Mountain Youth and local law enforcement are working together to prevent underage access to alcohol, reduce impaired driving, and keep our community safe. Working together with restaurants and bars, we are aiming to increase training opportunities that better equip employees to recognize false IDs, better recognize signs of impairment from alcohol and other substances, and reduce over service that can lead to safety concerns. We’re also working together to improve sober transportation options and getting people home safely. These efforts are building better relationships between bars and law enforcement to support each other in keeping our community healthy and safe. One effort to do this is through routine bar checks by officers to normalize the idea that police have a working relationship with establishments. It also helps to set a tone of safety and security for patrons. As one officer reports, “since we have put nightly bar checks into practice we have seen a decrease in all incidents in our bars. Our presence is a calming effect and the bar staff know to call us early before the issues arise.” Additionally, bar checks by law enforcement are a “natural deterrent around fake Id use and underage drinking.” Through these efforts, Mountain Youth, law enforcement, and local restaurants and bars are hoping to see a reduction in underage consumption in establishments, less intoxication by customers, and a reduction in impaired driving in our community. Together, we are working to make our community healthy and safe. In addition to these efforts, Mountain Youth is working to increase sober activities for youth and adults to help those who want to be social without substances to find a community to connect with. In the coming months, Mountain Youth is working to establish a sober calendar that will help members of our community find sober events. Additionally, Mountain Youth is working with different community partners to create events that do not integrate substances in order to encourage participation by all members of our community. Current sober activities include happy hour yoga offered by Mountain Recreation (free for members, $5 for non-members), $15 Fridays at Eagle Climbing & Fitness that includes entry and rental, and free monthly NamaStay Flowing sessions offered for the community. In the coming months, we are working on more youth driven events, community art events, and a screening of the Sober & Stoked Documentary: The 6 Gifts on December 9, 2019. For ongoing support, the NamaStay Sober program offers gym memberships to those who have been in recovery for at least 3 months and who do not have the financial means for a gym membership. The program helps those in recovery get connected with a healthy community and develop a support network. Donated gym memberships are still available, please contact Hillary Higgins for more information hhiggins@mountainyouth.org.

Get to know Cleo. She is a VSSA competitive skier and she would like for people to get to know what it is like. We sat down for a conversation and she filled me in on her world. BTW: VSSA is Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy. Q: What does ski life at VSSA look like? A: It is tough. Tuesdays through Fridays, during ski season, we ski for three hours, do dryland for 2 and go to school for 4 hours. One of the hardest things for me was being injured last year. Climbing back to a competitive level has been hard. There is failure in that. My coach, Mark Smith, has helped me build back my confidence. Also, it’s a bit of a life lesson to know that I am competing against my friends. I want to win, but they are also people I hang out with. Q: What is one of the best things about being a ski racer, besides the skiing, of course? A: I am an alpine slalom skier and I compete in the NorAm Cup. My first race was against Resi Stiegler, a world cup level, Olympian skier. Even though I was terrified in that race, I loved the competition, the feeling that I was getting close to accomplishing my goals. Ski racing works really well with my need to have set goals and striving toward them, which is from my parents. They push me, but also let me be a kid. Q: Do you have any free time? A: I do have some time to hang out with friends. Last year my friend and I organized a fundraiser 5k trail run to raise money for the Bindu Pomeroy Memorial fund which was created in honor of our awesome teacher who passed away last November. The event had 250 participants and our goal was to have 100! We raised 6000$ for the Memorial Fund. That took lots of my free time last year. The race is going to continue to be held annually and will be my senior project. Q: How does this happen to a young lady in Eagle County and what advice do you have? A: I began skiing when I was 2 years old and I skied in the Buddy Werner League and then Ski Club Vail. Erica Ghent was my childhood coach. She was a definite role model for me. I started school in 5th grade at VSSA. I love Eagle County so much, but I also enjoy traveling to ski. For other young people, I would say that is important to have something to drive you so you stay on a good path. For me, it was skiing, but lots of things can help avoid getting wrapped up in unhealthy things that some teenagers do. Q: From your perspective, what are some takeaways from being a ski racer at VSSA? A: This whole experience has set me up for success. I have to be responsible for getting myself up at 5AM in zero-degree weather so that I can train. Then there is the gear, keeping track of it and also being away from my parents. I have been exposed to different cultures and traveled to Europe 6 times before I was 15! I have really learned to persevere through failure. Q: If you could change something in the world, what would it be? A: I am pretty concerned about climate change. I would have people across the world focus more on that. Also, the poverty that I have seen is a big issue. If I could, I would try to better distribute the wealth of the world so that it is more even. Cleo is finishing her senior year at VSSA and will be back on the slopes soon. Just try to catch her to find out more about her amazing life.

In an effort to give local youth a bigger voice in the community, Mountain Youth and partner organizations have created Valley’s Voice: the one-stop-shop for youth to be heard, be involved and make change that impacts everyone. It is, in essence, passion projects in action. Led by a youth executive board, Valley’s Voice is recruiting young people, ages 10 to 25, for key positions. Valley’s Voice will host events across Eagle County to collect input on key issues for youth so that projects and progress can be facilitated. The program came about directly from input from young people. “I am so excited to be part of the new process for young people in Eagle County. There are so many ways for youth to be involved and so many organizations that want to serve youth. We found there was either a disconnect or duplications in working with youth,” said Sandy Schroeder, the Communities that Care coordinator and Valley’s Voice manager, in a news release. Schroeder said that CTC’s work does not live in a silo; it is incorporated into county efforts that strive to create a happy, healthy and safe Eagle County. One CTC strategy is to “reward and recruit youth for roles in local coalitions.” CTC work has propelled the creation of Valley’s Voice. It is through Valley’s Voice that every youth in the county will have the opportunity to serve, be rewarded, and be recognized for their contribution to the improvement in youth issues across the county. The new iteration of involving youth came directly from youth, Schroeder explained. Valley’s Voice spans several past programs including Youth Leaders Council, encompasses CTC youth advisors and other young people in our community. It’s a youth-led, adult-supported program that focuses on education and community service projects — giving young people a voice in programs that impact them. In September, all 2,500 high school students are invited to an event at CMC where they will be engaged and they can choose to be on the board, pitch a project, work with local businesses to provide insight and feedback or sit back and learn more. The program will include youth ages 10 to 25 so the middle school voice, as well as the older youth voice, will be heard. This is the time for young people to get involved. Maybe there’s a project to tackle — anything from helping build a playground to organizing a canned food drive; writing a book to cleaning up a park. YLC and CTC Advisors are being merged into Valley’s Voice. Young people from age 10 through 25 are encouraged to be part of the program and change in Eagle County. Interested youth can sign up at www.valleysvoice.org. Mountain Youth works to make the community we live in a stronger, more vibrant place for youth and families. ERYC’s is to continuously and collaboratively improve the lives of youth in the most powerful ways possible. We strive to understand, inform, engage, empower and transform. Learn more at www.mountainyouth.org

Workshop attendees will learn a few minutes of self-care a day can increase mood and decrease anxiety. Jen gets up early, makes herself a cup of herbal tea and journals for 20 minutes. Olivia connects with a group of friends at a sweaty spin class. Luis teams up with another father and coaches his daughter’s soccer team. Tracy takes an early morning hike with a good friend every day. Whether they know it or not, they are all practicing self-care. They’re getting exercise, connecting with friends and feeling the spirituality of the natural world. When they get to work, or as they approach the day as a stay-at-home parent, they’re feeling complete, fulfilled and ready to tackle what’s ahead. Self-care: It’s a term that has become en vogue recently but has been the foundation of mental, emotional and physical health for decades. Self-care is an intentional activity that helps us care for our physical and mental selves. It’s easy to overlook or put on the back burner, but it’s key for reducing anxiety and promoting better moods. “As we strive to strike balance in our lives and promote physical and mental well-being, self-care is critical,” explains Eagle Valley Behavioral Health Executive Director Chris Lindley. “When we take time to nurture our own mind and body, we are able to give more of ourselves to others.” Presented by Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and Vail Health, October’s Eat Chat Parent will be an interactive workshop on self-care. Presenting speaker, Alex Yannacone, MA, Director of Education and Community Programs at Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, says self-care encompasses six areas: physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, relationship and professional. “Overall we’ll talk about benefits and the necessity for self-care,” Yannacone says. “We’ll go over what research has proven to be beneficial and have positive impacts. We’ll talk about the intentional action of taking care of yourself.” Oftentimes self-care is easier in theory than practice, which is why after the short presentation, the real fun begins with interactive breakout groups. Attendees will share what works for them as far as self-care and areas they can improve. The goal is to share ideas and have participants leave with a small arsenal of self-care ideas, tips and also able to identify triggers and warning signs when they’re in a place of needing self-care. Self-care can be pretty easy when life is moving along swimmingly, but when it gets stressful or difficult, self-care can be the first thing to fall off our list. It’s precisely why there will be a breakout session; so during these moments that we need to set aside time to practice self-care, we are able and ready. Luckily, that does not require hours. Yannacone will remind attendees "how you can take a minute and do a self-reflection, a 20-minute workout app. The main goal is to recoup the habit [you are] already doing and reap the benefits, and small ways [you] can integrate other self-care.” She encourages, “Think small, not big unachievable goals.” There will be a separate group for the young people attending so they can reap the benefits of their self-care routine starting today instead of in middle age. After all, why not start a good habit sooner than later? No matter the age, all participants will leave armed with concrete ideas on how to continue to work self-care into their daily routines. “We’ve found that parents and children want to leave our seminars with a clear way to continue the conversation or topic at home. After all, that’s when the real work starts,” says Carol Johnson, Mountain Youth’s parent education manager. “Parents and caregivers will have a worksheet they can share and reference to help keep their home life smooth. It seems obvious, but when we properly model self-care, that sets our youth up for success and helps foster their own self-care habits.” The beauty of self-care? It’s never too late to start and results are almost immediate. _______ Mountain Youth, formerly Eagle River Youth Coalition, strives to make the community we live in a stronger, more vibrant place for youth and families. Mountain Youth’s mission is to continuously and collaboratively improve the lives of youth in the most powerful ways possible. We strive to understand, inform, engage, empower and transform. We are stronger together. Learn more at www.mountainyouth.org. If you go: Self-Care Interactive Workshop with Alex Yannacone, CU Depression Center October 8, Battle Mountain High School October 9, Eagle Valley High School · 5:30-7:30 p.m. · Youth ages 5th grade and up are welcome to attend. · Free dinner, childcare and Spanish interpretation. · RSVP strongly encouraged for all and required for childcare. RSVP here. Plan ahead: • November 5 & 6 Rebuild Yourself vs. Talk Therapy with Janina Fariñas, Ph.D., L’Ancla and La Cocina, Olga Wilkins of the Family Resource Center and Gerry Lopez of Eagle River Youth Coalition ~ en Español, English interpretation provided • January 14 & 15 Protecting Your Child From Predators with Elizabeth Jeglic, Ph.D., National Speaker and Author • March 3 & 4 Anxiety and Depression In Children with Steven Schlozman, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

Saphira Klearman is the founder of Project We Care Colorado, a teen-driven, teen-led, state-wide organization focused on decreasing mental health stigma, providing education and advocating for youth I recently met a 15-year-old woman whose conscious mind cares so much about others that it hurts. All she wants to do is help our community, especially our youth who are experiencing suicide ideation. Her bravery in confronting these painful issues is inspiring. Meet Battle Mountain High School junior, Saphira Klearman, a caring young person who is determined to save lives. “You are a wonderful human being who deserves to live,” says Klearman in “If You’re Thinking About Killing Yourself,” a Panic Button resource on YouTube. The short video is one of several, and is a tactic of Project We Care Colorado. Klearman is the founder of PWCC, a teen-driven, teen-led, state-wide organization focused on decreasing mental health stigma, providing education and advocating for youth. PWCC’s main goal is to make resources available to everyone. “Stay alive, please,” Klearman implores while looking directly into the camera. Throughout the short video she provides myriad reasons for why staying alive is vital. She also offers suggestions for immediate positive behavioral choices. If you have two minutes and 21 seconds, it is worth a watch, especially considering that Eagle County is part of a suicide belt that is experiencing record numbers of deaths by suicide. According to the 2017 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (administered by the Eagle River Youth Coalition), 24% of local middle school students have seriously considered suicide. In addition to founding a youth-centered mental health organization, Klearman is also making her mark in Colorado’s state legislature. The day I met with her for this interview happened to be the same day she introduced Gov. Polis at a Battle Mountain High School Assembly celebrating Vail Health’s announcement to form Eagle Valley Behavioral Health. She was shy and humble when I asked her to describe that moment. Klearman knows Polis through her advocating for Colorado’s HB19-1120. A few weeks later, I bumped into Klearman at the Eagle County School District’s Wellness Committee meeting. She had been invited to the gathering to provide a youth voice. She was super upbeat and excited to inform me that HB19-1120 was signed by Polis. The new law “allows a minor 12 years of age or older to seek and obtain psychotherapy services with or without the consent of a minor’s parent or guardian if the mental health professional determines the minor is knowingly and voluntarily seeking the psychotherapy services and the psychotherapy services are clinically necessary.” Klearman’s next goal is to make sure Rep. Dylan Roberts passes legislation aimed at integrating mental health into K-12 school curriculums. Watch out, she is just getting started. Hearts on the line Recalling how far she has come from a dark place not too long ago often crosses her mind. Middle school was rough and rocky when Klearman’s happiness was drastically altered. “I learned the world is full of injustice and anti-Semitism,” she said. “I spoke out and received backlash. I found Eagle River Youth Coalition’s Youth Leadership Council, which helped me be a part of the change. And it was just the beginning.” When I asked her who she looks up to, she responded by describing individuals who have a certain mindset. “The people who are passionate, open, driven and kind — those are the people who inspire me — people who put their hearts on the line,” she said. “No one should have to feel alone. No one should have to feel sad. It bothers me that in the past three years I do not have a friend who has not struggled with their mental health. It’s not right.” Klearman works daily to right this wrong, whether presenting at TedXYouth, introducing the governor, or speaking to a room full of decision makers at Eagle County’s Total Health Alliance. Her sense of urgency is contagious and emotional. Join Team Saphira, who I think is a wonderful human being, and help our community stay alive. Carol Johnson is the Community Education Manager for Mountain Youth and the facilitator for Eat Chat Parent.

Eat Chat Parent series recognized for addressing behavioral health Welcome to your blog post. Use this space to connect with your readers and potential customers in a way that’s current and interesting. Think of it as an ongoing conversation where you can share updates about business, trends, news, and more. “It has never been more difficult to be a young person,” said Vail Health President and CEO Will Cook. “Technology has opened new doors, but it also presents extremely challenging and harmful situations for our youth. Just when they need their parents and friends most, technology creates barriers to meaningful interactions. With the click of a button, bullying can take place any time of day. Add these new challenges to a list of age-old peer pressures like drinking, smoking (now vaping) and drugs. All of this is why it’s more critical than ever to have conversations, share data and stories, and help young people and their parents navigate this new world.” “You are not in this alone.” The Eagle River Youth Coalition has embraced those six words for years, helping parents, caregivers, coaches, teachers and children know that we are a community who cares. In 2018-19, ERYC teamed up with Vail Health to host the Eat Chat Parent series, a vibrant 12-pack of classes that tackled tough topics, started important discussions and reassured all of us that we are not in this alone. In fact, attendees learned, we are in this together, and we are stronger together — working, listening, learning and caring. The Vail Valley Partnership recognized ERYC and Vail Health with the Community Impact Award for Eat Chat Parent’s success in addressing behavioral health issues, increasing communication and helping create a community where we work together for each other. Eat Chat Parent, which launched in 2011-12 as a “Dinner and Dialogue” has grown leaps and bounds in the past two years. Less than 200 people participated in the inaugural year and in 2018-19, almost 1,500 people —from children as young as fifth graders to grandparents and foster parents —set aside time to listen and learn about topics that are affecting youth and families today. “It was really important to us to create an inclusive, welcoming environment where we could discuss difficult topics. We used the multi-generational approach, where different generations learn together,” said Carol Johnson, ERYC’s community engagement manager. ERYC’s work wasn’t done in a vacuum: not only is Johnson a parent to two teens and one young adult, but she reached out to the entire community to hear what concerns caregivers have. Add a deep exploration into the area’s Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data (culled from ERYC’s bi-annual survey of students in grades 7 through 12), the Parent Survey and input from the Youth Leaders Council, and it became very clear that families are facing hardship right here in Eagle County and need the guidance and help of experts. “It has never been more difficult to be a young person,” said Vail Health President and CEO Will Cook. “Technology has opened new doors, but it also presents extremely challenging and harmful situations for our youth. Just when they need their parents and friends most, technology creates barriers to meaningful interactions. With the click of a button, bullying can take place any time of day. Add these new challenges to a list of age-old peer pressures like drinking, smoking (now vaping) and drugs. All of this is why it’s more critical than ever to have conversations, share data and stories, and help young people and their parents navigate this new world.” Eat Chat Parent brought nationally renowned experts to Eagle County to educate parents and children on topics including technology misuse, anxiety, and building resiliency and self-esteem. Each event was free of charge and offered childcare, dinner and Spanish interpretation in two locations — one midvalley and one downvalley. “We asked, ‘How can we, as nonprofits and community members at large, help make life in Eagle County better for youth and their families?’” Johnson said. “Behavioral health has been a growing need in our valley, and it’s proven that opening up clear communication within families three or four years before risky behavior starts to show a decrease in the occurrence of the behavior. Eat Chat Parent is one way we can help reduce the stigma around behavioral health and create safe spaces to talk about important issues. Vail Health has been a guiding light in helping us revamp the Eat Chat Parent series, by bringing in national speakers and sharing its know-how in the behavioral health arena.” Is this grassroots parenting effort helping? The answer seems to be yes. Participant feedback has been very positive, and community members ask for additional classes and resources. “Very grateful living in this community and having these resources available,” shared one parent. Another said, “Wow! Excellent speaker and topic. Very relevant to my high schooler and middle schooler. Discussion/presentation appropriate and easy to understand. Thank you!” Feedback like this proves that even though the topics are challenging, there is a thirst for education, a way to connect with our children and an understanding that a strong foundation begins at home. While thrilled at winning the Community Impact Award, ERYC and Vail Health are quick to explain that their work has only just begun, and next year’s programming is slated to be even more robust than this year’s. Starting in September, Eat Chat Parent will return with timely topics in English with Spanish interpretation, as well as some Spanish-specific presentations. “Thanks for all that you do! This was helpful info. I truly appreciate it. This was my first time. I will be back,” said one caregiver who is ready to learn and listen again next year. ERYC and Vail Health are grateful to all the community sponsors who came together to help create a better community for all: Total Health Alliance, Vail Resorts EpicPromise, Daniels Fund, Colorado Office of Behavioral Health, Drug Free Communities, Vail Valley Cares, Wells Fargo, Slifer Smith and Frampton Foundation, Changing Minds, Eagle River Foundation and Towns of Avon, Eagle, Gypsum and Vail.

“It’s amazing to experience other cultures and learn about other people. I love giving others opportunities because so many do not have the opportunities we have in this country,” Hope. It’s what keeps us striving in a world filled with opportunities for some, not so much for many. Karsen Williams, a junior at Battle Mountain High School, and his brother Kaden, a freshman, are the embodiment of future leaders who will give people a reason to continue to dream. Both Karsen and Kaden participate in Children’s Global Alliance, a nonprofit that takes youth to volunteer on service trips to developing countries so they can create solutions one day. Youth travel to Cambodia, Nepal, Morocco, Tanzania and Nigeria. The brothers have witnessed extreme poverty and suffering on their service trips; this is the third time Karsen has been selected and the second for Kaden. They will be teaching English to children with a goal of promoting global readiness. “It’s amazing to experience other cultures and learn about other people. I love giving others opportunities because so many do not have the opportunities we have in this country,” Karsen said. The boys have to raise their own funds to go on these trips, but according to Kaden it’s worth it. “It’s fun and it feels good to give back. It makes me feel better that I’m helping people,” he said. In addition to being an inspiration to others to give of their time to improve the world, Karsen and Kaden have instituted some practices in their lives that help them stay calm. They go to bed early and always try to get plenty of sleep. This they do despite school schedules, volunteering, and extracurricular activities. Kaden volunteers for Small Champions, Communities that Care, plays tuba in the school band, runs on the cross-country team, and plays basketball and baseball. Karsen volunteers for Small Champions, Communities that Care, and plays soccer and basketball. How do they manage to catch enough Zs? They give credit to their parents, Todd and Carrie Williams, who they say set them up for success. Unlike other teens who stay on social media until wee hours of the morning, they are not allowed to do that and they can’t stay out late during school nights. Their parents help them structure their time, too. “Our parents are very supportive of what we are involved in and they get on us when needed. That shows they care about us and we’ll be thankful for this 10 years from now,” Karsen said. There are changes they would like to see in the local community and the world. Locally, they feel the community needs to improve awareness and better publicize resources for youth and families to access help when they are depressed and have other needs. On a world scale, Karsen says the U.S. needs to do more for the environment and take global warming seriously. Kaden wishes that social and economic classes would be eliminated. “We need to see each other just as human beings on the planet,” he said. Hope. It exists because of youth like the Williams brothers.

Red Canyon High School junior Kaleb Woodworth embodies the word volunteerism. Kaleb has participated and organized volunteer projects throughout his high school career. “Kaleb has been an amazing addition to the RCHS community from Day 1. His commitment to excellence and leading by example is inspiring to both staff and students,” said Troy Dudley, principal of RCHS. Woodworth transferred to RCHS from Eagle Valley High School last year and was eager to volunteer at his new school. This school year Woodworth, along with five other students and two teachers, traveled to Grand Junction to prepare and cook meals for the Rose Hill Hospitality House occupants who had a family member in the hospital. Before the students left Eagle, they stocked up on fresh ingredients from the Eagle River Valley Food Bank and then made a homemade meal for everyone. Woodworth enjoyed putting his cooking skills to use by preparing his favorite sautéed vegetables for the Rose Hill dinner guests. Cooking is one of Woodworth’s hobbies he shares with others. Each week Woodworth, along with other students, walks a little over a mile and a half to the Eagle River Valley Food Bank in Gypsum to grocery shop. The students then prepare and cook lunch for the RCHS student body. “Kaleb is currently in my cooking class where he utilized the food bank on a weekly basis to prepare meals and feed lunch to the rest of the school. Kaleb puts thought and care in everything he does and this is no exception when he is in the kitchen whether it be meal planning, or creating the meals, he adds a pinch of kind-heartedness to all of his dishes,” said Megan Berck, Woodworth’s teacher. While attending Eagle Valley High School, Woodworth served on the student council where he led different committees for community service projects including fundraisers for Make a Wish Foundation for a fellow student’s sibling who suffered from cancer and for three other families. Woodworth and fellow students also designed t-shirts and stickers to help fundraise. For another service project, Woodworth and seven other students led and coordinated a school-wide community service day for the 1,000 students at EVHS. Each homeroom teacher and students selected a place they wanted to volunteer in the community. Some of the selected projects included helping assemble goodie bags at the Shaw Cancer Center, cleaning up wilderness trails on BLM land, painting outdoor scenes on electrical boxes in Gypsum, and volunteering at Mountain Valley Horse Rescue in McCoy. Woodworth is insightful and wise beyond his years. “We help committees get out in the community to raise awareness about what we can do for each other,” he said. When asked why he has a passion for volunteering he said, “My favorite thing about serving others is the reaction I get from them and how it makes them feel. For example, I was in Grand Junction at a restaurant I previously saw a homeless gentleman and I decided before we finished eating to grab some leftovers. I walked three or four blocks back to him and I gave him the leftovers. He started to cry and said, ‘God bless you.’ It warmed my heart seeing how grateful and appreciative he was.” When Woodworth is not planning events or volunteering, he is an avid outdoorsman. His other hobbies include reading, writing, drawing, cooking and working on cars. Kaleb enjoys spending time with his grandfather Bruce Yeik of Eagle woodworking and building furniture. In future Woodworth hopes to become a maritime marine. When asked what he was most proud of, he said, “Realizing what is necessary for my future and being motivated to do well in school.”

The Eagle River Youth Coalition extends a sincere thanks to everyone who attended our annual Summer Camp Expo. This year we had companies come from across the state to share their program offerings, from science camps to internship and job opportunities. We are so grateful for all the participants for taking the time out of their busy days, as well as our longtime supporters and sponsors, Slifer Smith & Frampton, the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health, Eagle County Schools and SAMHSA Drug Free Communities. In conjunction with this expo, we hosted a one-day Families In Action Workshop where 50 participants navigated the teenage years and learned effective, honest communication. If you were unable to make the event, please reach out to any and all of the providers who are committed to the youth in our community. Thank you to Avon Recreation Center, Alpine Arts, 4H/ CSU Extension, Defiance Rafting, Eureka McConnell Science Camp, Endorphin, Eagle Climbing + Fitness, Eagle County Dept. of Human Services, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office and Vail Health Think First, Early Childhood Partners, Fossil Posse Adventures, Girl Scouts of Colorado, Mind Springs Health, MIRA Mountain Recreation, Our Community Foundation/Eagle River Food Pantry, Rocky Mountain Youth Corp, Roundup River Ranch, Solo Colorado, Trio Therapy Partners, Walking Mountains Science Center, DentaQuest, Women’s Empowerment Workshop,  YouthPower365, Wells Fargo, Zealous School. These community partners show us that youth continue to be a priority and, together, we are making a difference.

Create a blog post subtitle that summarizes your post in a few short, punchy sentences and entices your audience to continue reading. In my time spent with Andore Horruitiner, a sophomore at Battle Mountain High School, my mind opened to a wonderful realization: youth hold inspirations that wield mighty power for all. From the very concrete to a world vision, we can all learn from Andore. Joy, for Horruitiner, is the ability to be himself, the absence of fear in a world of criticism. When he spends time with his brother, Tiago, and his father, Bratzo (a near-professional soccer coach),  Horruitiner feels safe from the subconscious nagging that affects youth in their public spaces, like school. These times are not without challenge, explains Horruitiner, “I am so jealous of my brother! Everything comes so easy to him. It may seem that I am grumpy because of this, but I am not. I am truly proud of his talents.” What can we learn from this statement? Eagle County can be a better place if the different cultures represented here could dissolve the latent boundaries. Horruitiner sees a mentality that allows people to hold on to, and possibly perpetuate, fear of one another. Acknowledgment that “we all have our own lives and cultures, but we are one community” will lead to more success for everyone. This statement comes from a youth who has known multiple cultures and difficulty assimilating in them. He has moved from Florida to Peru and then to Colorado. Each of the eight moves he has made has taught him the resiliency necessary to assimilate. Do you hear a message of peace? I do. Horruitiner recognizes his ability to overcome challenges and is proud of that skill. His growth stems from 1st Sgt. Sosa, his Junior ROTC teacher from his days in Florida. Horruitiner lives by Sosa’s mantra: “Every obstacle is self-imposed.” Horruitiner explains that he applies this to his everyday life, solving problems at every turn, so that his dreams can come true. His dream is to be an amazing soccer player and coached by the best coach he knows, his dad. Oh, his other dream: that the people of the world put their differences aside and join together for an awesome cause: our Earth. Don’t we all want our dreams to come true? Perhaps lessons from Horruitiner can help us all. Sandy Schroeder is the Communities That Care coordinator, a subsidiary program of Mountain Youth.

Learn from the experts how to handle anxiety in children The Eagle River Youth Coalition is continuing its Eat Chat Parent series with a discussion on anxiety in children. The discussion will take place on Tuesday at Battle Mountain High School and again on Wednesday at Gypsum Creek Middle School. Eat Chat Parent is a series of free discussions (with dinner, of course) for experts to give advice to parents on dealing with various issues such as overuse of technology or low self-esteem. This particular discussion will feature two such experts in anxiety: local author and yoga instructor Julie Kiddoo and Dr. Steven Schlozman, a Harvard Medical School child psychiatrist. “The most recent survey results from 2017 tell us that one-third of local middle school and high school students are vulnerable to this (anxiety issues),” said Carol Johnson, community education manager and facilitator for Eat Chat Parent. “We get concerned when protective factors are lacking, because then unwanted behaviors occur, such as experimentation with substance use.” Johnson also pointed out that addressing mental health concerns in a student’s own home will provide the youth with a better chance to thrive. The discussion will specifically address the two types of anxiety that can manifest in children, healthy and unhealthy. “It’s important for parents to recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy anxiety in children,” Johnson said. “We conducted a parent survey in 2017 and learned that 50 percent of parents surveyed can’t tell the difference between a moody child and one who needs more support outside of the home.” According to Johnson, healthy anxiety is totally normal — perhaps what a child experiences before a test — but just requires some extra love. Unhealthy anxiety, however, interferes with a child’s life and requires help from a medical professional. Outside of teaching parents to distinguish between the two types of anxiety, the discussion is aimed at battling the stigma of mental health issues. “Our community is great at responding to a friend’s ACL injury, but when it is a mental health issue, many people don’t know how to respond,” Johnson said. Schlozman, one of the discussion leaders, is well known throughout the world for his work in child psychiatry. “Dr. Schlozman is an internationally renowned leader, who is at the forefront of the latest child psychological theories, data and best practices,” Johnson said. “We are privileged to have him share his expertise since we do not have anyone of his caliber working in this field in our community.” However, Schlozman’s approach to solving the issue doesn’t focus solely on the children involved. “(It’s) our job is to support our kids through what comes naturally difficult for (the kids),” Schlozman said in a press release from Eat Chat Parent. “… If changes are worrisome, then don’t worry alone. This is where community comes in. Talk with other parents, with teachers and with your child’s pediatrician.” The other presenter will be Kiddoo, who owns and operates Revolution Power Yoga in Avon and recently wrote the book “Bye-Polar,” the autobiographical story of finding peace in yoga after years of struggling with her mental health. “Make sure you talk to someone you can trust — a parent, a therapist, a friend. There is always hope and good mental health is for everyone,” Kiddoo said in the release. “Go to yoga. Meditate. Journal. All of those tools really work. Never give up. Stay determined to get well. Trust yourself.” The release also states that a 2017 survey shows that the number of youth reporting depression is rising, with Vail Health CEO Will Cook weighing in. “We must address the mental health of our youth, and since we know from studies like these that prosocial engagement helps youth feel less anxious and depressed, we must find ways to connect with them,” he said. Kiddoo and Schlozman will not only provide context for healthy and unhealthy anxieties, but they’ll also discuss tips for what parents, friends and other caregivers can do to support children through anxiety, thereby helping them to succeed and thrive later in life. Eat Chat Parent is free and open to the public, and those that aren’t parents are welcome to attend — crowds can be as large as 300 people, according to Johnson. RSVP to the event at goo.gl/YRjfiy. On both Tuesday and Wednesday, dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m., the discussion will begin at 6 and a Q&A session will kick off at 7.