By Nick Krishnan: Marketing and Events Manager Brandon Escalante is a young man who values his family, his friends and his community. Going into his junior year at Battle Mountain High School, Brandon was born and raised in Eagle County. A true local, Brandon enjoys being outside, whether it’s snowboarding, fishing or just hanging out with friends. I first met Brandon through SOS Outreach, and while he was initially very shy, he quickly opened up and showed me the type o

By Monica Torres: Prevention and Community Outreach Specialist Born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Diana Loera has dedicated her professional life to serving the community in the valley, believing that education and access to resources have the power to transform the lives of families. Diana is a bilingual kindergarten teacher in the local school district and also coordinates two important Mountain Youth programs, Aprendiendo Juntos and Tu Guía. These initiatives are designed to

By Michele Zoller: Operations Manager In 2021, a vision for a more sustainable future took root at Eagle Valley High School (EVHS). Rylee Sharkey—a former Mountain Youth Valley’s Voice member and Board Member brought the idea to action and the EVHS Green Team began as a mission to create a dedicated space for environmental advocacy. Today, what started as an idea to be a more sustainable Highschool has grown into a 21-member youth led initiate including 12 seniors, all worki

By Cam Dole: Senior Manager of Youth Engagement At some point in every student’s life, they will have the “what’s next?” question. Each youth gets to decide their decision with this extremely open-ended question. One student may be ready to map out college applications, another student has no idea what comes after graduation, and another kid is excited about welding school, a summer job, or a two-year apprenticeship. For this reason, Ellen Sirico (Ms. Ellen) gets to offer opp

By Brenda Saucedo: Youth Engagement and Empowerment Coordinator In Eagle County, where mountain culture often celebrates athleticism and physical performance, one local leader is working to create space for a different kind of strength, one rooted in healing, connection, and self-acceptance. For Alex Kandalaft, the journey into serving youth and families wasn’t just professional, it was deeply personal. After moving to Eagle County to begin her career as a kindergarten teac

By Stevi Bratschie: Director of Community Education A jewelry maker, business owner, drummer, actor, clarinet player, dress designer, board member, and future author—you might imagine this list describing someone well into adulthood. In reality, these accomplishments belong to a bright and driven 14-year-old named Makenzie Mitzelfelt. I had the pleasure of meeting Makenzie at a recent Mountain Youth Board meeting, where she was officially sworn in as a board member. Not only

By Michelle Hartel: Executive Director Did you know that having a trusted adult can be the strongest protective factor in the life of a child? A trusted adult is someone who is respected and non-judgmental- a “go-to” resource for a young person seeking support and guidance. These individuals don’t typically realize the magnitude of their influence, yet they often become a lifeline when youth struggle with mental health issues, peer pressure, and the challenges of navigating d

By Nick Krishnan: Marketing and Events Manager For some people, positivity comes naturally; rain or shine, they’ll show up with a smile. Edgar Landeros is a young man who exemplifies these traits. A sophomore at Vail Christian High School, Edgar was born and raised in the Eagle River Valley, along with his two siblings. Rosario, Edgar’s mom, owns a housekeeping business and his dad, Jorge, owns a construction company. Having grown up surrounded by examples of hard work an

By Mikayla Curtis: Director of Strategic Impact When Officer Rio Burgess, with the Avon Police Department, enters Avon Elementary School, he’s greeted with smiles, enthusiasm, and a sense of connection with the students. Officer Burgess has a great spirit for community, possibilities, and seeing youth thrive. He shares, “kids in general are awesome, they’re bright and happy and come in full of energy and excitement; they want to solve problems and make a difference.” This is

By Jo Pennock: Intervention and Prevention Programs Manager This winter, thousands of students in Eagle County and across Colorado took part in the biennial Healthy Kids Colorado Survey. If you take a look at the website of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), they say that “the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) is the state’s most comprehensive survey on the health and well-being of young people. The purpose of this survey is to better understand y

By Monica Torres: Prevention and Community Outreach Specialist Rocío Martínez Alvarado was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, a place surrounded by nopales and bougainvillea where her deep connection with nature began. She shares that it was there where “a seed of lifelong devotion to the living medicine of the earth was planted” within her. She graduated from Battle Mountain High School in 2013. She began her studies focused on business and later worked in the field of human resourc

By Hannah Conoley: Community Mobilizer Nina Williams has spent her high school years saying “yes” to new experiences, and that spirit of curiosity has shaped her into a powerful young leader in Eagle County. As a senior, she wears many hats: Varsity Dance Team captain, TEDx youth speaker, participant in The Cycle Effect and Mountain Youth Communities That Care Coalition member. Looking back on the past year, Nina is most proud of how much she has pushed herself to branch out

By Michelle Hartel: Executive Director Mountain Youth is humbled to have a unique collection of perspectives from community leaders that serve on our Board of Directors. These leaders bring lived experience, professional expertise, and a shared commitment to uplifting youth across Eagle County. With a charge of increasing youth voice and intentionally creating spaces for meaningful connection, it is critical that input from students, parents, educators, business leaders, and

By Nick Krishnan: Marketing and Events Manager The idea of standing in front of a room full of people to voice your opinions can be a daunting task for anyone. For Vicente Davis-Provoste, a senior at Battle Mountain High School, this simply isn’t the case. When I met Vicente at a Communities That Care Coalition meeting, it was clear to me that he is a young man with natural leadership qualities. Surrounded by adults, Vicente exhibited the confidence to speak his mind and sh

By Monica Torres: Prevention & Community Outreach Specialist Anet, a 10th-grade student at Battle Mountain High School, is a young woman whose determination reflects her desire to make her dreams come true and build a better future for herself and her family. She lives with her parents, who emigrated from Mexico, as well as with her siblings, forming a home filled with support, hard work, and shared goals. For Anet, her greatest inspiration is her mother, whom she describes a

By Nick Krishnan: Marketing & Events Manager Serving the community is about more than providing resources to those in need, it’s also about building relationships and connecting with community members. Few people embody this principle more than Mauricio “Mo” Bolivar, the Community Resource Coordinator for Building Futures at Habitat. Having spent the majority of his career working in the hospitality industry, Mo has been able to develop his natural people skills in a way th

By Michele Zoller: Operations Manager This month’s Difference Maker is Rachel Glowacki—a woman who leads with heart, lives with purpose, and reminds us all of the power of engaging with Community. Six years ago, Rachel and her husband Casey made the move to Eagle County, drawn by the mountain lifestyle and a shared “let’s do it” mentality. Since then, Rachel has become a powerful force for good in our community, blending her passion for mindfulness, youth education and servi

By Mikayla Curtis: Director of Strategic Impact What happens when you combine passion with action? A whole lot of good for the community. When Suri Raol, a current sophomore at Battle Mountain High School, was just a little girl, she loved exploring and playing on the river behind her home with her family. One day while paddleboarding at six years old, she asked her father what the "chocolate donuts" were in the river. Her father explained they weren't donuts but old tir

By Jo Pennock: Intervention and Prevention Programs Manager For Mariana Rojas, Eagle County isn’t just where she grew up – it’s the...

By Cam Dole: Senior Manager of Youth Engagement At Mountain Youth, we know that when young people lean into their strengths, they create...