Press releases, News and Stories

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John Camponeschi

Craig Daily Press, April 8, 2025
Read the full article here.

When Lindsey Kohler first arrived in Routt County in 2009 for a one-year AmeriCorps term, she never imagined she’d still be here more than a decade later, let alone leading the very organization that brought her to the Yampa Valley in the first place.

“I came here to be a school-based mentor through the AmeriCorps program, thought I’d be here for a year, met my husband and did not leave,” said Kohler, who is now the executive director of Partners for Youth. “And now here we are, three kids later.”

That spirit of connection and commitment to place is central to the work of Partners for Youth, a nonprofit serving youth across both Routt and Moffat counties through one-on-one mentoring, empowerment through youth-led initiatives.

Steamboat Springs Teen Council

Mental Health Minute

Steamboat Pilot, April 8, 2025
Read full the article here.

Routt County is situated in what is known as the “suicide belt,” a region on the Western Slope where suicide rates are significantly higher than the national average. In the past, the focus in Routt County has primarily been on providing resources for adults, often overlooking the mental health needs of youth.

Over the last year, the Steamboat Springs Teen Council has shifted its focus to address this gap by highlighting essential local and statewide resources for the youth community in Routt County.

Youth for Youth campaign

Steamboat Springs Teen Council is a part of Partners for Youth’s Youth Action Council (YAC) Program. The purpose of Youth Action Councils is to give teens a voice and empower them to make positive change in their community.

The Youth for Youth (Y4Y) campaign was launched by Steamboat Springs Teen Council in July 2024. Its goal is to encourage open discussions about mental health and create awareness of vital resources for youth within the Routt County community. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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/