Press releases, News and Stories

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Underage vaping higher in Yampa Valley than statewide

Suzie Romig

Steamboat Pilot, October 28, 2024
Craig resident Kali Hedman first tried vaping at age 12 when she was stressed during middle school.

By age 13, Hedman was vaping, or inhaling e-cigarette vapor, five to six times a day, which continued for about a year.

“One of my friends had given me a vape, and I soon got addicted,” Hedman said. “I just thought it was a one-time thing. For a little while it made me feel good, and then I started stressing when I couldn’t have it. It bothered me that I was hiding things from my mom, but then again, I had an addiction.”

With the support of Moffat County Youth Action Council and the free program My Life, My Quit, Hedman stopped vaping. She said the education helped her realize the toxic chemicals she was putting in her body.

Read more here

Hayden Youth Action Council hosts first event October 25

Suzie Romig

Steamboat Pilot, October 16, 2024
Following a summer event that encouraged teens to learn about harm reduction while enjoying free hamburgers and playing outdoor games, Steamboat Springs Teen Council members are hosting their next event as a free “boba bash” on Tuesday evening for all high school students.

The free Bubble Tea Trick and Treat party to promote healthy youth connections will start at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Causeway Coffee House, 427 Oak St., in Steamboat. The event will feature boba tea-making, pumpkin painting and cookie decorating contests, and giveaways.

This year Steamboat Springs Teen Council is focusing on the Youth For Youth, or Y4Y, campaign to support youth mental health, promote local resources and raise awareness, Teen Council President Sunny Winn said.

Read more here

Suzie Romig

Steamboat Pilot, July 19, 2024
The Steamboat Springs Teen Council is kicking off a year-long youth mental health awareness initiative called Youth4Youth starting with a free hamburger cook-out and peer-to-peer education evening dubbed Hamburgers and Harm Reduction.
The event is set for 4-6:30 p.m. Monday including free food, door prizes, games of spike ball and big Jenga, and free harm reduction kits including Nalaxone. The event will include training on the proper use of Nalaxone, a medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose.
Hamburgers and Harm Reduction on Monday will take place at 480 Rollingstone Drive off of Pine Grove Road in south Steamboat..
Read more here! 

Lindsay Kohler, Human Resource Coalition

Craig Press, Oct 3, 2023

“It has helped me with my school work. I have also really enjoyed getting to talk to and hang out with my mentor. I feel like I have another friend in school.”

This quote comes from a student who was in the Partners for Youth School-Based Mentoring program last school year. Our School-Based Mentoring Program places part-time paid mentors in local schools to support students socially, emotionally and academically.

We’ve been implementing this program in Routt County for over 20 years, and after conversations with community partners and youth in Craig, we are thrilled to bring the program to Craig Middle School this year. 

Read more at https://www.craigdailypress.com/news/human-resource-coalition-partners-for-youth-program-supports-craig-middle-school-students/

Craig Press, Aug 4, 2023

Partners for Youth will present a free evening of live music starting at 4 p.m. Aug. 26 at Alice Pleasant Park in Craig.

People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and families to come out and enjoy the free music while beer and food will be available throughout the night. The musical lineup includes Tucker Rose, Wordan Jilson, The Cold Fire and Elyse Kisner.

Partners for Youth is a nonprofit dedicated to helping young people in Northwest Colorado build healthy and meaningful lives while contributing to their community and pursuing their dreams.

The organization works by supporting youth through mentorship, empowerment and trusted adult engagement. For more, go to PartnersYouth.org. 

Steamboat Pilot, Apr 26, 2023

Partners For Youth is looking to bolster its popular and successful Community Based Mentoring Program that pairs volunteer mentors with mentees.

This year, the program has seen a 75% increase in referrals. There are 32 children on the waitlist, some of whom have been waiting for more than a year. Of those 32, 20 are males seeking a male mentor.

Partners seeks the perfect match, as many last longer than five years. So, the organization is seeking 20 male mentors in the month of May.

Mentors will be matched to someone age 8-15 and will spend time with them weekly and be a trusted adult in their life.

For more information, email Erin Miller at erin@partnersyouth.org

Steamboat Pilot, Jan 25, 2023

A year after acquiring Grand Futures, Partners of Routt County has updated its branding, introduced a new logo and changed its name to Partners for Youth — but the desire to help youth is unchanged.

“It’s been a full year since the acquisition at this point,” said Lindsay Kohler, Partners for Youth executive director. “I think the biggest transition has just been working to integrate all of our staff and our programs.”

Read more at: https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/director-says-partners-for-youth-stronger-a-year-after-acquiring-grand-futures/

Craig Daily Press, Jan 3, 2023

Mackenzie Mixon, Youth Development Coordinator

Partners for Youth’s Moffat County Youth Action Council is a youth empowerment program that encourages middle and high school aged youth to make a difference in their community.

We aim to give youth a voice in our communities and take an approach that focuses on the strengths of each young individual. Since August, the Moffat County Youth Action Council has doubled in size, meets weekly at the Craig Chamber, and has chosen to focus on some inspiring topics that they truly care about.

Read more at: https://www.craigdailypress.com/news/hrc-column-partners-for-youth-supports-community-through-youth-engagement/

Steamboat Pilot, December 13, 2022 

The current class of the Steamboat Springs Teen Council does not want to see any more Yampa Valley residents die from opioid or fentanyl overdoses.

So, last week, 15 members of the Teen Council spoke at Steamboat Springs School District staff meetings to teach attendees about the use of naloxone spray — also known by the brand name Narcan — to reverse an opioid drug overdose, especially for illegal drugs laced with fentanyl.

Read more at:  https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/steamboat-springs-teen-council-teaches-school-staff-about-overdoses/

Craig Daily Press, December 1, 2022 

A group of local youth will host a Narcan training event next week with hopes of combating opioid abuse in the community. 

From noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 9, Moffat County Youth Action Council and Communities That Care will join forces to host “Don’t let fentanyl cancel the show,” an event that aims to teach youth how to stay safe in a straightforward, nonjudgemental way. 

The event will be free and open to any middle and high school residents in Moffat County who want to learn more about opioid issues and become a part of the solution. 

Read more at: https://www.craigdailypress.com/news/young-people-in-moffat-county-to-host-overdose-prevention-training-as-they-help-drive-prevention-efforts-across-yampa-valley/

Steamboat Pilot, October 3, 2022

Partners in Routt County is celebrating 25 years, and the nonprofit is inviting the community to gather Oct. 15 at the Steamboat Grand to celebrate a long list of accomplishments.

Since 1996, the group has grown from just a few mentor-mentee matches to more than 60. Lindsey Kohler, executive director of Partners, believes those partnerships between youth and adults make the community stronger.

Read more at:  https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/partners-in-routt-county-invites-community-to-celebrate-25-years-in-steamboat-springs/

Steamboat Pilot, January 2, 2022

Two well-known local nonprofits have combined forces, as Partners of Routt County acquired Grand Futures Prevention Coalition at the start of the new year.

The mission of the two groups, now under the umbrella of Partners, is to mentor, support and prevent substance abuse in youth and young adults ages 6 to 24 in Routt, Moffat and Grand counties.

Read more at: https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/two-local-nonprofits-combine/