WOW! a Kid . . . be a mentor.
Mi Animo Prevention's Activities
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Mentors are appreciated!
On Monday April 5, over 150 youngsters, family and mentors attended the Mentor Appreciation Dinner at the Alamosa Community Recreation Center as part of the Mi Animo Prevention in Alamosa and Sí Se Puede in Conejos. These programs pair youth with adults and provides activities like events around cars, art, sports and horses geared to develop socialization, career interests, artistic talents and community services. Adam Sowards, 7 th Grader at Ortega Middle School, received one of the coveted door prizes – a $50 savings bond provided by Alamosa National Bank. Other door prizes included freebees, t-shirts and caps from Thunder Valley, coins from Vectra Bank, Pizza from Domino’s, meals from Mrs. Rivera’s Kitchen, Fajitas from Uncle Tom’s Chicken Fajitas, a mixer from La Jara Pharmacy, t-shirt from Adams State College, beverages from Pepsi and t-shirts from J. C. Penney’s.
Partnering with school and faith-based organizations is an objective of the program which is sponsored by the San Luis Valley Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center and 21 st Century. See these links: Mi Animo Prevention and Sí Se Puede for their respective Mentors of the Month.
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“Mentoring changes lives”
Recently, over 26 youngsters, family and mentors were matched at Mrs. Rivera’s Restaurant as part of the Mi Animo Prevention program which pairs youth with adults and provides activities like events around cars, art and horses geared to develop socialization, career interests, artistic talents and community services. The mentoring pairs matched & pictured include Rachelle Vigil (graduate student at Adams State College) with Juanita Ramirez, Marie Medina (Secretary at OMS) with Demetrio Yarber, Kristie Abbott (ASC volleyball team) with Nicole Kennamer, Jocelyn Garcia (ASC volleyball team) with Ashley Garcia, Monica Garcia (ASC volleyball team) with Angelica Garcia. |
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Skiing for the first time!
Before first-timers can ski, they need to have Junior Mountain lessons. Mi Animo Prevention 1st graders enjoying their first brush with a circle of skis are Demetrio Yarber and Rico Simmons.
Before the children loaded up on the ski lifts, they took turns skiing the incline behind the Junior Mountain at the Monarch Ski facilities.
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Zoned in for a Mural
Partnering with Mi Animo Prevention in this community service--art project, Sacred Heart Youth brainstorm the youth room name, symbols, graffiti and artistic expression for the walls. Partnering with school and faith-based organizations is an objective of the program which is sponsored by the San Luis Valley Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center and YEA ( Youth Educators Academy)—a program of the 21 st Century Grant Program. |
Mardi Gras Dance
Over 125 youth from Sacred Heart Youth Group and Mi Animo Prevention Mentoring programs marked Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, festivities on Friday, Feb. 20. From 8 until 11:30 p.m. Middle and high school students danced to the DJ skills of Aaron Davis, a runner for Adams State College and youth From his microphone, Davis watched and led applause for best dancer. |
Holiday Food Baskets
In time for holiday celebrations, Mi Animo Prevention & Sí Se Puede Mentoring --with Adams State College students--organized holiday food baskets for 20 families in the Valley. Prevention specialists Anna Vargas, pictured in front, along with Priscilla Ortega, and Tom Vigil (background) and Nelda Curtiss (not pictured) built the baskets with donations from the community at large and San Luis Valley Mental Health Center. These special gifts included hams, stuffing, vegetables, San Luis Valley grown potatoes, candy, graham cracker crusts and macaroni and cheese. |
Rick Espinoza, Director of the Conejos County Department of Social Services and Clarissa Woodworth, Program Coordinator at San Luis Valley Mental Health Center, spoke about the talents and dedication of mentors. Espinoza remarked that mentoring is an investment in our community saying…“ dime con quien andas y te digo quien eres”, “tell me who you hang out with and I’ll tell you who you are” so… if connecting these kids with good role models, that may influence who these kids are or may become. 
The instructor showed three groups of children how to walk, jump, turn and stop on the skiis. 
coordinator for Sacred Heart. 
