Sycamore Canyon Academy's highly trained and energetic staff share a commitment with you and your son to provide a nurturing, yet structured environment for him to mature. Our employees firmly believe in the importance of fairness, consistency, and defined expectations when it comes to raising young men and teaching them how to make good decisions when faced with life's complex situations. All of our staff adopts this approach to counseling not only because they are trained in evidence based practices, but also because many of them raise families of their own.

Through the diligent application of interactive supervision and working together as a team toward a unified goal, we give your son a chance to see adults modeling cooperation, respect, and healthy communication skills. It's within this safe and predictable environment that he will begin to realize the potential that we can all see in him.



Ike Shipman
Executive Director
M Social Work, Arizona State University, Tempe/Tucson, AZ, 2006
BA Child Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 2002

Ike is the Executive Director of Sycamore Canyon Academy and has worked with youth and families for over 12 years. The various roles he's assumed during that time are extensive…Teacher, Coach, Counselor, Volunteer Coordinator, Researcher, Assistant Director, Case Manager, Investigator, Therapist, and Program Director. Of his diverse background he says, "I intentionally varied my experiences to get a holistic and complete view of the systems that involve youth. I have designed and conducted research, worked direct care, done program development, worked clinical and therapeutic settings, managed group homes, developed and worked Child Protective Services systems as well as having been in the government, non-profit, and for profit sectors. All of my hard work and experience has been a purposeful pursuit of my current position. I am exactly where I want to be." His professional endeavors are mirrored by his volunteer efforts. Ike likes to learn by doing and has therefore volunteered or worked in a number of community service arenas such as hospitals, Community Boards, Non-Profits, Various Youth Organizations… quite literally, too many to list. "Youth are constantly evolving, learning, and developing. They challenge me to do the same and challenge me to better myself… There is nothing else that I would rather be doing." When he's taking a break from his calling he likes to play Ultimate Frisbee with the Tucson Ultimate or enjoy Arizona's beautiful scenery while skydiving or paragliding. "We point our students toward their potential and encourage then to move toward it."




Dianna Shanks
Case Manager
M Ed Educational Psychology (School Counseling),
N. Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 2005
BS Business Management, University of Phoenix, AZ, 1998

Over the past five years Dianna has realized that working with young men is "both a challenge and a pleasure. The challenge is convincing them they have what it takes to be successful and the pleasure comes from watching them succeed." While she finished earning her Master's degree she substitute taught at a local high school and completed her counseling internship, working with students in the 7th - 12th grade. During that time she facilitated therapy groups (grief/loss and anger management) and worked with students with career development and academic needs. She has also worked with an agency that provided ADOT information to teens in several of the local communities where she was responsible for an area of 125 miles - this area has been depressed due to mine closures in recent years. The area has a high rate of alcohol & drug usage, teen pregnancy, and high school drop outs. She facilitated classroom activities for youth 5th grade - 12th grade, did workshops on abstinence and drug & alcohol education, and also coordinated a youth peer to peer mentor program that was funded by the state where she matched 11th and 12th grade students with 7th or 8th grade student who were demonstrating risky behaviors (academics, probation, behavior issues, truancy, etc). Dianna's commitment to working with youth is exemplified through her belief that "Every child deserves a chance to shine; we at SCA give them that chance."




Misty Silva
Administrative Assistant/Medical
Certified Medical Assistant, Apollo College, AZ, 1992

Misty, a sixteen year veteran of the medical field who has spent the majority of her time in pediatrics, abides by the adage that "A healthy child is a happy child." She loves taking care of her students at Sycamore Canyon Academy and feels right at home whether she's addressing a student's simple headache or scheduling multiple appointments with various medical professionals. The dynamic nature of caring for teenage boys keeps her on her toes making her job a new adventure every day. Children are her primary focus and in her off time she has volunteered with an organization that helps unfortunate children during the Christmas season and she has also donated her services as the team medic for a local high school football team.




Dana Vande Velde
Therapist
M Counseling Psychology, Capella University, Minneapolis, MN
BA Wayne State College, Wayne, NE

Originally from Nebraska, this Arizona transplant moved in order to get away from the cold and to enjoy the city life. She attended graduate school at Capella University, earning a Master's in Counseling Psychology, and completed her undergraduate work at Wayne State College. Dana has always known it was her passion to guide youth to reach their full potential and has worked with troubled young men for the past five years. She utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to encourage her students to take responsibility for their actions and develop coping skills to work through all of life's challenges. One of her philosophies is that "When working with children it is important to remember… In a good relationship, the person in the next chair needs to know that you care before they will care about what you know." In her free time she is devoted to continuing her education and enjoying the company of her friends and family.




Myles V. Jackson
Direct Care Supervisor

Myles was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and attended the University of Northern Colorado. He has been helping to make a change in young men's lives for 14 years, spending half of that time working for Rite of Passage. During his employment with ROP he's held several valued positions such as Unit Manager, Site Trainer and Group Leader. In his spare time Myles plays basketball and spends time with his family.








Rick Honeycutt
Direct Care Supervisor

Rick has 12 years of experience coaching youth sports such as football, baseball, and softball. Working with youth is what drew him to Sycamore Canyon Academy. "I enjoy making a difference in the lives of youth and I also enjoy outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, and dirt bike riding with my own two children… The ability to work with the students in this healthy environment, whether it's hiking mountains, exploring caves, or doing a cross-county run in a canyon, is wonderful."