Mesa County 51’s Youth Activation Focus

Mesa County Valley’s youth activation and leadership work through Youth Connections stands out due to the strong alignment between participating schools—Central High School (CHS) and Grand Mesa Middle School (GMMS)—and how it has informed districtwide approaches to student empowerment. Social Emotional Learning Director Cathy Ebel reflected, “Youth voice is critical but also, what [type of] youth voice [i.e., Whose voices are being elevated?]. Looking carefully at youth activation forces us to look deeper and respect [student] needs. We now have models of youth activation at the Youth Connections schools who can lead the district [in this work].”  

GMMS Principal Kim Davis shared, “The reality is we are not engaging all learners because there is not always a safe place for all kids. We as adults do not always know what is engaging for kids and we are not experts on what makes school [feel] safe. We give students an opportunity to say, ‘this is something we need’.” For example, GMMS students recently established a Gay-Straight Alliance club and led the design of a calming room called the Zen Den. CHS Assistant Principal Tracy Arledge expressed a similar approach, noting that she tells students, “Something can be done about it, if you’re fired up let’s do something, your voice will be heard.”  

Both schools offer a diverse array of clubs and student groups but also have worked to create a culture in which students feel comfortable proposing their own ideas and requests. “I’m seeing more maturity in kids in how they share their voice. They can be advocates,” said Davis.