Do you know a Douglas County teenager, between the ages of 13 and 19, who has overcome adversity and created positive change in their lives, as well as the lives of others?
Nominations for the 2020 Douglas County Outstanding Youth Awards are now being accepted. Ten award recipients will have the opportunity to share their special night with family members, their adult supporters and elected officials at an April reception hosted by the Douglas County Youth Initiative at the Douglas County Commissioners Hearing Room in Castle Rock.
“This event not only calls attention to the untold stories of achievement by our community’s youth, it is also an opportunity for area businesses, the community at large, civic leaders and educators to demonstrate their belief in and support for young people in our community by recognizing them for the individual challenges they have overcome,” said Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon.
“The award ceremony is truly one of my favorite events of the year,” said Jay Carpenter, Chairman of the Douglas County Youth Initiative Advisory Board and Lone Tree City Councilman, District 1. “It provides us with an opportunity to gather as a community and recognize the amazing resilience, strength and perseverance that our youth possess. We want to support them and encourage them to do incredible things…and they are doing just that,” Carpenter said.
This one-of-a-kind award encompasses all youth: youth who have not finished their K-12 education, youth in traditional classroom settings, youth in group homes, youth in alternative schools, and youth in foster homes.
Award recipients will receive a signed letter from elected officials recognizing the teen’s achievements, a $100 certificate for educational or activity fees to be redeemed at a future date, and countywide recognition of their award.
Nominators will be invited to speak at the ceremony about the obstacles the individual they nominated overcame and how those individuals have inspired change.
For more information on the Douglas County Outstanding Youth Awards, please click here or contact Marsha Alston at [email protected] or 303-814-5327.
Nomination forms may be completed online or downloaded from the website and must be submitted no later than March 27, 2020.
The Douglas County Youth Initiative was established in 2005 to coordinate local youth-serving efforts and assess the needs of the County’s youngest residents. It is an active collaboration between Douglas County Government, the Douglas County School District, the City of Lone Tree, the Town of Castle Rock, the Town of Parker, the City of Castle Pines, the Douglas County Library District and the Highlands Ranch Metro District.
“This partnership is special and unique. It is an honor to serve the youth of Douglas County and empower our future,” added Carpenter.