By: Came Dole, Youth Engagement Coordinator Eagle County thrives off of a united community, and is a youth leader who has contributed to, benefited from, and encouraged expansion of togetherness throughout the Eagle Valley. Born and raised in Honduras, Laura stated that “there's not many people that look like me or are from where I’m from”, which is why she’s faced some tough times in the community. But overall, Laura has been positively impacted by the community in Eagle County. Laura has been in the valley for 8 years and has dug in, rooted herself, and grown multiple fruitful opportunities for community benefit. Laura’s outgoing and involved nature has helped her secure footholds throughout the community. Serving as part of Valley’s Voice over the past few years, Laura has played an integral role in emphasizing youth voice and offering opportunities to her peers. Last year, Laura worked on a passion project “Power Thru”, with two other students, Britney and Giana. Power Thru aimed to help youth in the community to feel connected to other young people, and to “Power Thru” COVID-based feelings of separation & loneliness. Offering virtual events/learnings/opportunities through Power Thru, Laura was able to evaluate community needs, and provide a youth perspective on what services and activities could be developed for her peers. Additionally, as an intern on Mountain Youth’s For Youth, By Youth team, Laura leads processes of designing and executing fun & engaging events for youth around the valley. During her ‘whirlwind’ junior year, Laura admits that she lost sleep due to studying, struggled with self-pressure to succeed, and took on an ambitious course load- yet always prioritized self-care. Amidst juggling numerous priorities, Laura earned her highest GPA ever last year! Laura is quick to acknowledge the comradery and support from others as a pillar in her success. Connections with classmates, peers, and teachers have built Laura’s network and expanded her knowledge. One of her role models is AVID teacher Timothy “TJ” Simpson. Connecting with his students and sharing advice is something that Laura appreciates. She noted his friendly and outgoing personality and shares that he is open about real-life stories that have helped with real-world decisions and relatability. Starting her senior year at Battle Mountain High School, Laura has embraced a leadership role in many initiatives. These engagements include AVID (career and college readiness), the Youth Equity Stewardship (YES) team, LINK Crew (welcoming in new students), and as the Vice President of National Honor Society at Battle Mountain High School. Laura enjoys supporting her peers and growing her skills with each venture. Her network has exploded and she attributes her success to the people she has been able to connect with. Laura’s primary piece of advice for success? Stay organized! Being so involved takes a lot of scheduling, organizing, and attention to detail. Planning ahead, keeping up on to-do tasks, and leveraging electronic scheduling tools are huge priorities for Laura to stay on top of her game. As she applies to Universities everywhere, I feel confident that Laura will succeed wherever she lands. Mountain Youth is so lucky to have someone with such diverse experiences, knowledge, and leadership to serve with us. Thanks Laura!

Norma Gurrola moved to the Valley from Durango, Mexico, 14 years ago. She was a tenth-grader navigating a language barrier, her separation from family, and the pressures of growing up. On top of that, her peers bullied Norma. Norma did not give in to the bullying. It propelled her on a journey to find the bright side in every situation and to help others in any way she could. Norma’s approach and commitment to the community led her to start studying for an Associate in Early Childhood Education at Colorado Mountain College. Norma worked at Edwards Elementary School as a preschool Specialist, before being asked to volunteer at Neighborhood Navigators. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to building an inclusive environment where Eagle County's Hispanic population is empowered. Norma was thrilled to be invited to join this organization, forging a new route to serve the community more effectively. Norma understood personally how difficult it is to succeed when you lack access to resources, feel like your viewpoint is not valued, and a language barrier exists. She recognized this as a chance to give her community a voice, share resources, provide access to education, and create a space where all perspectives are valued. Norma's first initiative with Neighborhood Navigators began with her knocking on every door in Dotsero to establish relationships with her neighbors and inquire about their needs and how she might assist them. Her favorite community improvement project began after meeting a 13-year-old girl who was so passionate about reading that she would trek from Dotsero to the Gypsum library whenever she desired a new book. Norma was well aware that something needed to be done. She began conducting other neighborhood surveys and getting feedback on a bus route. Norma had numerous doors slammed in her face, had terrible things said to her, and was even laughed at for attempting this project. As with the bullying she faced, she sought out the positive in every scenario and used skepticism to propel her forward. She was adamant about establishing a bus route to Dotsero to help her community. She also wanted to demonstrate to her children that anything is possible and they can be leaders; no matter what, there will always be someone who doesn't believe in what you are doing, but you keep fighting to make it happen. That is precisely what Norma did. After seven years and continued work with Neighborhood Navigators, Eco Transit, and the Town of Gypsum, a bus route was established in Dotsero. Norma's work did not stop there! With community input and observing the conditions of the Dotsero Mobile Home Park, a new project started! The current playground's slide had a large hole, had only one working swing, and was dangerous. Her vision was to see a safe working playground. She helped develop a partnership with Mountain Recreation, Eagle County Public Health, and KABOOM made it a reality. Two hundred and fifty volunteers joined together for one day to build this park! These are a few examples of the impactful work Norma has accomplished to build a safer, healthier community. Our community inspires her; she is thankful to learn from and about needs and eagerly supports in every way she can. Norma recently joined the Mountain Youth team as a Community Liaison where she will leverage her determination and networking to boost opportunities for youth and families, especially those in vulnerable situations. Her passion and dedication to the LatinX community is an incredible asset to the Mountain Youth team.

Written by: Denise Kipp, Director of Education Yesenia Briones, a senior at Colorado Mountain College, credits her determination and success to the never-ending support, love, and hope that she has received from her family and the Eagle County community. Yesenia traveled here on foot as a three-year-old from Mexico with her mom, her 5-year-old brother, and her 1-year-old sister. She landed in Texas with family and then continued onward to Eagle County where opportunities were abounding. Doors began to open for Yesenia as her family settled into life in Eagle County. Regardless of the lack of knowledge of the culture or language; all they really needed was each other and a place to live. Yesenia’s father had settled in the U.S a few years prior to her arrival, so the family was finally reunited. Yesenia has the utmost respect and admiration for her parents and the dedication and determination they had to provide a better life for her and her siblings. She often had to remind her mom of the bravery and strength that she so admires, as her mom conveniently forgets the experience with her timid personality. Yesenia reflects on the catalyst for getting her to this point in her life – a point where she feels really good about what she is doing, who she spends time with, and where she is going in life. Yesenia’s brother soccer coach, Bratzo Horruitinerr, was largely a part of that catalyst. Bratzo provided her family with life-changing experiences she will forever be grateful for. With little support to help Yesenia or her siblings navigate the next steps after high school, they knew they needed to do something to succeed beyond high school. How do I fill out a college application as a DACA student? How do I pay for college? How do I fill out financial aid forms? What is next for me after high school if I cannot navigate the steps necessary to be successful? Yesenia observed Bratzo help her brother navigate these steps; all of which seemed overwhelming to Yesenia. Positive choices led to receiving an Early college scholarship and eventually her Associate’s Degree at Colorado Mountain College. This was the boost that gave her so much confidence. It should come as no surprise that Yesenia continued on as a My Future Pathways scholar, with a goal to continue onwards and complete her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. As Yesenia reflects on that time period she says, “I think it is important for teenagers to know that there are supports out there in this community if you build relationships, work hard, and persevere.” That is exactly what Yesenia continues to do. My Future Pathways is graced with her presence as a trusted, positive role model supporting the next generation of young people with inclusive, quality programming. “We are all going through a stage that will help us reach adulthood, and we need to support each other during these tough times,” says Yesenia. Yesenia is hopeful that she can be a “mirror” by modeling behaviors that many young Latino girls do not have access to in our community. Mirroring effects will continue to promote strong leadership in the community and create new potential leaders. Her advice to young people – be open to new experiences. Her favorite part about working at My Future Pathways is spending time with the youth. I learn so much from them. It is not a big age gap and so she can understand what they are going through and can help them problem solve.

The most special people come into your life, make a lasting impact, and are so humble that they won't see their effect more than just being a kind human. This type of person is Glenda Wentworth. For many years, Glenda has impacted numerous lives, whether children at the ABC school, individuals who rode at their horseback riding business, youth in 4-H that she taught how to sew, or the countless people who participated in one of her many Colorado State University extension programs. Glenda is dedicated to helping others grow in every way possible. Our community has benefited from her contributions in many ways, including teaching financial literacy and food preservation safety, establishing equitable access, bridging our community, teaching vital life skills, and supporting the growth of future leaders in our area. A few of those she has influenced have shared their stories of how she has touched their life. Orlando Ortiz, a recent graduate of the Family Leadership Training Institute (FLTI), says, from a distance, Glenda Wentworth may seem small and sweet, but her love and passion for our community is so grand and powerful. I have learned so much from her and FLTI. Her dedication is admirable. She is extremely supportive and is always available when you need her--she is swift to respond as well. Glenda is a living saint. She goes to great lengths to make things happen and to ensure everyone is doing ok. Our FLTI program took place during the pandemic, which had to be paused for a number of months, but Glenda kept in touch with all of us to ensure we, including our families, were doing fine. Everything Glenda does for this community is never a job, this is just who she is as a person, and I am fortunate to know her. She has a beautiful soul, and I feel blessed when I am around her." Franklin Reilly, a local youth who participated in 4-H with Glenda, raves about how she makes the absolute best broccoli and cheddar soup. He continues on about how Glenda made a lasting impact in his life by teaching him independence and valuable skills like sewing. Community partner and Family Leadership Training Institute facilitator Erik Martinez believes "she is the engine behind the FLTI logistics, and we wouldn't be able to provide the level of program we have been over the years without her involvement and leadership. Her attention to detail and forethought are amazing. She is a great listener and very connected with our community partners around the valley. She has made a difference in my life as an FLTI facilitator by always being there when I had questions about the logistics of the session or any questions I may have regarding the program or the status of participants. This is a lot of work to oversee all these moving pieces, but Glenda does it with care and love for our community and the participants. Glenda has a heart of gold!" "She has made a difference across all age ranges, providing classes to preschoolers through adult education”, says Beth Reilly, FLTI Facilitator. Any program Glenda was involved with, we'd sign my boys up for, including sewing camp! They have sewing skills to this day! We've also done "America on the Move" with her, the Dog Walk challenge, the School of Social Work pilot program on addressing racism, nutrition education, financial literacy, and more. Every time I step away from Glenda, I'm a better person!” "All of the things that I've done since 2017 were a direct result of Glenda. FLTI was a class, but Glenda is the heart of it," stated Fernando Almanza, a 2017 FLTI graduate. Around Glenda, there is no shortage of kind words or expressions of gratitude. People like Glenda, who dedicate themselves to providing much-needed resources and education without expecting anything in return, are a blessing to our community. Thank you, Glenda, for all the work you do!

By: Mikayla Curtis, Director of Strategic Impact Bella Matteo is a remarkable and inspirational young person. Not only is she gifted in numerous hobbies, sports, and passions, she runs a business with her father and has dedicated her summer to helping other youth connect to opportunities. Bella, an incoming 7th grader at Zealous school in Eagle, appreciates that this community is welcoming and makes her feel at home. Bella’s successes are also a testament to the impact of parental belief and support. Her parents show her they believe in her, and they make sure she has opportunities that fulfill her passions and support her along the way with the equipment, supplies, rides, coaching, and time needed. When I first sat down with Bella, she started talking about her aspirations and talents in mogul skiing and training with her dad and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail. However, when I asked about her hobbies and passions, the list took up two pages! She has become a self-taught avid artist as a way to cope during the pandemic. It’s a positive outlet for her and one that she’s passionate about sharing with others. Bella and I met at the He(art) of the Vail Valley Youth art showcase last month in Avon. Not only did she submit numerous drawings, paintings, and pastels to be displayed, she also had the confidence to stand up on stage and share with the crowd what art means to her. She began with an old notebook and mechanical pencils and has since upgraded her supplies and utilized online videos to expand her talent. Of her other hobbies, Bella plays many sports, including rugby, softball, bouldering and rock climbing, and loves hiking, especially doing peak ascents and long trips. She has a goal to join her dad in future years to hike 14 fourteeners over 100 miles. Bella also plays piano, loves chess, coding, has tried jewelry making, and recently joined Valley’s Voice. She is interested in learning about the different issues youth face and enjoys organizing activities and opportunities that get young people out doing something fun. Issues she sees her peers struggle with are cyberbullying and mental health. She believes that by hosting events to create awareness - especially awareness that bullying can happen by accident - and then talking through restorative practices, this will help all parties see the other side and choose different actions in the future. Her goal is to see more respectful relationships in our community; she doesn’t believe everyone has to be everyone’s friend but that they have to treat each other with respect. What makes this community great for Bella is that everyone is mostly friendly with each other, community events bring the town together, and most people know each other and don’t feel like a stranger. According to Bella, our community can only be strengthened by continuing to accept everybody, make them feel welcome and part of a big family. Most importantly, we all can help by noticing people, acknowledging them, and acknowledge what they’re saying. Bella shares that adults in our community can strengthen this by being respectful, preserving a safe community, keeping an eye on the youth to make sure they’re ok, and driving safely and slowly - acknowledging that there are other people on the road and they can get hurt based on our actions. Bella is an incredibly inspirational person, and exhibits strong wisdom, modesty and humility. She believes in herself, works hard to refine her talents, and she does so with a smile on her face. Bella sees the good in this community and has high hopes for herself and her peers. It is apparent that her parents believe in her and there is great trust and love in their relationship. We are proud of Bella, of her drive, accomplishments, and commitment and service to youth opportunities in the community, and we know her family is too. Bella has a lot of interests she excels in and we look forward to seeing the great impact she’ll continue to make in this community.

A lifelong resident of Eagle County, a wife, and mother of 4 children, Bianca Ochoa has dedicated her life to serving her community and raising the voice of her neighbors. Bianca, a first-generation Mexican American, did everything she could to better her life, including speaking openly about mental health and seeking help, which is often taboo in her culture. She discovered that the services available in our community were not suitable for non-anglo populations. She wanted to do something about the lack of mental health resources because the resources and services supplied did not affect everyone equally. Bianca viewed this as an opportunity to speak up, make a difference, and seek to find advocates in our community who could help meet people's needs. The Family Leadership Training Institution was one of those allies, a fantastic resource for people in our community who want to make a difference. Bianca earned her certification and used the training to become a leader in the head start community, assisting moms with educational possibilities such as the fantastic year's courses. She served on the Head Start and Early Head Start Policy Change Council. Bianca also assisted in the facilitation of support groups for mothers of disabled children. Bianca is a single mother who understands how difficult it can be culturally to focus on one's own mental health. She believes that Hispanic women prioritize everyone else and put themselves last and wants to change this. She emphasizes that "you matter, and it is not selfish to put yourself first," and that "pouring from an empty glass is not sustainable." Lifting each other up is one way we can help solve this problem. Bianca is passionate about meeting the needs of the community by providing safe spaces for people to connect authentically. She is so convinced of this that she recently became certified as a peer support specialist. Bianca leads many support groups for Hispanic women, including the Aprendiendo Juntos (Learning Together) Women's group, which is brought to you by Mountain Youth with the help of amazing partners and financial supporters, Eagle Valley Behavioral Health. Throughout the summer, this women's group held six educational sessions on various topics. These included banking basics, financial independence, mental health basics with stress-reduction tips and tools, and improving well-being and learning tools to create healthy relationships with your partner and children. Bianca's life experiences have strengthened her desire to help others. As a result, she took the lead in the discussion about healthy relationships. She discusses how much of a difference this type of education would have made in her life. "The more we educate our women, families, and children, the better off everyone will be," Bianca says. That is why she is doing as much as she can to help other women; she wants to provide women with the resources and education many haven't heard or seen. Bianca Ochoa, Leslie Martinez, and Diana Loera have been the leader of these women's groups from the start and say that this group is often hard to leave at the end of the night and the women who attend feel the same way. The women's group is a safe space to share experiences, learn the information they might not have access to, and connect with peers. Bianca says, "Women have told her that these groups are life-saving." They hope to keep developing curriculum based on the needs, information, and resources the women of the community need. So that they can not only survive but thrive, enjoy life and focus on self-care. Amy Baker, Family Education Manager who works closely with Bianca, believes she is passionate about our Spanish speaking community in the deepest way. She is tireless in her pursuit to provide support and to educate herself on the most effective practices to promote that change. She is an asset and a gift to any organization she is involved with. Bianca truly is one of the most passionate people we have ever met. Bianca's leadership, compassion, heart, and passion, have changed countless lives in our community and will continue to impact more.

Ivan recently graduated from Battle Mountain High School and is looking forward to his next adventure at Regis University in Denver. Ivan is the second in his family to attend college, following his older sister. He is thrilled to be living in the dorms and pursuing a career in computer science. Ivan took some classes in high school with computers and found them interesting, and his forward-thinking knows there are lots of opportunities in this field. Ivan has been involved in lots of different organizations interested in bettering our community and our youth. He started as a volunteer mentor with SOS Outreach, helping with the snowboard program until a terrible accident left him in a coma for two weeks in the hospital in Denver. It was a long road to recovery, and he has had to change his interest in sports to working out in the gym, hiking, camping, and hanging out with friends. No longer able to be a part of the SOS Outreach snowboard program, he did participate in a week-long backpacking trip near Leadville with SOS Outreach, which was challenging but a fantastic experience. Ivan has also volunteered with TedX, Salvation Army Community Gardens, and the Youth Master Plan. Ivan’s compassion for youth and seeing a need in our community for mental health accessibility lead him to the Youth Executive Board with Mountain Youth for the past year. His most memorable event with Mountain Youth was the Water Safety Event held this past Sunday. Ivan plans to continue being a part of the change and focusing on youth mental health while at Regis University. We wish Ivan all the best in his future endeavors. His compassion and commitment will lead him far. Written by: Michele Zoeller, Operations Manager

Cameron Dole Written by: Madison Partridge, Marketing and Events Manager Have you ever encountered someone who exudes positivity and motivates you to strive for more? Keep them in your life if you have. If you haven't already, I'd like to introduce you to Cameron Dole, this month's difference-maker. Cameron (Cam) Dole is our Youth Engagement Coordinator; wherever he goes, he brings a ray of optimism and a "go get 'em" mentality. Cam recently joined our team and has already made an impression on the youth and community partners with whom we engage. Cam was first introduced to us through a Zoom interview led by many members of our Valley's Voice executive board, and wow, has there ever been a more energetic and vibrant interview? Cam is a ball of energy, and the youth feed off of it. Some people have a natural ability for working with children, which is why Cam's parents told him from an early age that he would work with youth since he had a natural talent for it. He did not believe them until he started working at a summer camp in Montana. That's where he got a sense of the influence he could have. His true passion for working with youth started when he became a swim coach. He was able to channel the energy of the youth, build up his own, and funnel everyone's strengths into a purpose or idea. Cam saw his potential and pursued it, he continued working as a camp counselor, swim instructor, and raft guide before landing a job at Mountain Youth. Cam has already been finding ways to engage our current you in new capacities. Cam has already begun to think about new methods to engage our existing youth. He provides entertaining activities to Valley's Voice meetings, thinks up fresh questions to ask, and is working on new ways to have our youth's voices heard. Cam has a remarkable ability to bring people out of their shells, push them to accomplish more, and engage them in every way possible. We are fortunate to have Cam, and we are excited to see what he will accomplish! He is passionate about unlocking the potential of Valley's Voice youth to see what kind of difference they can make in their lives and in our community.

This month, we are excited to honor Cathy Strickler for her years of service to the youth in this community. Since 1990, Cathy has been an important member of Eagle County Schools, serving in roles of At-Risk Coordinator at Gypsum Elementary and Registrar at Eagle Valley High School. Cathy has not only seen students through their scheduling needs, but she’s also created safe and positive spaces for them, including being the faculty advisor for the Devils Against Destructive Decisions (DADD) Club. For this month’s Difference Maker article, we’ve asked members of the community to share their kind words about Cathy to honor her as she begins her much-deserved retirement. The following is a patchwork of their reflections. I have never met a more caring and sincere school leader as I’ve found in Cathy. She has opened her heart to every student who walks into the school and embraced them for who they are and the positive power they hold. She remembers every detail of conversations; she is authentic in her relationships, going above and beyond to be there for her students. Cathy Strickler was one of the first people that welcomed me to EVHS when I started here six years ago. She was kind, caring, and truly showed interest in getting to know me. She treats everyone she meets like a friend, especially students. When students come back to visit, years after they graduate, Cathy's desk is almost always their first stop. She seems to know almost everyone in the community. She has built relationships that will last a lifetime. She is always available for a laugh, a hug, or some stern advice when I need it. She is the epitome of a Difference Maker and has made a lasting impact on the EVHS community. I have been a school counselor at EVHS for the past three years and have worked closely with Cathy in many ways. She always greets staff, students, and families with the warmest smile and kindest words as they enter our counseling office. She makes new students and families feel welcomed, at ease and excited about EVHS and our community. Her roots run deep within the EVHS culture and our students. I have spent many, many hours with this amazing lady who is more than a coworker but an amazing friend. I have watched how much time and energy she has dedicated to not only our office and students/families but to the DADD group, Musical/Plays, and always pitching in to do various other activities with the students. With the DADD club, she brought in a Multi-Media show, won numerous awards for the Teen Seatbelt Challenge, contributed to the Victims Panel in various ways, organized the “Safety Fair,” and had numerous fundraisers while always keeping the students in the forefront and coaching/mentoring them along the way. As a former student member of DADD (Devils Against Drunk Driving) in the late '80s & early '90s at EVHS, it was so great to see that DADD was still an active club at EVHS and had been updated to its current name of Devils Against Destructive Decisions. Under the leadership of Cathy Strickler, it was refreshing to see such an active student group determined to keep fellow students SAFE and aware of safe driving, destructive decisions, and more. Working with Cathy now in my professional role and with community partners was an honor, and I would like to wish Cathy all the best in her next adventures. I am going to be lost without Cathy Stickler at Eagle Valley High School. She has been such a great partner in bringing traffic safety education to the school and her students. The DADD group has been such a joy to work with over the years. My favorite meetings in my job have always been with Cathy and her students. Not only has Cathy been a great partner, but she has also been a wonderful friend over the years. I wish her all the best on her new journey in life. Cathy is one of the most encouraging, thoughtful, and kind people I have ever met. She has taught me so much with how she puts people first and goes above and beyond to form a lasting relationship with them!! I just can't say enough about what she has done and been to our school. She has always been my "go-to" person whenever I have a question about something or need clarification and is the glue of our counseling department. Honestly, we wouldn't be half of who we are as a department without Cathy. Cathy has done so many things with and for students and made a massive difference in so many students' lives that it is impossible to list all that she has done. However, the common theme that makes the most difference is her ability and sincere, genuine, and personal relationship with each student. The rapport and strong relationships she builds with students make all the difference in the world in their lives. Every student knows she values them, and I feel this every day from her as well! Not only is Cathy a valuable asset to our school, department, and community, but she's become a fantastic friend. She has the kindest heart, always makes me laugh, and gives the most amazing hugs - which will be missed the most! To Cathy, we share these words: It has been an honor and joy to serve with you over the years. Your commitment to your student’s success is phenomenal, and I am [we are] continuously amazed by the amount of energy you pour into your work. You are a positive light for those lucky to be around you. Wishing you a delightful retirement- you will be missed!

Happy Pride Month! To commemorate the month of June, we spotlight an LGBTQ+ youth in our valley who serves as a safe space for other LGBTQ+ youth. Bronte P. Nelson, an eighth-grade student at Gypsum Middle School, identifies as non-binary, queer and uses they/them pronouns. For those unfamiliar, a nonbinary person identifies with a gender other than "the male-female gender binary"—for example, an agender person whose identity is gender-neutral rather than specifically male or female. Bronte has gone through a lot to find their true self, and it hasn't been easy. It has been filled with phases of personal discovery, rejection by important individuals, and bullying. Like many other LGBTQ+ youths, Bronte's journey was difficult, but they always found a way to make it enjoyable. They used a magic trick to come out to their mother as non-binary in a recent self-discovery. Bronte is proud to have a mother who has supported them throughout their journey. Despite their mother's acceptance, Bronte says that they are overcome with anxiety about not being accepted for who they are every time they come out. Bronte wants everyone to know how important being supportive and following up these conversations with a hug and an "I love you" can benefit the LGBTQ+ person in your life. They also encourage parents to check in regularly and do everything they can to show that they are an ally! When asked what Pride means to them, they spoke on the importance of the journey. "The LGBTQ+ community has an extraordinary history, and the journey that we have been on since the stonewall riots has been important in developing what pride is today," said Bronte. Learning about the history of the LGBTQ+ community led them to their current passion project. Bronte doesn't believe that their generation will make flying cars; they feel that their generation will educate all generations that it's okay to be who you are. Bronte is making this change happen through their passion project, a community thumbprint progress pride flag. They designed an inclusive pride flag on wood and wanted to fill it with the fingerprints of LGBTQ+ teachers, fellow students, and allies at their middle school. The passion project was initially slow; some students ripped down project signs. But with the help of supportive teachers and even more signs, more and more people added their fingerprints each day to make themselves seen and pledge their support to the LGBTQ+ community. It was an opportunity for teachers to add their fingerprints to serve as role models in front of students. Students and teachers could pick the colors of their self-identifying flag and anonymously mark who they were. Bronte also took as many opportunities as they could to educate students and teachers about the history and meanings of the LGBTQ+ community. This passion project spotlighted Bronte as a trusted friend. Students thanked Bronte for doing this passion project because they felt seen and supported. Classmates even felt safe coming out to Bronte because they were in a safe environment. Bronte will continue to promote the importance of being a safe space at their second pride celebration, where they will be one of the few local speakers. Bronte will speak about their journey, the history of the LGBTQ+ community, encourage our community to pick their colors, and show their support by helping to fill out the rest of the thumbprint progress pride flag. Join Mountain Youth, Bronte Nelson, and many other community partners at Pride in the Park, June 12th at Nottingham Park from 12-7 pm. We hope to see you there, and make sure to stop by and add your thumbprint to the pride flag!

The Story: UB.U Written by: Amy Baker, Education Manager It all began about eight years ago, a local elementary school reached out to Anne-Marie Desmond and Emily McCormack and asked if they would help with their Wondrous Wednesday programming and bring yoga to the K-5 student community. After a year with students, they were blown away! Feedback showed that kids as young as 6 and 7 were struggling with stress and anxiety and begging for more time to relax and have an intentional pause in their day. The culture of go-go-go that is so pervasive with adults is also affecting our kids. With the encouragement of Tiffany Dougherty, principal at Eagle Valley Elementary, they set out to design a K-12 curriculum that not only taught students about their nervous system and stress response system but also provided lifelong tools for settling the mind, calming the body, and opening the heart. This was the birth of the first Social-Emotional Curriculum that was brought to Eagle County Schools. Students, teachers, and parents began to learn how to explore the mind and educate the heart through the UB.U programming. Inspiration: A quick straw poll done in the schools indicated that teachers knew little at that time about Social Emotional Learning (SEL). UB.U saw this as a gap in education and committed to creating a radical paradigm shift in our schools, addressing the emerging need for social and emotional wellness and brain health education. Carving out SEL time during the school day was the missing link for building emotional intelligence. The staff at UB.U saw that we were not educating and nourishing our children's social and emotional lives. Because of that, they were moving into their academic and post-graduate careers – and later into their adult lives – without the necessary tools for self-awareness, resilience, and overall mental and emotional wellbeing. At a time when children and teens are experiencing increased trauma due to the impact of world events, as well as incidents that hit closer to home – like school shootings, racism, sexism, and discrimination - more students than ever are being hospitalized for stress and anxiety. With screen time on the rise (averaging nine hours a day), increased feelings of loneliness & social isolation, and a suicide/suicide ideation rate that has nearly doubled from previous years, the need for earlier and more effective prevention-focused mental health care for children and teens had never been more critical. Anne-Marie and Emily saw this first-hand with their children and knew they had to do something. They believed the first step in addressing these behavioral health issues was with prevention programming that proactively educates and empowers the individual. Practicing tools rooted in mindfulness strengthens self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-compassion, creating more possibilities. They believe it is intentional to pause, that children (and adults, for that matter) can find opportunities. Their classes involved neuroplasticity, optimum brain function, brain education, mind-body connection and awareness, responding versus reacting and parasympathetic nervous system regulation tools. Gratitude: UB.U was the foundation for so many teachers and classrooms to learn, practice safely, and share their stories about how to integrate SEL into the classroom. They feel fortunate to have worked to help establish a wonderful prevention provider group, B.E. Partners. This group thoughtfully supports Eagle County K-12 youth with the creation and implementation of equitable SEL programs that align with state and national academic health standards and developmental student needs. During UB.U's extraordinary eight-year tour, they reached nearly 8,000 students in almost every public, private, and charter school in the Eagle River Valley. During a 2017-2018 impact study, they saw an average of 54% increase in student overall wellbeing. They are proud that UB.U students can confidently 'check-in' with themselves and use self-regulation tools to assist in their overall wellbeing. UB.U teachers often run into former students out in the valley and report back that their conversations are around skills, tools, and lessons on SEL. These exchanges are a source of great honor to the UB.U team, as it reinforces the impact they have had on the youth in our community and the skills they helped them to develop that will last a lifetime. UB.U wants to acknowledge and thank the B.E. Partners, Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, Eagle County, so many principals, teachers, counselors, parents, and students that have lifted them up and kept UB.U going. UB.U is humbled by their support, partnership, and encouragement. When I think of UB.U and the impact it has had on my children and so many others, the Margaret Mead quote comes to mind: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." This is what UB.U was for our community, a catalyst for change that was born of the passion and vision of women who identified a need and catapulted into action. Our valley will treasure the benefits of their teachings for many years to come.

Fueling Her Future Written by Sandy Schroeder, Director of Community Engagement For Frances Farrell, becoming involved in her community is not so that the “box gets checked”. It’s much, much more. I met Frances at one of the planning meetings for Tu Guia and she said, “Sure, money is great. But what truly motivates me is to be contributing something to my community.” Frances has her list of activities, as is true with many highly actuated high school students. She attends Battle Mountain High School and plays lacrosse, skis on the Nordic ski team, and runs cross country. She is the head curator for the TEDxYouth@Vail event, serves on Student Council, participates in the LINK crew, and is a National Honor Society member. In addition, she is working towards earning her Child Development Associates Credential. She works at the pre-school at Homestake Peak School, babysits, teaches swim lessons, serves as a Reading Buddy through the Literacy Project, and is one of three teen leads for the Tu Guia / Your Guide project/program with Valley’s Voice and Mountain Youth. Quite a list, right? It’s not even the best part! Frances does what she does (and recommends the same to others) to fuel the future. Not just her future, the collective future. Service to a larger good is not just educating and rewarding, it is “exposing the real roots of the community, the parts we don’t see daily.” At the core is the ability to build bridges. From her perspective, it creates a spider web effect where people are reached, affected, and then contribute to a new community, one that is positive and uplifting. All of this, Frances identified, “has allowed me to find positivity throughout all of COVID.” True to her life mission to want to give back and serve others, Frances completed an internship with a reading specialist and an applied behavioral analyst and she is pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education and Child Development at Vanderbilt in the fall. She is gaining momentum to make her dream come true: change the education system. Frances has recognized that there are so many unique learner profiles and different intelligences, that there are countless ways to meet “success” in the classroom. Tapping into every individual’s infinite capability to learn, makes success possible for everyone. Traditional learning has worked for Frances, but that is not good enough. She needs to use her fuel, her energy to make learning possible for everyone. COVID has thrown the balance of life, social life, family, and extra-curriculars off for many students. Her advice is to try to retrieve that balance, to be as close to 100% as possible so that all things align. How to do that? Find things that are exciting and drive individual passion. It will make a difference. Frances is a gem in our Eagle River Valley. Catch her, if you can.