me and the kids suddenly to pursue another job and had explained that we were divorcing. Within 3 days of the announcement, he was just gone. We had spiraled and by the time I finally got back on my feet, my consistently A and B grade Lina had dropped to D’s and F’s. I met with Kelley for probably just 30 minutes, and after Lina met with her just one time, school just magically fell into place, and her grades were back on track before the end of the semester. I can’t thank her enough for what she did for us, and creating an open communication line for all of Lina’s teachers to support her in her time of need. I thank her from the bottom of my heart.
Mrs. Madden has always strived and worked hard to help every student she can. Last semester, she would consistently send emails to her students to provide outlets for connection, tips for remote learning, and even some relaxing things to do over winter break! She has helped me personally in countless ways, starting with the test anxiety I developed in my advanced and AP Chemistry classes. She walked me through some exercises to do during a test and gave me websites and tips for calming down. I can say that her talks and tips were one of the biggest reasons I passed that class. She is always kind, compassionate, and empathetic, making time for every student to feel like an individual. Thank you, Mrs. Madden! You deserve this award!
Ms. Madden is an incredible person who puts her heart and soul into everything she does. From running the peers program, to counseling students Ms. Madden goes above and beyond to ensure her students succeed and are supported. She has touched, inspired, and changed the lives of so many students in our community.
Mrs. Madden set the foundation for the work that I do with others. The two years I spent as a Peer under her tutelage allowed me to develop the skills in empathy, communication, and support that I have continued to develop and carry with me to this day; I strongly believe I wouldn't be the same person I am today without her impact. It's not just me, either--students throughout the Rocky hallways smile at hearing her name, knowing that she is always available to make students' lives better, even if she isn't directly assigned as their counselor. She has touched so many and deserves to be recognized for her undying passion for students.
Ms. Madden (known simply as Madden to myself and her students) embodies what it means to be a role model and an inspiration to high school students and staff. Madden leads by example and with compassion, showing her students how to carry themselves and teach them how to be people of character.
I had the pleasure of working closely with Madden for 2 years as one of her Peer Counselors. Madden helped me grow into becoming a compassionate and kind leader, all while doing that herself. I would often visit her in between classes, and she was always ready to chat and catch up, or let me process hard things. Madden’s love for her students is truly admirable.
Now that It has been some time since I’ve graduated, one of my favorite things to say now is how Madden is my friend. Her relationship with her Peer Counselors is not meant to end after graduation, and I have loved getting to say she is not only a mentor, but also my friend.
Madden is much deserving of any and all recognition for how dedicated she is to being a positive influence in the lives of others.
Mrs. Madden is a counselor that makes me feel heard at school. If you are going through a rough patch she will always check-in and help in any way she can! She is very caring and always thinking about others! In my opinion, she really deserves this award because of how much she cares.
Mrs. Madden is amazing!!! She is one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met. She takes her job very seriously but personally cares about every kid that walks in her door. She is my absolute role model and I hope to grow up to be a person like her. She truly impacted me in only fours years and helped me find my career for life. Thank you for all you do.
Mrs. Madden is an amazing counselor and an all around great role model. She runs the peer program at the high school, which runs to help students who are struggling through the complexities of their teenage years. Through this program, and her connections with students and staff in the school, Mrs. Madden has touched so many lives and will continue to as she works to create amazing individuals who will inspire others later in life.
Kelley is one of the most dedicated, compassionate school counselors I have ever met. She dives into every interaction, task, and role wholeheartedly. She is also innovative and works to create new programs and practices at Rocky and improve upon already established ones. She makes a difference for kids in her daily one-on-one interactions as well as through the leadership and support she pours into programs, like peer counselors. She is extremely deserving of the title of Life Changer.
Mrs. Madden is an awesome role model and works hard for the students in our school! She is so helpful and makes sure that everything she does is done with care and purpose. She is amazing!!
Kelley just cares so much. Students gravitate towards her because they know she listens and accepts them unconditionally. She is a great leader and has powerful ideas. Kelley is a fantastic counselor and human.
Is there a harder worker for kids? Not that I have seen. And as great a counselor as she is, she is an even better person, friend, mom, and colleague.
Kelley is amazing! I have had the unique opportunity to work with Kelley in her counseling role, as she supervises and leads our Peer program, and she has been the counselor to my own children. Her positive attitude, dedication, and passion for her work shows through in anything she works on at any level and it has been my pleasure to get to work with her throughout all of these roles. I love that she is being recognized for being a Life Changer because she certainly has been that for so many. Way to go Kelley!
Ms. Madden is a kind-hearted person, that joyfully spreads positivity! I am a student in Peers and there is not anybody else I would rather have in charge of that program other than her. She is not only a leader herself but empowers others to be leaders as well.
Thank you for everything Ms. Madden! Your willing to work with everyone on top of how kind, considerate, and helpful you are is amazing! For me personally, I have felt I can come to you for anything when needed! You radiate positivity and happiness. It doesn't take much to make a kids day, week, or even month when it comes to the actions you've taken and the kind words you've said. No one deserves this award more! Congrats again Ms. Madden!!
I don’t know Mrs. Madden personally, but my sister is in peers and loves her! She makes a very big impact!
Ms.Madden, wow where do I even start!! She is so so passionate about her work and her family, she continues to impress me everyday! As a student in Peers I could not be more grateful for her leadership. She pushes other people to be great by leading by example and truly is a life changer. Seeing how she leads her life and treats other people inspires me to work harder and make a positive impact. She is the perfect person for this award!!
Kelley is a wonderful counselor! She takes time to get to know her students and helps to support them in all areas of life. She is great at providing additional resources when needed. Kelley also leads our Peer Program. In this program, she helps train/support a group of our students (Peers) in supporting other students with struggles ranging from relationships, academics, family issues, substance use, and so much more. Kelley does all these things while being department chair, and balancing the role of mother, wife, friend, etc, outside of school.
In addition to her role as a school counselor, Kelly is Rocky Mountain High School's Peer Counseling Coordinator. As the coordinator, she teaches and oversees 35 students (per year) who serve as peer educators on topics including sexual assault, teen dating violence and suicide prevention. Peer Counselors also provide individual support for students in need and assists new students in successful school transitions. I am in awe of the time and dedication she puts into this program. Kelley is committed to her students and their successes, she is very deserving of the LIFECHANGER award.
Kelley is an amazing counselor, but more importantly, a person! She is kind, supportive, always has students' interests first and just someone I want to be like! She is a life changer and changed my daughter's life when she was a junior in high school and suicidal. They still keep in touch today.
Mrs. Madden is an amazing counselor and an all around great role model. She runs the peer program at the high school, which runs to help students who are struggling through the complexities of their teenage years. Through this program, and her connections with students and staff in the school, Mrs. Madden has touched so many lives and will continue to as she works to create amazing individuals who will inspire others later in life.
Ms. Madden leads the Peer Counseling program at Rocky and helps teach those who make it into the program how to help the student body. She helps us do presentations on things like healthy relationships and sexual violence at Rocky and at middle schools. Her way of teaching others to help in the same way she does allows her impact to be exponential. Through the peer program, we did lots of meaningful activities and projects and also learned lots about how to help other students and how to care for ourselves while doing so. Ms. Madden is open about her own experiences and is so easy to talk to. This year she has played a huge role in helping me through some tough situations and working with me to graduate early. She truly fits the description for this award!!
Kelly understands her WHY. She became a Counselor to make a difference in the lives of students. She does this daily with enthusiasm, positivity, and commitment to purpose.
There is no one more deserving of this award. Kelley is devoted, hard working, understanding of student differences, and has a deep insight into the issues of today’s youth. As a retired teacher, I put my full support behind Kelley as a true Lifechanger this year and for years to come.
