Youth Spotlight: Lisa Mech

By Cam Dole: Senior Manager of Youth Engagement

At Mountain Youth, we know that when young people lean into their strengths, they create ripples of impact throughout our community. This month, we’re proud to shine the spotlight on Lisa Mech, a sophomore at Battle Mountain High School, whose determination and drive are inspiring both youth and adults around her.

Lisa’s involvement with Mountain Youth stems from her role on the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). Focused on addressing and creating solutions for youth violence in the county, Lisa has been leading and working alongside her peers to learn more about youth safety concerns and how to address them. She even hung flyers at bus stops all across Eagle County to gather survey data from riders—an effort that wasn’t without challenges. Did she stop there? Not at all. Lisa dug deeper, continuing the work she’s passionate about: helping youth in her community feel supported and heard.

Reflecting on Lisa’s impact, Mountain Youth’s own “youth guy” Cameron Dole shares: “Lisa is one of the most incredible, driven youth I’ve had the pleasure to work with. Her charisma in meetings and her passion for community togetherness—combined with her determination to tackle whatever challenge is in front of her—are incredibly evident both during and outside of meetings.”

What makes Lisa stand out most as an incredible youth in the community, is commitment to her values- perseverance potentially the most beaming. For the last few years, she has been navigating an unknown health challenge, where she had experienced loss of mobility in her legs, moments of not feeling “right,” and episodes where her body and mind seemed disconnected. After years of persistence with the medical system, she finally received a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder, which she describes as a “software, not hardware” issue. While her muscles and bones developed normally, something wasn’t allowing her brain and body to communicate smoothly.

The uncertainty and long wait for answers could have been discouraging, but Lisa refused to give up. She kept pushing, kept asking questions, and leaned on her family—who always showed up with love and support. Just a few weeks ago, in mid-September 2025, Lisa stood up out of her wheelchair for the first time in months. That moment speaks volumes about her strength and determination, and we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate it with her.

Outside of school, Lisa brings the same mix of curiosity and creativity to everything she does. She has practiced karate since she was five, even competing at the national level and placing on the podium. She loves crocheting gifts for friends—her most recent project was a dinosaur for a friend’s younger brother—and cherishing her Japanese heritage through family visits and traditions, like sharing a special hot spring trip with her grandmother in Japan this summer. Always eager to learn, Lisa also hopes to pick up new life skills such as cooking and oil painting, both to enjoy and to share with others.

When asked what advice she would give to others, Lisa doesn’t hesitate: “Effort pays off, even if you fail. Trying is always better than not trying.” It’s a reminder that reflects her own journey and encourages other young people to reflect on what they value most. She also gave a shoutout to her biology teacher, Mr. Caudill, saying, “He’s not going to sugarcoat anything, but he’s never mean… he’s a sick teacher.”

Lisa has always had big dreams. Inspired by many members of her family, she first points to her grandfather, a world-renowned biologist. She hopes to follow in his footsteps through biology, medicine, and research that helps people. Already taking on challenging coursework like AP Concurrent Enrollment biology, Lisa speaks about her goals with a clarity and purpose that make you believe she’ll get there. If she could choose a mentor, she’d choose former President Barack Obama, admiring the way he holds true to his values while helping millions of people.

When asked about her future, Lisa shared goals of going to college, becoming successful through helping others, and always striving to learn, persevere, and surround herself with people who support her.

For as long as we have the chance to learn from Lisa, we’re grateful to have her as part of our community—shining as an example of strength, kindness, and heart.