Colorado Youth for a Change

As we celebrate 20 years of change, we are pleased to name D.J. Close as our 2025 Changemaker of the Year! D.J’s commitment to civic engagement, education, and collaboration across sectors has made a lasting impact across Colorado. As a dedicated volunteer and steadfast supporter of CYC for nearly 10 years, D.J. has served as both a board member and as Chair of the Board. Through his leadership and unwavering dedication, D.J. has left a lasting imprint on CYC, and we are excited to honor his contributions at our 2025 Back to School Night on September 11th. Born and raised in Durango, Colorado, D.J. now calls Denver home, where he lives with his husband, Sinjin, their newborn son, Clayton, and dog, Herschel. A graduate of the University of Denver with a degree in Political Science and Leadership, D.J. is deeply committed to civic engagement and believes that real change occurs when the private, public, philanthropic, and nonprofit sectors unite to work toward a shared vision. Currently the Executive Director of the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation at Delta Dental of Colorado, D.J. brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership. Prior to this role, he was the Director of Giving and Executive Director at the DaVita Giving Foundation. Before joining DaVita, D.J. worked at Mile High United Way, where he started the Colorado Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps program dedicated to improving K-3 literacy (now operated by Colorado Youth for a Change). Earlier in his career, D.J. served in the Office of Colorado Lt. Governor Joseph Garcia and was a distinguished graduate of the El Pomar Foundation’s Fellowship program.

As we celebrate 20 years of change, we are pleased to name D.J. Close as our 2025 Changemaker of the Year! D.J’s commitment to civic engagement, education, and collaboration across sectors has made a lasting impact across Colorado. As a dedicated volunteer and steadfast supporter of CYC for nearly 10 years, D.J. has served as both a board member and as Chair of the Board. Through his leadership and unwavering dedication, D.J. has left a lasting imprint on CYC, and we are excited to honor his contributions at our 2025 Back to School Night on September 11th. Born and raised in Durango, Colorado, D.J. now calls Denver home, where he lives with his husband, Sinjin, their newborn son, Clayton, and dog, Herschel. A graduate of the University of Denver with a degree in Political Science and Leadership, D.J. is deeply committed to civic engagement and believes that real change occurs when the private, public, philanthropic, and nonprofit sectors unite to work toward a shared vision. Currently the Executive Director of the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation at Delta Dental of Colorado, D.J. brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership. Prior to this role, he was the Director of Giving and Executive Director at the DaVita Giving Foundation. Before joining DaVita, D.J. worked at Mile High United Way, where he started the Colorado Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps program dedicated to improving K-3 literacy (now operated by Colorado Youth for a Change). Earlier in his career, D.J. served in the Office of Colorado Lt. Governor Joseph Garcia and was a distinguished graduate of the El Pomar Foundation’s Fellowship program.

Our team joined the Career Advising Summit this week and presented with Serve Colorado on the Youth Mental Health Corps as a meaningful career pathway. It's great to connect with so many community partners helping young people find their unique paths forward! #COCareerAdvisingSummit2025

We’re excited to share our latest blog post, "Building Pathways to Success by Fostering Well-Being in Schools and Strengthening Colorado’s Behavioral Health Workforce." In this piece, we explore the critical intersection of mental health and education, offering insights into how we can support student well-being while providing industry certifications that lead to careers in behavioral health. Read on to learn how we can work together to create healthier, more supportive environments for our youth. https://lnkd.in/geh6PVWk

Our longstanding partnership with Englewood Schools continues to yield positive results for students! As highlighted in CDE's 2023-24 Graduation and Dropout data presentation, the Englewood Schools dropout rate has reduced by 2% from 2023! Want to partner with us next year? Complete the interest form below! Interest Form: https://lnkd.in/gUwjp-s9 CDE's 2023-24 Graduation and Dropout Data Presentation: https://lnkd.in/g3fNMvCZ

Passionate about supporting youth? Join Colorado Youth for a Change as a Reengagement Specialist! ?? In this role, you’ll help youth who are out of school reconnect with education, providing support every step of the way. If you love building relationships, breaking down barriers, and creating opportunities, we want to hear from you! ?? Pay: $20.68/hr ($20.92 if bilingual) ?? Location: South Denver, CO (Hybrid) ? Great benefits & paid time off! Apply today at https://lnkd.in/gnhB8n2x #NowHiring #EducationMatters #YouthSupport #JoinOurTeam #CYC

Passionate about supporting youth? Join Colorado Youth for a Change as a Reengagement Specialist! ?? In this role, you’ll help youth who are out of school reconnect with education, providing support every step of the way. If you love building relationships, breaking down barriers, and creating opportunities, we want to hear from you! ?? Pay: $20.68/hr ($20.92 if bilingual) ?? Location: South Denver, CO (Hybrid) ? Great benefits & paid time off! Apply today at https://lnkd.in/gnhB8n2x #NowHiring #EducationMatters #YouthSupport #JoinOurTeam #CYC

We're pleased to see graduation rates on the rise across Colorado! While there is much to celebrate, we acknowledge that gaps still persist across race and ethnicity as well as student groups like those experiencing homelessness and multilingual learners. We are committed to working alongside these students to ensure more young people have access and support along the path toward graduation and beyond.?

The Safe City Youth Leadership team is pleased to present its 29th?Annual Safe City Youth Summit: Persist with Purpose. Held on March 21st, they are looking for workshop presenters and resource booths. Everything is planned by and geared toward youth 13 to 18 years old. Click on the links below to get involved or learn how to get youth signed up for a day filled with entertainment, hot topics, lunch, and tons of giveaways. Register at: https://www.dpsylt.com/ If you would like to be a workshop presenter or have a resource booth, click on link below. Workshop- https://lnkd.in/gzBDxu3W Booth- https://lnkd.in/gSUc-Fmi

We got to hear from the Colorado Workforce Development Council this week on a new report about the demand for and supply of talent in Colorado. It’s projected that 400,000 Coloradans will retire in the next ten years, making our work with young people timely and important! Other interesting insights and recommendations include the following: Unemployment rates for people with less than a high school diploma are 7% and reduce as more education is received. 351,066 learners are participating in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs where strong partnerships between learners and industry representatives are prioritized. The majority of post-secondary learners are employed while studying but only 30% work in jobs related to their field of study. Opportunity exists to boost work-based learning and create even earlier experiences so that individuals are informed and prepared to the enter their field of study.???? ? Check out the full report here! https://lnkd.in/gAa9dVbE