Denver YMCA Joins Regional Effort to Strengthen Pathways for Adolescents Through Rocky Mountain Partnership and The Wallace Foundation

The YMCA of Metropolitan Denver is proud to partner with Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to Career™ (RMP) in a new coordinated regional effort to expand high-quality opportunities for teens and adolescents. This effort is part of a broader shared goal to ensure 71,142 more young people in the north metro region meet critical cradle-to-career milestones by 2030.

Through this collaboration, the Denver Y is contributing its deep expertise in youth development to ensure young people have trusted adults, meaningful guidance and engaging opportunities — wherever they show up. Through growing partnerships with key organizations, the Denver Y is elevating more lives with high-quality programs that nurture spirit, mind and body for all — so that together, we rise.

The Y will be working in close partnership with RMP on the Advancing Opportunities for Adolescents initiative, funded by The Wallace Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan research foundation focused on the arts, school leadership and youth development. Rocky Mountain Partnership was selected as one of seven communities nationwide for this initiative, which is designed to strengthen high-quality, interest-driven learning and career exploration opportunities for adolescents. The initiative focuses on improving coordination, quality and access across youth-serving systems — ensuring existing efforts work better together rather than operating in isolation.

This support builds on RMP’s ongoing work to help young people access enriching experiences that spark interests, encourage career exploration and accelerate progress toward their goals. The project brings together more than 100 partners from across education, libraries, government, philanthropy and youth development — and the Denver Y is excited to be a key player in this collective impact effort.

In December 2025, Denver Y President and CEO Breezy Bolden represented our organization at a convening of core partners of the project. Other core partners include Adams 12 Five Star Schools, 27J Schools, Westminster Public Schools, the Colorado Department of Education, Anythink Libraries and the Cities of Northglenn and Thornton.

Continuing that momentum, Denver Y Senior Director of Out of School Time and Camps Melissa Franklin spoke at a January information session, sharing how the Y’s long-standing commitment to youth development aligns with the project’s goals.

“At the Denver Y, we are already deeply immersed in work that elevates the lives of young people through safe, welcoming and high-impact youth development programming, serving thousands of young people in the Denver metro community,” Franklin said. “We’re excited to share our experience and expertise through this powerful collaboration.”

Last year alone, 10,541 youth gained confidence, built friendships and strengthened life skills through Denver YMCA programs, including Out of School Time care, Summer and School Break Camps and Youth Sports. As with all Y youth development offerings, this work emphasizes trusted relationships and high-quality learning experiences — now with an increased focus on teens and adolescents. As a Target Champion of the RMP initiative, the Denver Y has committed to ensuring 2,136 more young people are meeting milestones by 2030 as a direct result of their efforts.

Together with RMP and The Wallace Foundation, the Denver Y is helping create pathways that empower young people to discover their potential and thrive, while contributing to a more connected regional system designed to reduce fragmentation, strengthen quality and accelerate progress toward shared cradle-to-career outcomes.

Learn more about this work with Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to Career and The Wallace Foundation, and look for ongoing updates on this partnership as the project develops.