Money Smart. Career Ready.
Rooted in the Roaring Fork Valley. Built for the future.
Youthentity is a Carbondale-based nonprofit on a mission to make young people money smart and career ready. Through hands-on financial literacy workshops and real-world career development programs, we serve students in grades 5–12 across the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond — reaching over 6,000 youth each year throughout Colorado.
Whether it's learning to manage money, earning school credit through our Career Academy, or getting mentored by local industry professionals, Youthentity gives young people the tools they need to build stable, successful futures — whatever path they choose.
Our Programs
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For high school students, Youthentity offers an exciting opportunity for kids to receive school and college credit along with industry certifications. Students choose between two full year programs: Construction Technology and Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management. Three Semester long Academies include Real Estate, Finance, & Entrepreneurship, Animal Care and Health Occupations. Meeting during school hours, our career exploration programs are excellent for resumes and college applications and are for-credit classes which count toward graduation.
Para los estudiantes de secundaria, Youthentity ofrece una emocionante oportunidad para que los jóvenes obtengan créditos escolares y universitarios junto con certificaciones de la industria. Los estudiantes pueden elegir entre dos programas de un año completo: Tecnología de la Construcción y Artes Culinarias & Gestión de la Hospitalidad.
Tres academias de un semestre incluyen Bienes Raíces, Finanzas & Emprendimiento, Cuidado de Animales y Ocupaciones en el Área de la Salud. Nuestros programas de exploración profesional se llevan a cabo durante el horario escolar, son excelentes para currículums y solicitudes universitarias, y son clases con crédito que cuentan para la graduación.
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The Youthentity Career Expos connect students across the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys with local employers and career providers to explore pathways and opportunities in the region. Before the expo, students complete a career interest profile to match with exhibitors, then use the Career Expo mobile app to navigate the event and stay connected with organizations throughout the year. Expos are held twice annually — in the spring at CMC Spring Valley Campus in Glenwood Springs, and in the fall at the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Rifle.
Las Ferias de Carreras de Youthentity conectan a estudiantes de los valles de Roaring Fork y Colorado River con empleadores locales y proveedores de formación profesional para explorar oportunidades en la región. Antes de la feria, los estudiantes completan un perfil de intereses profesionales para conectarse con los expositores, y utilizan la aplicación móvil de la Feria de Carreras para planificar su visita y mantenerse en contacto con las organizaciones durante todo el año. Las ferias se celebran dos veces al año — en primavera en el Campus CMC Spring Valley en Glenwood Springs, y en otoño en el Recinto Ferial del Condado de Garfield en Rifle.
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The Greater RFV Regional Civics Bee is hosted by Youthentity and the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It's a nonpartisan competition that gives local middle schoolers the chance to flex their civics knowledge, develop their writing and public speaking skills, and compete for prizes — all the way to a potential trip to Washington, D.C.
La Gran Abeja Cívica Regional del Valle de Roaring Fork es organizada por Youthentity y la Cámara de Comercio de Carbondale en asociación con la Fundación de la Cámara de Comercio de EE. UU. Es una competencia apartidista que brinda a los estudiantes de secundaria de la zona la oportunidad de demostrar sus conocimientos cívicos, desarrollar sus habilidades de escritura y oratoria, y competir por premios — con la posibilidad de llegar hasta un viaje a Washington, D.C.
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The "I Am Financial Knowledge" curriculum emphasizes personal money management. The program teaches students the concepts of:
Planning and money management
Credit and debt
Risk management and insurance
Saving and investing, using the 10-10-10-70 principle
Financial responsibility and decision making
Income and careers
Learning is not limited to the classroom! Every student receives a workbook that allows students to keep notes and complete exercises so that they can share the knowledge they learn with their families.
Each student completes a final test where they are paid $.50 for each question they answer correctly, up to $15 in total rewards, issued in the form of a Alpine Bank-issued check from Youthentity along with a letter informing parents about the program and how to deposit the check.
Student participants have the opportunity to open a Youthentity Alpine Bank student account at any branch, where they may earn an extra 1% interest in their savings up to balances of $1,000.
Email Daniela@youthentity.org for more information
El plan de estudios "I Am Financial Knowledge" hace énfasis en el manejo personal del dinero. El programa enseña a los estudiantes los conceptos de:
Planificación y manejo del dinero
Crédito y deuda
Gestión de riesgos y seguros
Ahorro e inversión, utilizando el principio 10-10-10-70
Responsabilidad financiera y toma de decisiones
Ingresos y carreras profesionales
¡El aprendizaje no se limita al salón de clases! Cada estudiante recibe un cuaderno de trabajo que les permite tomar notas y completar ejercicios para que puedan compartir los conocimientos adquiridos con sus familias.
Cada estudiante completa un examen final en el que recibe $0.50 por cada pregunta que responde correctamente, con un máximo de $15 en recompensas totales, entregados en forma de cheque emitido por Alpine Bank a través de Youthentity, junto con una carta informando a los padres sobre el programa y cómo depositar el cheque.
Los estudiantes participantes tienen la oportunidad de abrir una cuenta de ahorros estudiantil de Youthentity en Alpine Bank en cualquier sucursal, donde pueden ganar un 1% de interés adicional en sus ahorros hasta un saldo de $1,000.
Envíe un correo electrónico a para Daniela@youthentity.org obtener más información.
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High Five Your Life is a 3-4 session workshop that helps high school students explore career interests and build a realistic plan for life after graduation. Through five guided steps, students discover their work personality, research career options, weigh education pathways — including trade schools, two-year degrees, and apprenticeships — and develop a budget that aligns with their goals. The result is a comprehensive career plan that maps out both their professional path and financial future. Workshops are offered in English and Spanish and can be facilitated as parent-student exploration opportunities. Interested in bringing High Five Your Life to your school or organization? Contact Program Manager Taryn Pearce at Taryn@youthentity.org.
High Five Your Life es un taller de 3 a 4 sesiones que ayuda a los estudiantes de preparatoria a explorar sus intereses profesionales y crear un plan realista para la vida después de graduarse. A través de cinco pasos guiados, los estudiantes descubren su personalidad laboral, investigan opciones de carrera, evalúan distintas rutas educativas — incluyendo escuelas técnicas, títulos de dos años y aprendizajes — y desarrollan un presupuesto alineado con sus metas. El resultado es un plan de carrera integral que traza tanto su camino profesional como su futuro financiero. Los talleres se ofrecen en inglés y español y pueden llevarse a cabo como una experiencia de exploración conjunta entre padres e hijos. ¿Le interesa llevar High Five Your Life a su escuela u organización? Comuníquese con la Coordinadora del Programa, Taryn Pearce, en Taryn@youthentity.org.
8,500+
Youth impacted annually
We serve students across Colorado with personal financial literacy workshops, and offer career development experiences to Roaring Fork Valley students.
20+
Years serving the community
Founded in 2002, Youthentity’s programs focus on introducing young people to careers and entrepreneurship, and building critical real-world skills such as personal money management.
70+
Industry certified students
We serve students across Colorado with personal financial literacy workshops, and offer career development experiences to Roaring Fork Valley students.
300+
Colorado school partnerships
We serve students across Colorado with personal financial literacy workshops, and offer career development experiences to Roaring Fork Valley students.
Why Youthentity?
Michael Thompson, Youthchefs alumni
Michael Thompson is busy - he's both a college student and owner of a Rifle, CO, bakery called Rolling In Dough. Michael describes how he found his path, and how it all started at Youthentity.
Blake Lockard, program alumni & web developer
Blake had an interest in website development in high school. Through Youthentity's WebEntity program, he was able to learn the industry - and ultimately made it his career.
Naomi Peters, Culinary program alumni
After joining a Youthentity culinary program in high school, Naomi Peters made a surprising discovery about her career ambitions.
Mauricio Sousa, YouthChefs Alumni
Mauricio Sousa didn't know what he wanted to do in life - then he found Youthentity.
Hannah & Ian Bays, IAFK student & parent
Youth financial literacy is critical to future success. Hannah, a I am Financial Knowledge students and her father Ian talk about what they’ve learned through the program and its value to young people.
The Career Academies in Full
Youthentity's Career Academies empower students to discover their potential and build the foundation for a successful future.
Ready to Make a Difference?
$50 funds a study session for Civics Bee students
$200 provides a scholarship to support tuition for one Culinary Academy student
$300 helps fund groceries for our Career Academy culinary program
$500 funds financial literacy workbooks for students
$1,000 provides resources for Financial Literacy workshop in one classroom