Our Vision
While we innovate locally, Youthentity programs address national needs: helping kids develop real-world skills in the realms of financial literacy and career readiness to prepare them for stable, successful futures.
How We Started, Where We’re Going
We started our journey into experiential learning in 2001 with a “Build Your Own Computer” workshop, where students taught peers to build their own desktop computer. Then known as “Computers For Kids”, the organization evolved from technology to offer various skill-building and career exploration programs in the Roaring Fork Valley.
Today Youthentity provides career development and financial literacy programs to help kids explore and learn concepts critical to real-world success. We believe that career exploration should start early, with an emphasis on learning skills that will transfer to any job: teamwork, leadership, timeliness, presentation, communication, and so much more.
Financial literacy goes hand-in-hand with career development. Too many young adults enter into the real world of jobs, rent, and car payments without an understanding of how to effectively manage finances. Youthentity provides financial education in an easily digestible format so kids understand the concepts of investment, savings, credit, debt, interest and more.
Our goal is to make Colorado the most financially literate and career-ready region in the country. We hope that every young person in the communities we serve enters adulthood financially literate, with applicable work experience and skills gained through our career development programs.
At Youthentity, our late-elementary and middle school programs serve entire grade levels so the student population we serve is a direct reflection of each respective community. For our high school programs, students choose to enroll yet we attract a diverse population to these programs too.
Student Population Served by Race/Ethnicity
Free and Reduced Lunch Eligibility
Why is youth financial literacy and career development important? Executive Director Kirsten McDaniel explains how Youthentity’s programs have evolved to meet the ever-changing work and personal finance environment.