Leaders at the Rock House in Idaho Springs want to remind parents about free activities and meals on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

The non-profit organization, at 542 Hwy 103, serves kids hot meals and provides entertainment from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesdays until the start of school.

“We make tie-dye shirts, we do karaoke, archery, rafting and more throughout the summer months,” Rock Director Cheryl Holmberg said.

A mission statement on the group’s website sums up the goals of the organization.

“The mission of the Clear Creek Rock House is to provide our teens a safe, supervised place where they can recreate and receive life skills training from caring adults. The Rock House does this through mentoring, tutoring, after-school programs and events.”

A recent donation of food from the Flatirons Community Church group spread out across the counters ensured there’s plenty to go around for local kids for the remainder of the summer, according to Holmberg.

The group is supported through funds from the county, businesses and donations from individuals, Holmberg said.

“It’s a fun, safe place where they’re supervised by adults,” she concluded. 

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Starting July 1, families in  Jefferson, Adams and Weld counties can apply for free and reduced-price school meals for the upcoming 2025–26 school year. 

While many schools in the area now offer free meals through Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program, the state still requires all families to complete the household income form.

And it’s not just about meals.

The household income form helps determine how much state and federal funding a school district receives for programs that support low-income students, including Title I services, fee waivers and grant eligibility.

State education officials encourage all families to complete the application, regardless of whether their child attends a school that offers universal free meals.

“When families fill out this application, they help unlock essential funding that supports students and schools across Colorado,” said Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. “Strong participation from families makes a real difference.”

Families should apply if they have experienced a recent drop in income, receive SNAP, TANF or Medicaid, have children in foster care or Head Start or face housing instability.

Submitting the form can have a significant impact, even in schools that provide meals to all students.

How to apply

Families can find applications online or through local schools and only need to complete one per household.

The state says the form is confidential and doesn’t ask about immigration or citizenship status. It typically requires household income information, the last four digits of a Social Security number (or a note if none is available) and a signature.

Household size and income determine eligibility. For example, a family of four earning $41,795 or less qualifies for free meals, while those earning up to $59,478 qualify for reduced-price meals.

The Colorado Department of Education, as well as district nutrition services departments, provide a comprehensive eligibility chart.

Beyond meals, qualifying families may also receive discounts on internet, testing fees and other student services. Foster children automatically qualify for free meals and students experiencing homelessness or enrolled in Head Start may also qualify.

Families can submit applications at any time during the school year, especially if a household’s situation changes, such as a job loss or a change in family size. Those who receive public assistance can include a case number to expedite the automatic eligibility process.

State officials note that families who receive a letter from their district stating that a child qualifies may not need to apply unless the notice omits the child’s name.

Eligibility lasts through the school year and extends 30 days into the next.

Officials warn that some families may end up paying full price for meals if their school does not participate in the universal free meals program and if eligibility expires.

The Healthy School Meals for All program currently has funding through December 2025. State officials say voters may be asked to approve additional funding through a ballot measure later this year to continue the program beyond that date.

More information is available through district nutrition services pages or on the Colorado Department of Education’s website.

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In a room overflowing with Evergreen-area seniors and park board staff, Seniors4Wellness officially dedicated its new home June 26 at the Buchanan Recreation Center.

Surrounded by those who helped bring the Bristlecone Lounge to life, Seniors4Wellness President Mary Tribby cut a red ribbon signifying its official opening to applause and cheers.

Area seniors have been without an official home for five years, since the former Seniors Resource Center at The Yellow House on Highway 73 closed. In its absence, local senior Vince Ventimiglia founded the nonprofit Seniors4Wellness in 2021, and he, Tribby and others negotiated with Evergreen Park & Recreation District to open a room in Buchanan.   

“We’re so thankful they gave us this space,” Tribby said. “Since The Yellow House closed, there really has been no gathering space for seniors.

“Even if we don’t have an event scheduled here, it’s a place for them to gather as friends.”

Even without a dedicated space, Seniors4Wellness has stayed relevant for area seniors, hosting multiple events each month in various community spaces.

Aging population

The new space will serve far more than the area’s existing seniors, said Seniors4Wellness founder and executive director Vince Ventimiglia. Evergreen has a median age of 46.3, higher than the 37.5 median age of the metro area. Statistics gathered by the county showed that by the year 2040, about 25% of its population will be over 65 — with almost 10% of those over 80 years.

“It’s the largest growing age segment within the community,” Ventimiglia said. “We’re all aging, each one of us every day. So we’re hopeful we can continue to build a robust Seniors4Wellness that will eventually benefit all of us, helping us grow healthier vs just getting older.”

Calming space

Like Tribby, he expressed gratitude to EPRD and others who helped Seniors4Wellness.

“I am so thankful we’ve been able to accomplish as much as we have through the effort and energy of other organizations who recognize the need for paying more attention to a very important segment of our community,” he said.

Seniors who came for the grand opening said they plan to use the space regularly.

“I think it’s beautiful,” said Marilyn Brown, who lives in nearby Rocky Mountain Village Estates. “We can walk down here if we want to, which makes it that much nicer.”

Evergreen artist Chris Krieg painted a mural that stretches across an entire wall of the room, depicting a bristlecone pine, a snow-topped mountain and evergreens at sunset.

“I wanted to help create a calming space,” he said. “I didn’t want to make it too complicated.”

Seniors4Wellness provides not just social connection for area seniors, but also resources and transportation.  

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The Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum launched its brand-new 2theXtreme exhibit on June 1, offering an exciting new learning experience for kids and families seeking fun and educational activities this summer.

This innovative exhibit, developed by Evergreen Exhibits, highlights the vital role math plays in our everyday lives, providing an interactive experience where children can discover just how much math shapes the world around them.

“The whole idea is to show how math is a part of your life,” said Stewart Bailey, the exhibit’s curator. “The exhibit uses all sorts of fun, interactive activities to get this across. There are different themed areas, including sports, robotics, the environment, computer-related games, music, fashion and architecture.”

Children can expect to learn tons of exciting information, like how to make skateboards or snowboards perform faster using math, the mathematics behind Mars Rovers, and even the math behind predicting weather patterns to create their own reports.

Bailey also mentioned that there is a part of the exhibit called Style Revolution, which takes a 360-degree photo of you, which you can email to yourself as a free souvenir. According to the Sloan Museum in Flint, Michigan, where this exhibit was last seen, the 360-degree photo was a big hit for their visitors. 

There’s another area called Pedaling to the Peak that is all about bicycling, showing you a graph of your performance. 

However, if sports or things that have to do with the outdoors aren’t within your interest, rest assured, as this exhibit also highlights how math is involved with the arts. Bailey mentioned that visitors can expect to see a gigantic interactive musical instrument structure that demonstrates how math interacts with music. 

With such a wide variety of themes, every child will have an opportunity to see how math influences the things they already love. The exhibit features over 40 interactive, real-world math elements to explore, ensuring that every visitor, regardless of their interest in math, will find something to spark their curiosity.

The 2theXtreme exhibit is included with general admission to the museum and will be open until Sept. 7. Buy tickets online at www.wingsmuseum.org.

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Miss Honeybun takes an overseas trip to Florence and Rome to bring first hand learning about art and history home to Clear Creek Library District patrons.

“She also had the best coffee of her life at La Casa del Caffè Tazza d’Oro and had a marvelous time hopping around the beautiful Roman library, Biblioteca Casanatense” according to library Program Coordinator Holly Grant.

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Fort Lupton’s Elizabeth Holbrook, 12, earned 4^th place runner-up in the Pre-Teen division as the Colorado representative to the National American Miss State Pageant in Arizona. 

“The thing I love most about National American Miss is the way I gained so much confidence. I also love the opportunities NAM offers and the great community; everyone is so supportive and always wants the best for you,” Holbrook said. “I am so grateful for the friends I made. I am also so grateful to Melissa Rickman for the inspiration to get into pageants; it has helped me on this journey.”

Jessica, Elizabeth’s mom, said it was her second time competing in a National American Miss event, and she made a strong impression.

“Alongside the required competitions, she entered several optional categories, including Talent, Actress, Casual Wear Modeling, and Heart of Service. Her hard work paid off — Elizabeth finished as the 4th runner up in the Pre-Teen division for Colorado,”  Jessica Holbrook said. 

Jessica said one of Elizabeth’s most impressive accomplishments was being awarded first place in the ‘Heart of Service’ competition. 

“Over the last three years, Elizabeth has logged more than 244 hours of volunteer service, earning her top honors for her dedication to helping others,” Jessica said. Elizabeth also placed as first runner-up in both the Talent and Best Resume categories and took second runner-up for Actress and Casual Wear Modeling.

Jessica mentioned that it took Elizabeth significant time and preparation to enter the pageant. Elizabeth raised funds for the trip through community support and a creative ‘Egg My Yard’ fundraiser, during which families could purchase pre-filled Easter eggs to be hidden in their yards the night before the holiday. 

“Her campaign was successful and helped cover the costs associated with the competition,” Jessica said. 

Elizabeth wasn’t alone on this journey. Jessica said she had strong support from her family, including her parents, grandma, aunt and uncle, who backed her throughout the weekend. 

“Throughout two and a half days, Elizabeth wore six different outfits, had countless hair and makeup changes, and shared plenty of laughs, nerves, and joy with her fellow contestants,” Jessica said. 

Jessica said that the pageant was a wonderful experience and created lasting memories for Elizabeth, including receiving trophies, forming friendships, and earning a Presidential Scholarship to Midland University in Nebraska.

“Outside of pageants, Elizabeth remains deeply involved in her community. She’s a committed member of the Fort Lupton Girl Scouts, currently working toward the Silver Award with her troop—one of the three highest honors a Girl Scout can earn. She also serves as the historian for Fort Lupton’s Tailtwisters 4-H club and enjoys the wide range of activities the organization offers,” Jessica said. 

Jessica said that earlier this year, Elizabeth even appeared live on CBS for an interview about her experience in the Girls in Broadcasting program, demonstrating that her confidence and leadership extend well beyond the stage.

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After years of planning and fundraising, Golden’s Shelton Elementary School finally has a new playground.

The school was hosting community build days June 12-13, where current and former students, parents, staff members and other volunteers — about 30 people total — were installing new jungle gym equipment.

The previous playground, which was original to the 30-year-old school, didn’t have a slide, seesaws and other popular features.

Several Shelton students, parents and teachers described how it seemed more like outdoor fitness equipment for adults, rather than a playground for children.

Twins Hazel and Lily Reitz, who will be fourth-graders at Shelton next year, were thrilled to see their new playground taking shape. They were helping their parents and others assemble it on June 12, and were excited to have slides and other fun features their playground didn’t have before.

Middle-schoolers Miles Lorenc and Will Clark, who were also volunteering Thursday, were happy their younger siblings would have new, high-quality equipment to play on now.

The playground is open to the public during non-school hours, so the two Shelton graduates planned to return and play on it sometime.

Volunteers hoped to have the bulk of the playground installed by June 13, but organizers said there would be a few smaller projects around the playground before it’s completely ready. That included installing mobility paths to ensure all the elements are accessible, and updating the Buddy Bench.

School officials said they were planning to host a ribbon-cutting for the playground when classes resume in August.

To volunteer for the June 13 community build day, check out the SignUpGenius here. Older children are welcome to volunteer as they’re able.

Open to all

The Shelton PTSA has been fundraising for new playground equipment for more than five years.

Principal Michael Zweifel said she was excited for current and future Shelton students, and local children who can enjoy it during non-school hours, all of whom will be able to enjoy this new playground.

Not only will it have those popular and long-awaited features, like a slide, but Zweifel emphasized how it’ll be open to and inclusive of all users.

“Everyone will be able to play on it,” she said.

PTSA President Maya Chain and member Sarah Hawkins have emphasized how the improved playground’s surface will be ADA accessible, versus the rocky ground that was there before. The jungle gym will also be ADA accessible and at least one of the new swings will be able to accommodate wheelchairs.

Additionally, they said, it will have several features for children who are neurodiverse and/or have sensory needs. Those include music features and communication boards with letters and symbols.

It takes a village…

Chain and Hawkins said the project wouldn’t have been possible without donors and supporters from Golden and all over Colorado. Accounting for the donated work and materials, including demolishing the old equipment, the two PTSA members said the playground’s final price tag was around $250,000.

According to Chain and Hawkins, along with support from school families and individuals across Golden:

• The City of Golden awarded a $65,000 grant for the project;
• 9News’ Kyle Clark featured the project in a “Word of Thanks” segment, which drew interest and donations from across the state;
• Equipment supplier Altitude Recreation matched $90,000 for the main structure; and
• The Denver-based Weitz Company donated personnel and equipment for the June 12-13 community build days.

Additionally, last year’s third-grade classes sent out handwritten letters to local businesses and organizations, asking for their support. Many answered the call, donating money and/or hosting fundraising events for the project.

“It has taken the whole community to make this happen,” Chain said.

Hawkins added: “We’re so full of gratitude.”

Click through additional photos from the June 12 community build day:

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Each year libraries across the country offer reading programs to engage the community and encourage reading while school is out for the summer. At the West County Pines & Plains Summer Reading Program Kickoff on May 31, kids lined up to try the brightly colored bounce houses amid waves of bubbles. The event at the Elizabeth Library also included face painting, free popsicles, a petting zoo and a barrel train. The theme this year is “Color Our World,” described as “emphasizing colors in animals, art, botany, food, music, science, and space.”

The East County Kickoff came a few days later, on June 3, at the Simla Library. Everyone who signed up for SRP in Simla received a free slushy. The reading program officially began on June 1 and will run through July 31.

Susan Byrne, director of Pines & Plains Libraries, said: “We are thrilled to be kicking off our summer reading program, which is the library’s biggest event of the year.” Studies show that summer reading programs help prevent the “summer slide” that children experience between school years, she explained.

“If you’ve been meaning to get back to reading more, this is a great opportunity to start,” Byrne said. “We have prizes for the most minutes read in every age category from adults down to the littles who need books read to them.”

Debbie Uphoff, a retired teacher, encouraged her granddaughter to attend the event. “I think it’s important to read during the summer so the kids don’t lose their love of reading,” she said. “The kickoff hopefully reminds the kids to keep reading and track their progress.”

Byrne emphasized that reading doesn’t have to be a chore and readers are encouraged to read whatever they enjoy. “Any kind of reading goes,” she said. “Listening to a book? Count those minutes. Reading an article on the internet? Count those minutes, too. Reading the back of the Cheerios box? Count your minutes as you crunch!”

Research shows that reading has a wide range of benefits. It increases intelligence, improves memory, reduces Alzheimer’s risk, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep and can even increase a person’s lifespan.

Kids who read perform better in school and show improved comprehension and communication. They also show increased attention span, have greater concentration and develop empathy. “Kids who read gain emotional intelligence,” Byrne said. “Reading fiction has been shown to build empathy in study participants, and empathy is what one article calls the glue that holds society together.”

Reading aloud to children also shows marked benefits. Kids who are read to regularly show improved language skills, increased concentration and discipline, improved imagination and are better prepared for academic success.

SRP registration is available now on the Pines & Plains website or in-person at any library branch. When people register, they receive a bag with program information and other goodies. Preschoolers through high school seniors also receive a brand new book.

There are four registration categories: Preschool, Elementary (K-5), Teen (6-12), and Adult. The top three readers in each age level will receive a prize, ranging from gift baskets to Amazon gift cards. The top prize in each category is a gift certificate to the Cave of the Winds. Attending library events can also help readers win more points.

Visit the Pines & Plains Libraries Events Calendar at pplibraries.org/03-activities to see what’s coming up next. Storytimes will continue throughout the summer, including some extra special storytimes at area parks. The next big event at the Elizabeth Library will be the Active Minds; Van Gogh Program on June 14 at 10:30 a.m.

For more information, visit the Pines & Plains Summer Reading Program website at pplibraries.org/03d-summer-reading-program.

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Sixth-grade students from across Clear Creek County enjoyed an opportunity to set camp, cook meals, river raft and spend three days of ‘school’ in the wild getting to know their future classmates they will join in middle school this August.

The final field trip for sixth-grade students in Clear Creek County was a memorable one, according to all accounts, with Mountain Youth Network picking up the tab for three days of camping, hiking and rafting.

At least 46 sixth-graders and a few teachers from Carlson Elementary, King-Murphy and Georgetown Community schools boarded a school bus May 20 headed to the Angel of Shavano Group Campground near Salida.

The idea, according to MYN leaders, was to bring the students from the various schools together in an environment that promoted interaction and team building, also an opportunity to meet other students for perhaps the first time before they converge at middle school in Evergreen.

“The goal was to bring students from three different schools together, all from sixth grade, as they’re all going to be coming together in the seventh grade at the Clear Creek middle school so we had students from Carlson, Georgetown and King-Murphy schools,” Mountain Youth Network Youth Programs Coordinator Lucy Perez said.

New interactions

Students were removed from all screens, phones, headphones and watches, according to Perez. They were then were assigned teams in a random order designed to mix the kids from the three schools together where they could possibly form bonds and friendship before advancing to middle school, according to Perez.

Carlson sixth-grade teacher Heidi Lupinacci helped shepherd the camping trip and said she could see the goal develop as the kids started working together.

“You could tell some of the bonds that were started to be created. It was ice-breakers, ways to share part of themselves with other people,” Lupinacci said. “By the end, they were sharing phone numbers or talking about getting together this summer. It was fantastic and I love that.”

A “hands-off” approach from teachers and counselors was also by design, “Let them do it on their own and just being around to help,” Perez said. 

Many of the kids said and Lupinacci confirmed: She was tossed from the river raft and safely recovered during the trip. She was laughing while telling the Courant that story.

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Forget balancing a checkbook. Today’s teens need to know how to avoid identity theft, decode a credit score and figure out if that “buy now, pay later” plan is actually worth it.

With a new state law requiring all Colorado high school students to complete a course in financial literacy beginning with students in the 9th grade on or after Sept. 1, 2026, educators now face a practical challenge: how do you design a course that prepares 21st-century teens to make smart financial choices in a world of skyrocketing rents, digital wallets, student loans and TikTok stock tips?

The law, House Bill 25-1192, mandates a semester-long course in personal financial literacy for every public school student, beginning with the class of 2028. 

But it leaves the details up to local school districts, many of which are still figuring out what today’s students need most: the basics of budgeting and saving, yes, but also how to navigate the gig economy, manage online spending and protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated financial scams.

What the law requires, and what it doesn’t

School districts have the freedom to create their own financial literacy lessons, as long as they follow the state’s standards. They can incorporate the material into a class they already teach or create a brand-new course specifically for it.

But, students must understand and practice filling out the federal or state financial aid form (FAFSA or CAFSA), unless they and their parents opt out. 

Colorado has one of the lowest FAFSA completion rates in the country, according to the Colorado Department of Higher Education. This means Colorado students are missing out on significant amounts of federally available grant money.

The law doesn’t include a standardized curriculum or end-of-course exam. Instead, it points to existing high school standards, last updated in 2020, as the foundation. Those standards cover:

• Budgeting and saving
• Credit and debt management
• Understanding taxes
• Risk management and insurance
• Fraud prevention and identity protection
• Financial decision-making and planning for college

Each district will determine how to implement the course, whether as a graduation requirement embedded in current offerings or as a standalone class

What’s useful for teens in 2025

Anneliese Elrod, chief operating officer of Westerra Credit Union, says the curriculum must go far beyond “checkbook math” to prepare students for real-life financial challenges. That includes understanding how credit cards work, budgeting realistically and navigating everything from financial aid to digital payment scams.

“Budgeting by available balance is one of the most common mistakes we see young people make,” Elrod said. “They don’t understand the difference between their current balance and what’s pending. It can lead to overdrafts or worse.”

She said teens should learn how to read a pay stub, build a credit score and avoid scams on payment apps like Venmo and CashApp. Lessons should also guide them through how to evaluate financial decisions, such as whether to rent an expensive apartment or sign up for a “buy now, pay later” plan.

“Even understanding basic investing, like what a Roth IRA is or how to open an interest-generating savings account can give them a huge head start,” Elrod said. 

Elrod said she was especially glad to see FAFSA covered in the new requirement. 

“That knowledge is something you just don’t intuitively understand, and it’s a very convoluted maze,” she said. “If we are doing it for that reason — bravo.”

Additionally, she emphasized that understanding FAFSA and student loans is crucial, as many students miss out on financial aid by skipping the application process, which can leave them paying off debt well into the future.

While today’s teens may be more aware of traditional scams than older generations, Elrod said, they’re often more vulnerable to savvy marketing and high-pressure sales tactics. 

“Marketers are very good at making it feel good and immediate,” she said. “And kids are all about that.”

Keeping teens engaged in a dry subject

Teenagers may not be thrilled about taking a required money class, but educators can keep them engaged with real-world scenarios, Elrod said. That starts with relevance.

“They’re not going to understand purchasing a house. They are going to understand going out to dinner with friends or buying new clothes,” she said. “Making the examples relevant helps students connect the dots.”

Elrod’s team at Westerra Credit Union offers a classroom simulation that gives students a job, a salary and bills to manage and then throws high-pressure sales pitches their way. 

“It’s one thing to talk about budgeting,” she said. “It’s another to experience the consequences of blowing your budget on an apartment with killer mountain views and realizing you can’t afford to eat.”

When students walk through those decisions, Elrod said, the lessons tend to stick. “You can tell them they need to budget, but letting them feel what it’s like to make the wrong choice is much more effective.”

What parents can do at home

Financial education doesn’t have to stop at school. Elrod encourages parents to involve teens in family budgeting, talk openly about money and consider opening joint accounts or debit cards when they’re ready.

“Every student is different. Some are ready at 10, others not until 16,” she said. “The key is creating habits early and making the conversation feel relevant.”

Elrod recommends apps that help families gamify chores, savings and spending. Some allow parents to set savings rules, such as automatically diverting one-third of every allowance into savings and help kids track their spending in real-time.

“The goal isn’t to lecture,” she said. “It’s to build confidence. When teens feel in control of their money, they make better choices.”

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