Youth Engagement
Partnering with Young People to Advance their Health
We believe that healthy youth lead productive, healthy adult lives and positively impact the school-based health centers of their community. And, that young people hold the expertise about what their healthcare should look like.
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Youth Advisory Board
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Youth Healthcare Alliance launched our third youth advisory board in fall 2025 with the recruitment of high school students. This board will serve as the opportunity for youth engagement in our work, namely in the following areas:
Advocacy
Young people can make change in policy that impacts them. We plan to educate them on the state legislative process and connect them with the lawmakers who represent them. Our vision is to elevate the youth voice in the process about the very policies that impact them.
Advancing School-Based Healthcare
As communities continue to support school-based healthcare or explore new ways of providing healthcare, we want to ensure that young people directly shape what this should look like for them.
Strategic Planning
Youth Healthcare Alliance is committed to integrating youth voices in the structure of our organization. This vision includes providing meaningful opportunities for the Youth Advisory Board to guide projects, materials, and work.
Equity
As Youth Healthcare Alliance strives to continuously become a more equitable organization and support school-based clinics in doing the same, we need to listen and have tough conversations about what that looks like in young people’s minds.
Welcome to our 2025-26 Youth Advisory Board members!
Surie is a 10th grader from Boulder who says: "I've seen firsthand how important access to healthcare is for students, especially when it comes to mental health."
Smrithi is an 11th grader from Lafayette who believes that "by being part of this community, I can make a positive impact on the lives of others and contribute to a greater cause."
Sofia also from Lafayette is an 11th grader and shares that "I would be able to connect and interact with peers who have similar interests as I do and we have the opportunity to help each other with issues relating to those interests."
Maliya is a high school graduate from Broomfield and says "I am very passionate about and interested in learning about health and advocacy. I would love to have a community and space to broaden and apply my knowledge."
Suyash from Thornton is a high school graduate and he has a "strong desire to advocate and provide insight on some of the toughest public health challenges currently faced within Colorado."
Brandon from Pueblo is an 11th grader who says: "I believe my leadership and my experience can help address and make impactful change."
Heidi from Frisco is a 10th grader who says that "young people have a powerful voice in shaping the health of their communities."
Project REACH (Realizing Excellence through Academics and Careers in Health)
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Youth Healthcare Alliance was excited to partner with our national affiliate, School-Based Health Alliance, in continuing this project for a fourth year in 2025, and are exploring funds to continue the project in the next school year. Project REACH is a career exploration program for Black high school juniors and seniors at Gateway High School in Aurora interested in a future in health and wellness. Through workshops, shadowing, mentorship, and internships, students will build their knowledge of the school-based health care field, foster connections with health professionals, and enhance their agency and leadership potential.
