SAN LUIS VALLEY- Rio Grande County Prevention Partners joined four other counties from around the Valley Dec. 9 for the third annual Youth Empowerment Summit in Alamosa, Colorado. Almost 100 students from 10 schools attended the one-day event to learn about how they can help make their communities a better place for fellow adolescences and what resources are available to them through SLV Behavioral Health Group and the Prevention Partners.
According to the website, the annual summit focuses on teaching local students about a wide range of coping mechanisms that are beneficial not only to their personal mental well-being but also beneficial to those around them. During the summit they learned key life skills such as moderating brain and stress reduction, awareness and identity, destroying negative stigmas, as well as, an interactive session with CDOT.
“This amazing collaboration is brought to the youth of the San Luis Valley by all of the regions public health departments including Alamosa, Costilla, Saguache, Conejos and Rio Grande. For the first time, youth from the region were very active and vocal about what sessions they would be interested in and would benefit from,” stated Prevention Coordinator Nancy Molina. “It was an amazing experience and we want the Valley to know how wonderful these students are.”
Prevention Partners from across the Valley help organize and participate in a wide range of activities that are geared toward creating a safe environment for today’s youth. In a description provided by the organization it states, “Prevention Partners supports a wide variety of alternative activities for Rio Grande County youth in order to provide opportunities for them to participate in healthy, positive, and constructive activities that exclude substance use. These activities are assumed to offset the attraction to and/or meet the needs filled by alcohol and drugs, thereby reducing the likelihood of substance use. Some of the activities supported by RGPP include, after prom parties, activities at community events, field trips with the Monte Vista Kids Connection and High Valley Community Center, school dances, movie nights and Red Ribbon Week activities.”
The summit was led by Jamie Dominguez who spoke to the attending students about the importance of living the best life they can and how each and every choice they make leads them on a path for the rest of their lives. “Time is your greatest commodity,” said Dominguez.
For more information please visit, www.rgpp.org or contact the local Public Health office in each county.