Foothills Parks and Recreation Honored for Outstanding Work

Denver, CO - The Foothills Parks and Recreation District received an Outstanding Asset Builder Award at a statewide summit hosted by Assets for Colorado Youth in Copper Mountain on April 4-5. The Recreation District was honored for its outstanding work in promoting positive youth development and for infusing developmental assets into its organization by empowering youth.

Ellen Stephan, Foothills Parks and Rec program coordinator, accepted the award. Other representatives attending the ceremony from the Recreation District were Eileen Kane and Rita Urioste.

Said María Guajardo Lucero, executive director of Assets for Colorado Youth, "The Foothills Parks and Rec District's decision to train high school students in the assets and place them in before- and after-school programs in elementary schools has been a win-win situation for everyone. The teen mentor project has changed the way Foothills Parks and Rec views its approach to working with young people."

The teen mentors became active in the elementary school programs and each planned and carried out asset-building activities with their groups-including family dinner events, art projects and games. Asked how the experience helped them build assets in themselves, they commented, "It gave me self-respect;" and "My attitude is more positive because I feel good about myself."

Assets for Colorado Youth (ACY) is a nonprofit organization that champions positive youth development by increasing developmental assets in youth. Developmental assets are a research-based set of opportunities, values and positive relationships that all young people need in their lives to succeed.

For more information, visit the ACY Web site: www.buildassets.org, or call
Foothills Parks and Rec: 303-409-2127.

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