Vail Valley Foundation’s YouthPower365 takes action against youth violence, calls for community involvement

The Vail Valley Foundation recently issued the following press release on YouthPower365 stepping up its efforts to combat youth violence:

The Vail Valley Foundation’s YouthPower365 is intensifying efforts to combat youth violence and promote student success through enhanced family-centered initiatives. 

YouthPower365 has secured a $1 million federal grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention enabling the hiring of a full-time Family Engagement Coordinator at YouthPower365 and a Student Support Specialist at Eagle County Schools. These resources have enhanced the community’s capacity to provide family-centered support to those affected by youth violence.

Through one objective of this funding, YouthPower365 is partnering with Eagle County Schools and Mountain Youth to form a steering committee which aims to drive change by lifting family and youth voices to shape policies, programs, and systems within schools and the broader community.

“We recognize that to truly make a difference, we need to hear directly from those affected by youth violence,” says Kaitlyn Merriman, Senior Manager of Youth and Family Programs for YouthPower365 and chair of the steering committee. “Our goal is to create a platform where families and youth can lead the conversation and guide our actions. We’re taking concrete steps to address this issue, but we need the community’s involvement to ensure we’re on the right track.”

The initiative includes the formation of two key sub-committees:

1. Family Advisory Committee: Seeking families impacted by youth violence to share their experiences and contribute to the healing process.
2. Youth Advisory Committee: Empowering student leaders to advise on initiatives and lead peer-to-peer engagement.

“What makes our approach unique is the extraordinary level of collaboration between our community partners to build a network of support that extends beyond school walls,” said Candace Eves, Eagle County School District Prevention Coordinator. “This creates an opportunity to bridge resources and create multiple pathways for families to connect with the support they need.”

The initiative also calls on local businesses to champion themselves as safe spaces where students can gather, helping to create the supportive environments students need outside of school hours.

Within schools, students are developing projects to spark change, such as drafting proposals for enhanced conflict resolution resources and creating opportunities for non-competitive interactions between rival high schools.

“Grades, friends, and the future are all things I worry about as a teenager. Violence should not be one of those things. We can all choose understanding over conflict and compassion over anger,” said Youth Advisory Committee member and Eagle County Schools student Gressia Aguirre Garcia. “The future is being shaped now, and as youth, we have a choice and a say in the kind of future we want to live in. Through YouthPower365 and its partners, change can happen, but it requires the help of us, the youth.”

YouthPower365’s broader programming also contributes to violence prevention by offering after-school activities during vulnerable hours, providing transportation, and creating diverse programs that cater to various interests and cultures.

Families, students, and community partners interested in getting involved are encouraged to contact Kaitlyn Merriman at kmerriman@vvf.org.